Simulation of the ohmic loss in photovoltaic laser-power converters for wavelengths of 809 and 1064 nm

Abstract

The method of mathematical simulation is used to examine the influence exerted by the characteristics of the epitaxial structure and contact grid of photovoltaic laser-power converters on their ohmic loss. The maximum attainable photoconverter efficiency at a Gaussian distribution of the laser-beam intensity on the surface of a photovoltaic converter and at dark-current densities of p–n junctions typical of structures grown by the metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) technique are determined. An approach to finding the optimal parameters of GaAs and In_0.24Ga_0.76As/GaAs photovoltaic converters in relation to the optical power being converted is suggested, and the structural parameters for incident-power values of 5, 20, and 50 W at wavelengths of 809 and 1064 nm are determined. It is found that, at laser-light intensities of up to 5 W, >60% efficiency can be achieved in laser-light conversion at a wavelength of 809 nm and >55% efficiency, at a wavelength of 1064 nm.