AlGaAs‐GaAs heterofacep+‐p‐nsolar cells have been fabricated directly on Si substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. GaAs on Si solar cell efficiency as high as exceeding 14.5% at AM1.5 was obtained by cleaning the substrate surface and repeating GaAs film growth interruption. This value is the highest ever reported for GaAs solar cells on Si substrates. Defects, which could not be observed in homoepitaxially grown GaAs film, were observed in the heteroepitaxial GaAs films through electron beam induced current image. Relatively low conversion efficiency of the GaAs cell on Si compared to the GaAs can be attributed to these defects.