Chapter I-4-B: High-Efficiency III-V Multijunction Solar Cells

This chapter discusses solar cells made of III-V semiconductors, and how they have reached efficiencies of over 46% in 2016, the highest of any photovoltaic technology to date. These high efficiencies are possible due to the ability of stacking solar cells made of different III-V semiconductors. The main focus of current research is on III-V multijunction solar cells with three or more junctions. III-V Solar cells are widely used in space applications, terrestrial concentrators as well as niche markets such as power-by-light or thermophotovoltaics. Today III-V devices find terrestrial applications only under high concentration. But III-V on silicon may be an attractive path to reduce cost and eventually penetrate this high-performance technology into conventional applications of flat-plate photovoltaics.