High altitude current-voltage measurement of GaAs/Ge solar cells

Abstract

Measurements of high-voltage (V/sub oc/ of 1.2 V) gallium arsenide on germanium tandem junction solar cells at air mass 0.22 showed that the insolation in the red portion of the solar spectrum is insufficient to obtain high fill factor. On the basis of measurements in the LeRC X-25L solar simulator, these cells were believed to be as efficient as 21.68% AM0. Solar simulator spectrum errors in the red end allowed the fill factor to be as high as 78.7%. When a similar cell's current-voltage characteristic was measured at high altitude in the NASA Lear Jet Facility, a loss of 15 percentage points in fill factor was observed. This decrease was caused by insufficient current in the germanium bottom cell of the tandem stack.<>