AbstractThe parallel multi‐junction solar cell design has recently been proposed to reduce the costs of photovoltaics, while maintaining or improving device performance. This design uses alternating layers of n‐ and p‐type semiconductor to ensure that every point in the device is much less than one diffusion length from a collecting junction, producing relatively high currents. Device voltages can be maintained through heavier doping than would normally be used. This approach is particularly suited to very low‐quality material where the diffusion lengths are much shorter than the device thickess required for significant photogeneration. In particular, this design strategy is seen as a way to realize the potential of thin‐film polycrystalline silicon solar cells for large‐scale, cost‐effective energy generation. A brief description of the parallel multi‐junction solar cell is presented, along with some analysis where parallel multi‐junction solar cells differ from conventional cells. Results from an analytical one‐dimensional model and two‐dimensional numerical simulations are presented, highlighting some of the significant advantages of parallel multi
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