Strain-balanced GaAsP/InGaAs quantum well solar cells

A strain-balance multiquantum well (MQW) approach to enhance the GaAs solar cell efficiency is reported. Using a p-i-n diode structure, the strain-bal anced GaAsP/InGaAs MQW is grown on a GaAs substrate and equals a good GaAs cell in terms of power conversion efficiency. The cell design is presented together with measurements of the forward bias dark current density, quantu m efficiency, and 3000 K light-IV response. Cell efficiencies under standar d air mass (AM) 1.5 and AM 0 illumination are projected from experimental d ata and the suitability of this cell for enhancing GaInP/GaAs tandem cell e fficiencies is discussed. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-69 51(99)04752-X].