Patents Assigned to Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
  • Patent number: 11296248
    Abstract: A solar cell stack, having a first semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a first material with a first lattice constant, and a second semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a second material with a second lattice constant, and the first lattice constant being at least 0.008 ? smaller than the second lattice constant, and a metamorphic buffer, the metamorphic buffer being formed between the first semiconductor solar cell and the second semiconductor solar cell, and the metamorphic buffer including a series of three layers, and the lattice constant increasing in a series in the direction of the semiconductor solar cell, and the lattice constants of the layers of the metamorphic buffer being bigger than the first lattice constant, two layers of the buffer having a doping, and the difference in the dopant concentration between the two layers being greater than 4E17 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Wolfgang Guter
  • Patent number: 11280025
    Abstract: A vapor phase epitaxy method including: providing a III-V substrate of a first conductivity type, introducing the III-V substrate into a reaction chamber of a vapor phase epitaxy system at a loading temperature, heating the III-V substrate from the loading temperature to an epitaxy temperature while introducing an initial gas flow, depositing a III-V layer with a dopant concentration of a dopant of the first conductivity type on a surface of the III-V substrate from the vapor phase from an epitaxial gas flow, fed into the reaction chamber and comprising the carrier gas, the first precursor, and at least one second precursor for an element of main group III, wherein during the heating from the loading temperature to the epitaxy temperature, a third precursor for a dopant of the first conductivity type is added to the initial gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Clemens Waechter, Gregor Keller
  • Publication number: 20220077343
    Abstract: A stacked monolithic multi-junction solar cell having at least four subcells, wherein the band gap increases starting from the first subcell in the direction of the fourth subcell, each subcell has an n-doped emitter and a p-doped base, the emitter and the base of the first subcell each are formed of germanium, all following subcells each have at least one element of main group III and V of the periodic table, all subcells following the first subcell are formed lattice-matched to one another, a semiconductor mirror having a plurality of doped semiconductor layers with alternately different refractive indices is placed between the first and second subcell, the semiconductor layers of the semiconductor mirror are each formed n-doped and each have a dopant concentration of at most 5ยท1018 cm?3, the semiconductor mirror is placed between the first subcell and the first tunnel diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander BERG, Matthias MEUSEL
  • Publication number: 20220077342
    Abstract: A stacked monolithic multi-junction solar cell having at least four subcells, wherein the band gap increases starting from the first subcell in the direction of the fourth subcell, each subcell has an n-doped emitter and a p-doped base, the emitter and the base of the first subcell each have germanium or consist of germanium, all following subcells each have at least one element of main group III and V of the periodic table, a tunnel diode with a p-n junction is placed between each two subcells, all subcells following the first subcell are formed lattice-matched to one another, a semiconductor mirror having a plurality of doped semiconductor layers with alternately different refractive indices is placed between the first and second subcell, and the semiconductor mirror is placed between the first subcell and the first tunnel diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias MEUSEL, Alexander BERG, Wolfgang GUTER
  • Patent number: 11257909
    Abstract: A stacked, high-blocking III-V semiconductor power diode having a first metallic terminal contact layer, formed at least in regions, and a highly doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type and a first lattice constant. A drift layer of a second conductivity type and having a first lattice constant is furthermore provided. A semiconductor contact layer of a second conductivity, which includes an upper side and an underside, and a second metallic terminal contact layer are formed, and the second metallic terminal contact layer being integrally connected to the underside of the semiconductor contact layer, and the semiconductor contact layer having a second lattice constant at least on the underside, and the second lattice constant being the lattice constant of InP, and the drift layer and the highly doped semiconductor contact region each comprising an InGaAs compound or being made up of InGaAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH, 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter, Volker Dudek
  • Patent number: 11245012
    Abstract: A stacked high barrier III-V power semiconductor diode having an at least regionally formed first metallic terminal contact layer and a heavily doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type with a first lattice constant, a drift layer of a second conductivity type, a heavily doped metamorphic buffer layer sequence of the second conductivity type is formed. The metamorphic buffer layer sequence has an upper side with the first lattice constant and a lower side with a second lattice constant. The first lattice constant is greater than the second lattice constant. The upper side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence is arranged in the direction of the drift layer. A second metallic terminal contact layer is arranged below the lower side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence. The second metallic terminal contact layer is integrally bonded with a semiconductor contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter
  • Patent number: 11227969
    Abstract: A marking method for applying a unique identification to each individual solar cell stack of a semiconductor wafer, at least comprising the steps: Providing a semiconductor wafer having an upper side and an underside, which comprises a Ge substrate forming the underside; and generating an identification with a unique topography by means of laser ablation, using a first laser, on a surface area of the underside of each solar cell stack of the semiconductor wafer, the surface area being formed in each case by the Ge substrate or by an insulating layer covering the Ge substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Koestler, Steffen Sommer, Alexander Frey
  • Publication number: 20220013678
    Abstract: A monolithic metamorphic multi-junction solar cell comprising a first III-V subcell and a second III-V subcell and a third III-V subcell and a fourth Ge subcell, wherein the subcells are stacked on top of each other in the indicated order, and the first subcell forms the topmost subcell, and a metamorphic buffer is formed between the third subcell and the fourth subcell and all subcells each have an n-doped emitter layer and a p-doped base layer, and the emitter layer of the second subcell is greater than the base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias MEUSEL, Alexander BERG, Philipp SCHROTH, Susanne SCHREIER
  • Publication number: 20220013676
    Abstract: A stacked monolithic multijunction solar cell, which includes a first subcell having a p-n junction with an emitter layer and a base layer, the thickness of the emitter layer being less than the thickness of the base layer at least by a factor of ten, and the first subcell comprising a substrate having a semiconductor material from the groups III and V or a substrate from the group IV, and which further includes a second subcell arranged on the first subcell and a third subcell arranged on the second subcell, the two subcells each including an emitter layer and a base layer, and a tunnel diode and a back side field layer each being formed between the subcells, the thickness of the emitter layer being greater than the thickness of the base layer in each case between the second subcell and in the third subcell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Rosalinda VAN LEEST, Gregor KELLER, Matthias MEUSEL
  • Publication number: 20220013679
    Abstract: A monolithic metamorphic multi-junction solar cell comprising a first III-V subcell and a second III-V subcell and a third III-V subcell and a fourth Ge subcell, wherein the subcells are stacked on top of each other in the indicated order, and the first subcell forms the topmost subcell, and a metamorphic buffer is formed between the third subcell and the fourth subcell and all subcells each have an n-doped emitter layer and a p-doped base layer, and the emitter layer of the second subcell is greater than the base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias MEUSEL, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20220013677
    Abstract: A monolithic multi-junction solar cell comprising a first III-V subcell and a second III-V subcell and a third III-V subcell and a fourth Ge subcell, wherein the subcells are stacked on top of one another in the specified order, and the first subcell forms the top subcell and a metamorphic buffer is formed between the third subcell and the fourth subcell and all subcells each have an n-doped emitter layer and a p-doped base layer and the emitter doping in the second subcell is lower than the base doping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias MEUSEL, Alexander BERG, Philipp SCHROTH
  • Publication number: 20220005942
    Abstract: A vertical high-blocking III-V bipolar transistor, which includes an emitter, a base and a collector. The emitter has a highly doped emitter semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type and a first lattice constant. The base has a low-doped base semiconductor region of a second conductivity type and the first lattice constant. The collector has a layered low-doped collector semiconductor region of the first conductivity type with a layer thickness greater than 10 ?m and the first lattice constant. The collector has a layered highly doped collector semiconductor contact region of the first conductivity type. A first metallic connecting contact layer is formed in regions being integrally connected to the emitter. A second metallic connecting contact layer is formed in regions being integrally connected to the base. A third metallic connecting contact region is formed at least in regions being arranged beneath the collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Gregor KELLER, Clemens WAECHTER, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Patent number: 11211516
    Abstract: A stack-like III-V semiconductor product comprising a substrate and a sacrificial layer region arranged on an upper side of the substrate and a semiconductor layer arranged on an upper side of the sacrificial layer region. The substrate, the sacrificial layer region and the semiconductor layer region each comprise at least one chemical element from the main groups III and a chemical element from the main group V. The sacrificial layer region differs from the substrate and from the semiconductor layer in at least one element. An etching rate of the sacrificial layer region differs from an etching rate of the substrate and from an etching rate of the semiconductor layer region at least by a factor of ten. The sacrificial layer region is adapted in respect of its lattice to the substrate and to the semiconductor layer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Strobl
  • Patent number: 11164983
    Abstract: A stacked multi-junction solar cell with a first subcell having a top and a bottom, and with a second subcell. The first subcell is implemented as the topmost subcell so that incident light first strikes the top of the first subcell and after that strikes the second subcell through the bottom. A first tunnel diode is arranged between the bottom of the first subcell and the second subcell. A window layer is arranged on the top of the first subcell, and the band gap of the window layer is larger than the band gap of the first subcell. A cover layer is arranged below metal fingers and above the window layer, and an additional layer is arranged below the cover layer and above the window layer. A thickness of the additional layer is less than the thickness of the window layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Meusel, Rosalinda Van Leest, Alexander Berg, Lilli Horst
  • Publication number: 20210301423
    Abstract: A Metalorganic chemical vapor phase epitaxy or vapor phase deposition apparatus, having a first gas source system, a reactor, an exhaust gas system, and a control unit, wherein the first gas source system has a carrier gas source, a bubbler with an organometallic starting compound, and a first supply section leading to the reactor either directly or through a first control valve, the carrier gas source is connected to an inlet of the bubbler through a first mass flow controller by a second supply section, an outlet of the bubbler is connected to the first supply section, and the carrier gas source is connected to the first supply section through a second mass flow controller by a third supply section, the first supply section is connected to an inlet of the reactor through a third mass flow controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Clemens WAECHTER, Jan STRATE
  • Publication number: 20210296509
    Abstract: A stacked high-blocking III-V semiconductor power diode and manufacturing method, wherein the III-V semiconductor power diode comprises a first highly doped semiconductor contact area, a low-doped semiconductor drift region disposed beneath the first semiconductor contact area, a highly doped second semiconductor contact area disposed beneath the semiconductor drift region, and two terminal contact layers, at least the first semiconductor contact area forms a core stack, the core stack is surrounded by a dielectric frame region along the side face, the upper surface or lower surface of the core stack and the dielectric frame region terminate with each other or form a step with respect to each other, and semiconductor areas of the III-V semiconductor power diode arranged beneath the first semiconductor contact area are each either surrounded by the core stack or form a carrier portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten WIERZKOWSKI, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20210296391
    Abstract: A III-V semiconductor pixel X-ray detector, including an absorption region of a first or a second conductivity type, at least nine semiconductor contact regions of the second conductivity type arranged in a matrix along the upper side of the absorption region, and optionally a semiconductor contact layer of the first conductivity type, a metallic front side connecting contact being arranged beneath the absorption region, and a metallic rear side connecting contact being arranged above each semiconductor contact region, and a semiconductor passivation layer of the first or the second conductivity type. The semiconductor passivation layer and the absorption region being lattice-matched to each other. The semiconductor passivation layer being arranged in regions on the upper side of the absorption region. The semiconductor passivation layer having a minimum distance of at least 2 ?m or at least 20 ?m with respect to each highly doped semiconductor contact region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard STROBL
  • Publication number: 20210296515
    Abstract: A stacked III-V semiconductor photonic device having a second metallic terminal contact layer at least formed in regions, a highly doped first semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type, a very low doped absorption region of the first or second conductivity type having a layer thickness of 20 ?m-2000 ?m, a first metallic terminal contact layer, wherein the first semiconductor contact region extends into the absorption region in a trough shape, the second metallic terminal contact layer is integrally bonded to the first semiconductor contact region and the first metallic terminal contact layer is arranged below the absorption region. In addition, the stacked III-V semiconductor photonic device has a doped III-V semiconductor passivation layer of the first or second conductivity type, wherein the III-V semiconductor passivation layer is arranged at a first distance of at least 10 ?m to the first semiconductor contact region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard STROBL
  • Patent number: 11127873
    Abstract: A monolithic multijunction solar cell having exactly four subcells, an uppermost first subcell having a layer made up of a component having the elements AlInP, and the lattice constant a1 of the layer being between 0.572 nm and 0.577 nm, and the indium content being between 64% and 75%, and the Al content being between 18% and 32%, and the third subcell having a layer made up of a compound having at least the elements GaInAs, and the lattice constant of the layer being between 0.572 and 0.577, and the indium content of the layer being greater than 17%, and the second subcell comprising a layer including a compound which has at least the elements GaInAsP, the layer having an arsenic content between 22% and 33% and an indium content between 52% and 65%. and the lattice constant a2 being between 0.572 and 0.577.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Meusel
  • Patent number: 11081615
    Abstract: A protection method for through-holes of a semiconductor wafer having the steps: providing a semiconductor wafer, and comprising a plurality of solar cell stacks, wherein each solar cell stack has a Ge substrate forming a bottom side of the semiconductor wafer, a Ge subcell, and at least two III-V subcells in the order mentioned, as well as at least one through-hole, extending from the top side to the bottom side of the semiconductor wafer, with a continuous side wall and a circumference that is oval in cross section; applying a photoresist layer to a top side of the semiconductor wafer and to at least one region of the side wall of the through-hole, said region adjoining the top side, and applying an organic filler material by means of a printing process to a region of the top side, said region comprising the through-hole, and into the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Frey, Benjamin Hagedorn