Optimized design and performance analysis of n+p doped GaAs-based solar cell

Abstract

This paper presents optimum design of GaAs-based single junction solar cell introducing AlGaAs in the Window layer and BSF (Back Surface Field) layer. The reason of using AlGaAs was to reduce the surface recombination loss which generally occurs due to the surface defects [1]. For calculating the dimension of the cell some parameters determined from analytical expressions were considered. To find out the net current of the cell, illumination current and reverse saturation current were calculated using some other expressions. The effects of series resistance and shunt resistance on the performance of GaAs-based solar cell were studied very carefully and the performance parameters of the solar cell like conversion efficiency, fill factor, open circuit voltage, short circuit current, maximum output voltage and maximum output current were calculated using MATLAB simulation. MATLAB simulation was also applied to find optimum values of series resistance and shunt resistance which are 0.0015 ohm and 100 ohm respectively. Corresponding to explore optimum series resistance of 0.0015 ohm 16.02% conversion efficiency, 88.57% fill factor, 1.827A short circuit current, 0.99V open circuit voltage were calculated and similarly, for 100 ohm optimum shunt resistance 16.02% conversion efficiency, 88.57% fill factor, 1.827A short circuit current, 0.99V open circuit voltage were found out.