Numerical simulation and performance measure of highly efficient GaP/InP/Si multi‐junction solar cell

A novel multi‐junction GaP/InP/Si solar cells with improved p++AlGaAs/n++ AlGaAs tunnel junction model is designed using the Synopsys/RSoft/Solar cell utility software. The optical and electrical simulations of this cell are performed using the 2D full‐wave and solar cell utility, resulting in an open circuit voltage of 3.02 V, short circuit current density of 15.942 mA/cm², fill factor of 82.7%, and power conversion efficiency of 44.23%. Then, an optimization study of a function of variation in thickness of different layers is performed. Simulation results of the optimized structure under AM 1.5G condition showed a small improvement in the short circuit current density by 0.38%, efficiency by 0.375%, whereas the fill factor and open circuit voltage are maintained the same. The proposed multi‐junction solar cell has reported the highest power conversion efficiency of 44.397% among the III–V triple junction solar cells designed already. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.