Front-side interconnected large area concentrator cells for compact concentrator modules

In this paper a new solar cell design is introduced where solar cells are interconnected in series via the front surface only. Indoor measurement results of single solar cells and compact concentrator modules consisting of 14 series-interconnected solar cells are presented. The epitaxial structure is a metamorphic triple-junction concept (Ga0.35In0.65P/Ga0.83In0.17As/Ge) produced at Fraunhofer ISE. Indoor measurements show a cell performance of 35.2 % at 334 x 1000 W/m(2) referring to the designated area. Series connected solar cells on the module base plate were measured indoors at 280 x with an efficiency of 27.4 % considering total module area. In addition, outdoor measurements of the modules were performed at Tel Aviv University in a dish system showing module electrical efficiency of 22.8%. For combined electrical and thermal energy a total efficiency of 64.1 % has been achieved.