News Article
Emcore wins $7.4 million contract from US airforce
The Solar Photovoltaics division, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, aims to develop III-V multi-junction solar cells of at least 33 percent efficiency
The Air Force division of the US Department of Defence has awarded Emcore a $7,364,902 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the "Advanced Multi-Junction Space Cell Producibility Programme".
![](http://www.compoundsemiconductor.net/csc/adminpanel/uploads/filemanager/Emcore_ZTJ_Solar_cell%281%29.jpg)
Emcore solar cell
The aim of the project is to improve the manufacturing processing capabilities and qualify state of the art solar cells to at least 33 percent efficiency. In a production environment, the program is looking to qualify high efficiency, flexible or rigid, multi-junction space solar cells .
The programme is focussing on a number of critical requirements which are needed in warfight-specific satellites. These include high performance, lightness, compactness and low cost.
The cash will be used to develop Emcore's III-V multi-junction solar cells. The basic structure of the firm's highest efficiency solar cell (currently quoted as a minimum of 29.5%) is shown
below.
![](/csc/adminpanel/uploads/filemanager/Emcore_ZTJ_structure.jpg)
Emcore ZTJ solar cell structure
The project is expected to be completed by April 13th, 2018.
![](http://www.compoundsemiconductor.net/csc/adminpanel/uploads/filemanager/Emcore_ZTJ_Solar_cell%281%29.jpg)
Emcore solar cell
The aim of the project is to improve the manufacturing processing capabilities and qualify state of the art solar cells to at least 33 percent efficiency. In a production environment, the program is looking to qualify high efficiency, flexible or rigid, multi-junction space solar cells .
The programme is focussing on a number of critical requirements which are needed in warfight-specific satellites. These include high performance, lightness, compactness and low cost.
The cash will be used to develop Emcore's III-V multi-junction solar cells. The basic structure of the firm's highest efficiency solar cell (currently quoted as a minimum of 29.5%) is shown
below.
![](/csc/adminpanel/uploads/filemanager/Emcore_ZTJ_structure.jpg)
Emcore ZTJ solar cell structure
The project is expected to be completed by April 13th, 2018.