Designing High-Efficiency Tandem Solar Cells for Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial Applications: Performance Analysis Under Varying Spectral and Thermal Conditions

Abstract

Energy independence and sustainability can be reached through tandem solar cells in extraterrestrial and terrestrial environments in the future. In this study, three advanced tandem solar cell models are configured numerically and assessed using SCAPS-1D (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator) software, analyzed their key performance parameters under AM 0 (space sunlight) and AM1.5G (Earth sunlight) spectra by varying temperature range from extreme to normal while optimizing the main absorber layer thickness and interface properties. Selecting radiation-tolerant absorber layers such as ZnTe, CIGS, GaAs, and Perovskite are crucial. An organic-inorganic hybrid 2D-3D perovskite cell is selected for the top cell with CIGS/Si and CIGS/GaAs and as a bottom cell with ZnTe, considering the environmental adaptability. Among the built three tandem cell models, Perovskite (SnOx/PCBM/2D- MAPI/3D-MAPI/PEDOT)–CIGS/GaAs cell exhibited the best overall performance. Simulations carried out at 323K and 358K showed efficiencies of 31.8% and 29.8% under AM1.5G, and 29.3% and 27.4% under AM 0, respectively. These results highlight the superior efficiency and thermal resilience of the Perovskite CIGS/GaAs tandem architecture, highlighting its’ potential in contributing to designing resilient, stable high performance power generation solar cells for both terrestrial and space applications despite extreme conditions, making it a promising pathway for next-generation photovoltaics.
Keywords: Tandem Solar cell; Radiation; Extraterrestrial; Perovskite; Temperature