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Lightweight and flexible III–V solar cells create new opportunities for application in satellites, drones, and wearable devices. In this article, a module manufacturing scheme based on resistance welding and lamination technology is proposed to meet the demands of practical application. A combined laminate structure of ethylene–tetrafluoroethylene plus ethylene octene copolymer and polyimide is used to encapsulate flexible III–V solar cells. In laboratory measurements with a spectrum close to AM1.5G, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the flexible solar cell is 34.4% with an open‐circuit voltage of 3.04 V, and the efficiency of the flexible module is 32.7% with a weight density of 469 g m−2. The electroluminescence measurements show good performance of the flexible solar cell module, which is expected to achieve large‐size flexible III–V solar cells encapsulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The AlGaInAs graded buffer layer is grown to relax the strain of InGaAs with GaAs. • The solar cell achieves rapid removal of the substrate by a GaInP etch stop layer. • The Cu thin film serve as not only the flexible support but also the electrode. • The photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the thin film solar cell is 33.13%. Abstract Highly efficient, lightweight, and flexible III-V compound multi-junction solar cells play an important role in the wearable electronic field. GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs inverted metamorphic (IMM) solar cells directly grown on an N-doped GaAs substrate by a GaInP etch stop layer were fabricated. The AlGaInAs graded buffer layer is grown to relax the strain of InGaAs with GaAs. Most misfit dislocations are localized at the internal interfaces of the graded buffer and do not appear to propagate. Then, the solar cells are fabricated by the copper-plated process, and Cu thin films serve as not only the flexible support but also the P-type electrode. The device had a total thickness of less than 35 μm, a mass density of less than 0.03 g/cm2, and can exhibit excellent bendability. Under the AM1.5G solar illumination, the thin film solar cell has the best photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 33.13% with the Voc of 2.86 V, a Jsc value of 13.55 mA/cm2, and a FF of 85.49%. This method can be used to prepare flexible thin film solar cells simply and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]