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Advanced Epitaxial Lift-Off Quantum Dot Photovoltaic Devices

Award Information

Agency:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
 Program Year/Program:
2012 / STTR
Agency Tracking Number:
110183 		Solicitation Year:
2011 		Solicitation Topic Code:
T3.01 		Solicitation Number:
Small Business Information
MicroLink Devices
6457 Howard Street Niles, IL 60714
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2012
Title: Advanced Epitaxial Lift-Off Quantum Dot Photovoltaic Devices
Agency: NASA
Contract: NNX12CG11P
Award Amount: $125,000.00
 

Abstract:

We propose to develop a high-efficiency, triple-junction, epitaxial lift-off (ELO) solar cell by incorporating quantum dots (QDs) within the current-limiting subcell. We intend to leverage existing QD epitaxy processes developed by the Rochester Institute of Technology and combine this with MicroLink's expertise in multi-junction cell growth and ELO technology. We will employ QDs to enhance the middle cell absorption in a InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs metamorphic IMM cell. Detailed balance calculations indicate that the triple junction efficiency can be increased to ~42% by reducing the bandgap of the middle cell to ~1.2 eV. The combination of the QD technology with multi-junction ELO technology will be exploited in two ways: i) ELO GaAs cells with QD can be grown into full triple-junction cells and ii) back-surface reflectors on the ELO cells will be used to improve absorption by routing IR light for a second pass through the QD subcell. The relevance of this work to NASA is that it will result in lightweight, high-efficiency, triple-junction solar cells that will have a specific power>500 W/kg. In addition, the use of QDs has been shown to improve radiation tolerance of the photovoltaic device.

Principal Investigator:

Rao Tatavarti
Principal Investigator
8475883001
rtatavarti@mldevices.com

Business Contact:

Noren Pan
Business Official
8475883001
npan@mldevices.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

MicroLink Devices
6457 Howard Street Niles, IL 60714-

EIN/Tax ID: 043511752
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
Research Institution Information:
Rochester Institute of Technology
141 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5608
Contact: David Harrison