A new high-efficiency GaAs solar cell structure using a heterostructure back-surface field

Shallow-homojunction GaAs solar cells are fabricated with a back-surface field (BSF) produced by a GaAs/Al(0.2)Ga(0.8)As heterostructure. These cells exhibit higher open-circuit voltages and conversion efficiencies than control cells made with a p-GaAs/p(+)-GaAs BSF. Conversion efficiencies of over 22 percent (AM1, total area) have been obtained with this new structure. The use of a higher bandgap material below the active region not only provides an enhanced BSF but will also permit the implementation of two solar-cell designs: a GaAs cell with a back-surface reflector and an AlGaAs cell that can be used as the upper cell in tandem configurations.