Solar cells made from III-V semiconductor materials are the most efficient means of photovoltaic energy conversion. The market area, III-V: epitaxy, solar cells and devices, covers  the entire process of developing highly efficient III-V solar cells: from simulation to epitaxy and processing right up to characterization.

The fields of application of III-V solar cells range from supplying energy to satellites in space through concentrating PV systems (CPV) (http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/geschaeftsfelder-und-marktbereiche/alternative-photovoltaik-technologien/pv-konzentratorsysteme) to special applications such as laser power beaming. This is why we are working on different, highly efficient solar cell concepts for these fields of application.

Numerous scientific prizes have been awarded for developments made by the working group:

• Becquerel Prize 2009 (http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/presse-und-medien/presseinformationen/presseinformationen-2009/becquerel-preis-fuer-dr.-andreas-bett)
• FEE Innovation Prize for Energy 2010 (2 ^nd place) (http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/presse-und-medien/presseinformationen/presseinformationen-2010/fraunhofer-ise-forscher-belegen-zweiten-platz-beim-fee-innovationspreis-energie-41-1-rekordwirkungsgrad-fuer-solarzellen-erneut-praemiert)
• Fondation Louis D award 2010 (highest-endowed award presented in France) (http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/presse-und-medien/presseinformationen/presseinformationen-2010/hoechst-dotierter-franzoesischer-wissenschaftspreis-fuer-fraunhofer-forscher)
• Joseph-von-Fraunhofer Prize 2010 (http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/presse-und-medien/presseinformationen/presseinformationen-2010/fraunhofer-gesellschaft-vergibt-wissenschaftspreise-an-freiburger-solarforscher-joseph-von-fraunhofer-preis-fuer-hoechsteffiziente-mehrfachsolarzellen-und-konzentratormodule-hugo-von-geiger-preis-fuer-diplomarbeit-zu-innovativem-zellkonzept)
• EARTO  Innovation Prize 2010