Multi Junction Solar Cell Solar Panels Mars

Just like normal silicon solar cells multi junction solar cells produce electricity through the photovoltaic effect.

Multi junction solar cell solar panels mars.

A floating solar plant in lithuania source dw 3. As a runner up multi junction cells made of gallium arsenide and similar materials resist degradation better than silicon and are the most efficient cells currently made with energy conversion efficiencies up to 34. The most effective materials for solar cells are those with a bandgap energy near the energy at which the sun emits the most radiation about 500 nm or yellow orange visible light 1. Multi junction mj solar cells are solar cells with multiple p n junctions made of different semiconductor materials.

This means that theoretically multi junction solar cells are capable of converting more sunlight that hits them to electricity when compared to single junction cells. Although for the most part the solar power sector has mainly focused on crystalline silicon newer materials are providing promising results and may soon be market ready and commercially feasible the most noteworthy examples are gallium arsenide fun fact. The thin film solar panel may be single or multi junction depending on its material s. The photovoltaic effect is a complicated chemical and mechanical process but can be summarized in three main steps.

Mars rover powered by multijunction cells this very successful space cell is currently being engineered into systems. Solar cell tandem powered satellite flown commercial production of tandem production levels reach 300 kw yr 3 junction concentrator success of gainp gaas ge cell quicktime and a tiff lzw decompressor are needed to see this picture. High efficiency multijunction devices use multiple bandgaps or junctions that are tuned to absorb a specific region of the solar spectrum to create solar cells having record efficiencies over 45. The mars rover sports gaas cells and perovskites materials.

The use of multiple semiconducting materials allows the absorbance of a broader range of wavelengths improving the cell s sunlight to electrical energy conversion efficiency. Two of these solar panel types consist of single junction solar cells. Multi junction solar cells were first introduced in the late 1970 s by the research triangle institute 2. Taken together they are the largest representation of solar in space occupying enough area to cover most of a football field.

The highest efficiency achieved to date with single junction cells is about 22. Theoretically their maximum efficiency is about 33. Each material s p n junction will produce electric current in response to different wavelengths of light.