Performance evaluation of a GaInP/GaAs solar cell structure with the integration of AlGaAs tunnel junction

• GaInP/GaAs solar cell structure with AlGaAs tunnel junction by solid–source MBE technique.
• The structural, morphological and electrical characterization were performed.
• The integration of tunnel junction is very effective on device performance.

A GaInP/GaAs solar cell structure with AlGaAs tunnel junction was grown on p-type (1 0 0)-oriented GaAs substrate by a solid-source molecular beam epitaxy technique. The structural and morphological properties of the GaInP/GaAs solar cell structure have been evaluated by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy measurements. In addition, the GaInP/GaAs solar cell device was fabricated to obtain electrical output parameters of the cells. For this purpose, the current–voltage measurements of solar cell devices were carried out at room temperature under both dark and air mass 1.5 global radiation (AM1.5) using solar simulator. In addition, the electrical output parameters of the GaInP/GaAs solar cell structure with the AlGaAs tunnel junction are compared with the GaInP/GaAs solar cell structure without the AlGaAs tunnel junction, and it is found that the integration of the tunnel junction into a solar cell structure improves the device performance by 48%.