Multijunction PV Team
Multijunction SCs are conventionally used in a limited range of areas such as artificial satellites. We develop fabrication technologies to reduce the cost of these devices, as well as to reduce the weight and increase the power generation capacity of existing Si SCs.
SCs: Solar Cells

Research themes
- R&D in low-cost fabrication techniques for ultra-high efficiency III-V semiconductor SCs (hydride vapor phase epitaxy)
- Work to realize low-cost bonding technology (smart stack) for various SCs
- R&D in very thin Si heterojunction SCs with high efficiency
- R&D in innovative passivating contacts for Si SCs
- Development of Si nanocrystal-perovskite hybrid SCs
- R&D for higher performance of Si SCs for building integrated photovoltaics

Research Team Leader / Greetings
SUGAYA Takeyoshi
Multijunction SCs featuring multiple combined cells are extremely efficient, but they have not been widely adopted due to restrictive manufacturing costs. Our HVPE and smart stack technologies realize the low-cost manufacturing of multijunction SCs at an unprecedented level worldwide. We will further refine these technologies and bring them to practical implementations.
Members
SAI Hitoshi
SVRCEK Vladimir
OSHIMA Ryuji
SHOJI Yasushi
XU Zhihao
MCDONALD Calum
ABUDUHEBAIER Mierzaaihemaiti
OKU Toshiki
MIYAMOTO Teruyuki
MAKITA Kikuo
NAGUMO Daisuke
ALESSI Bruno
ISHIZUKA Shogo
KOIDA Takashi
MIZUNO Hidenori
KAMIKAWA Yukiko
NISHINAGA Jiro
KATOU Shunichi
KUMAGAI Hideo
SATOU Yoshiki
TANABE Mayumi
FUJITA Akemi
YONEKAWA Rie
Low-cost Ⅲ-Ⅳ solar cells fabricated using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) and smart stack technology
Multijunction SCs featuring multiple combined cells are extremely efficient, but they have not been widely adopted due to their manufacturing costs. We have been working on the epitaxial growth technology known as HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) which can grow materials at a cost of around a tenth of previous methods, and smart stack technology which is a low-cost bonding technique to use low-cost bottom cells such as Si or CIGS. Our target is 35% for conversion efficiency and ¥200/W for the fabrication cost. We will be able to mount these SCs on unmanned aerial vehicles and cars.
We have achieved world record conversion efficiencies of 28.3% for HVPE grown SCs, and 28.1% for CIGS based 3-junction SCs fabricated using smart stack technology.

Development of high-efficiency and low-cost crystalline Si solar cells, Si-based multijunction solar cells, and advanced Si cell/module technologies for novel applications.
In Si solar cells, which are the most widely used type of solar cell at present, it is desirable to develop low-cost materials and processes that enable high efficiency devices, as well as advanced cell/module technologies for novel applications.
So far, we have demonstrated 23.3% efficient ultrathin crystalline Si solar cells (~50 µm) whereby the overall thickness is as low as one third of that of a conventional solar cell. This would enable not only a significant reduction in Si consumption but also providing flexible solar cells that can fit onto curved surfaces such as the walls of a building. Furthermore, we have developed various types of novel Si solar cell architectures including a Si solar cell made by depositing thin and inexpensive materials such as titanium oxide (TiOx) on Si, industrially feasible perovskite-Si tandem solar cells, strip-type Si solar cells and colored Si solar cell modules particularly aimed at building-integrated photovoltaic applications.

Video
index
Research
Highlights
Research Teams
- Organic-inorganic Hybrid PV Team
- Multijunction PV Team
- Thermoelectrics and Thermal Management Team
- Fundamentals of Ionic Devices Research Team
- Artificial Photosynthesis Research Team
- Hydrogen Production and Storage Team
- Carbon-based Energy Carrier Research Team
- Smart CO2 Utilization Research Team
- Resource Circulation Technology Research Team
- Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Team
