Tunnel-Junction-Limited Multijunction Solar Cell Performance Over Concentration

The simulation of tunnel junctions is performed by using nonlocal band-to-band and trap assisted tunneling models that are capable of reproducing the experimental current-voltage characteristics of p
⁺⁺
AlGaAs/ n
⁺⁺
AlGaAs and p
⁺⁺
AlGaAs/ n
⁺⁺
GaAs based devices. These simulated characteristics are then implemented within a lattice matched InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge multijunction solar cell (MJSC) to assess the performance as a function of tunnel junction layer doping in the regime where the TJ limits the performance of the MJSC. At 500 suns, a 4.6% absolute drop in simulated efficiency is observed for an AlGaAs/GaAs bottom TJ corresponding to a degenerately p-doped layer of 2.5 × 10
¹⁹
cm
^-3
compared to a TJ with a doping of 4×10
²⁰
cm
^-3
. A minimum p
⁺⁺
doping level of 3.3 × 10
¹⁹
cm
^-3
is required in order to avoid bottom TJ limitation up to 1000 suns concentration for an n
⁺⁺
doping of 2 × 10
¹⁹
cm
^-3
based on the calibrated models. Furthermore, the effects of the peak and valley current densities are shown to have a strong influence on the efficiency over concentration within the TJ limiting regime.