Calculated performance of p+n InP solar cells with In0.52Al0.48As window layers

Abstract
We have calculated the performance of indium phosphide solar cells with lattice matched wide band‐gap In0.52Al0.48As window layers using the PC‐1D computer code. The conversion efficiency of p+n InP solar cells is improved significantly by the window layer. No improvement is seen for n+p structures. The improvement in InP cell efficiency was studied as a function of In0.52Al0.48As layer thickness. The use of the window layer improves both the open circuit voltage and short circuit current. For a typical In0.52Al0.48As window layer thickness of 20 nm, the cell efficiency improves in excess of 27% to a value of 18.74%.