Improving the efficiency of a GaInP solar cell using an AlGaAs buffer layer by optimizing the thicknesses of the PN junction

Abstract

In this work, the design and simulation of an GaInP single junction solar cell are presented. The work focuses mainly on the optimization of the PN junction thicknesses of n-base and pemitter cell layers in order to improve the cell conversion efficiency. Besides this optimization, the layers of the cell window AlGaInP and an added buffer AlGaAs were also optimized in term of doping and thicknesses using Atlas tool of SILVACO TCAD. The cell is simulated under the conditions of 1 sun and AM1.5G solar spectrum at 25°C. The simulated GaInP solar cell demonstrates an efficiency (𝜂𝜂) of 22.42%. The cell shows different electrical behaviors in terms of short circuit current density (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and external quantum efficiency (EQE). The obtained results are compared with those reported in the literature. Simulation results of the cell are: a Jsc of 18.35 mA/cm2 , Voc of 1.41 V and FF of 86.81% with the corresponding n-base layer and pemitter layer thickness of 0.410 µm and 0.174 µm respectively and the total device thickness of 0.65 µm. According to these results, the proposed cell demonstrates an improvement in the efficiency and a reduction of the used GaInP material.