Loading...
News Article

Alta Achieves 31.6 percent Solar Energy Efficiency Record

Dual junction technology changes fundamental economics for unmanned aerial vehicles

According to testing by NREL the USA's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Alta Device's new dual-junction solar cell is the world's most efficient 1-sun cell at 31.6 percent efficiency. This is the seventh overall solar efficiency record that Alta Device has set since 2010.

Alta has achieved this latest record by modifying its basic single-junction GaAs material. The company's dual junction technology builds on the basic GaAs approach, but implements a second junction (or layer) with InGaP.

Because InGaP uses high-energy photons more efficiently, the new dual-junction cell generates more electricity from the same amount of light.  

Alta believes its technology now redefines how solar technology can be used, in particular, for the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) market due to the  increased power-to-weight ratio.

"Our goal has always been to enable solar power to be useful in configurations and applications that have never before been possible," said Rich Kapusta, Alta Devices chief marketing officer. "The UAV application is an important example of how this happens."

As an example, on a typical HALE (high altitude long endurance) UAV aircraft, Alta's solar material requires less than half of the surface area and weighs one-fourth as much while providing the same amount of power as competing thin film technologies.

These savings open UAV designers to a variety of alternative design options, according to Alta. Additional batteries can be installed on the vehicle, providing longer operational life spans and flight times than originally considered. Alternatively, payload functionality can be tailored for higher speed or longer distance wireless communications. 

Say hello to the heterogeneous revolution
Double heterostructure HEMTs for handsets
AlixLabs to collaborate with Linköping University
SiC MOSFETs: Understanding the benefits of plasma nitridation
Wolfspeed reports Q2 results
VueReal secures $40.5m to scale MicroSolid printing
Mitsubishi joins Horizon Europe's FLAGCHIP project
Vishay launches new high voltage SiC diodes
UK team leads diamond-FET breakthrough
GaN adoption at tipping point, says Infineon
BluGlass files tuneable GaN laser patents
QD company Quantum Science expands into new facility
Innoscience files lawsuit against Infineon
Riber revenues up 5% to €41.2m
Forvia Hella to use CoolSiC for next generation charging
Photon Design to exhibit QD simulation tool
Ortel transfers CW laser fabrication to Canada
Luminus adds red and blue multi-mode Lasers
PseudolithIC raises $6M for heterogeneous chiplet tech
Mesa sidewall design improves HV DUV LEDs
IQE revenue to exceed expectations
'Game-changing' VCSEL system targets clinical imaging
German start-up secures finance for SiC processing tech
Macom signs preliminaries for CHIPS Act funding
IQE and Quintessent partner on QD lasers for AI
EU funds perovskite tandems for fuel-free space propulsion
EU to invest €3m in GeSi quantum project
Transforming the current density of AlN Schottky barrier diodes
Turbocharging the GaN MOSFET with a HfO₂ gate
Wolfspeed launches Gen 4 SiC MOSFET technology
Report predicts high growth for UK's North East
Element Six unveils Cu-diamond composite
×
Search the news archive

To close this popup you can press escape or click the close icon.
Logo
x
Logo
×
Register - Step 1

You may choose to subscribe to the Compound Semiconductor Magazine, the Compound Semiconductor Newsletter, or both. You may also request additional information if required, before submitting your application.


Please subscribe me to:

 

You chose the industry type of "Other"

Please enter the industry that you work in:
Please enter the industry that you work in: