Modeling and simulation of InAsP/GaAs quantum well solar cell

One of the limiting factors of solar cell efficiency is the inability of the latter to absorb photons with low energy than the gap. Among the new approaches to reduce such losses and to enhance the efficiency is using what are called Multiple Quantum Wells MQWs inside the intrinsic region of a p-i-n solar cell of wider band-gap energy (barrier or host) semiconductor. These configurations are intended to increase the short circuit current on the one hand and to extend the absorption band of the p-i-n solar cell in the other hand. In the present work, we are interested in modeling and simulating of both standard GaAs p-i-n solar cell and InAs0.35P0.65 /GaAs Multiple Quantum Well Solar Cell QWSC using Silvaco TCAD software. When comparing 20-layers InAs0.35P0.65/GaAs multiple quantum well solar cell with standard GaAs solar cell, the circuit current Jsc in simulation results is increased from 19,7 mA/cm2 to 22,19 mA/cm², which is relatively 12,63 % increase. Also, the absorption range edge of photons with low energy extended from 900 to 1400 nm. This reveals that introduction of MQWs in the intrinsic region of p-i-n structures enhances significantly the device characteristics beyond what has been thus far reported for conventional semiconductor-based solar cells.