MicroLink Devices Hits 37.75% Solar Cell Power Conversion Efficiency

The device performance was officially certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and tested under the industry standard air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) simulated 1-Sun solar spectrum.

US-based solar products maker MicroLink Devices has achieved 37.75 percent power conversion efficiency from a three-junction epitaxial lift-off (ELO) thin-film solar cell.

The company said that, the device performance was officially certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and tested under the industry standard air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) simulated 1-Sun solar spectrum.

Additionally, the 37.75 percent efficiency is the highest reported for a triple junction ELO solar cell produced on a 6 inch GaAs substrate production platform.

It further added that, the specific power of this ELO solar cell design exceeds 3000 W/kg under 1-sun AM0 spectrum, which is the world’s record in comparison to any other solar cell technology.

Moreover, these solar cells are currently used to provide energy to the Zephyr HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) platform produced by Airbus Defence and Space in Farnborough, UK.

The company has an exclusive licensing agreement with NREL for the inverted metamorphic multi-junction (IMM) technology used to manufacture the high-efficiency solar device.

Commenting on the development, MicroLink Devices, Founder and President, Dr Noren Pan said, “We are continuing to push the limits of what can be achieved with the ELO technology.”

“Our triple-junction IMM ELO solar cells combine the highest efficiency with the lowest mass density of any solar cell technology available today. This represents a compelling solution for demanding unmanned aerial vehicle and satellite applications,” Pan added.

Meanwhile, the company’s ELO technology development has been supported over the past decade by numerous US agencies including NASA, DARPA, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Office of Naval Research, NAVAIR, Army Research Office, Army REF, CERDEC, ARPA-E, and the Department of Energy.