2,705 research outputs found
Photovoltaic array for Martian surface power
Missions to Mars will require electric power. A leading candidate for providing power is solar power produced by photovoltaic arrays. To design such a power system, detailed information on solar-radiation availability on the Martian surface is necessary. The variation of the solar radiation on the Martian surface is governed by three factors: (1) variation in Mars-Sun distance; (2) variation in solar zenith angle due to Martian season and time of day; and (3) dust in the Martian atmosphere. A major concern is the dust storms, which occur on both local and global scales. However, there is still appreciable diffuse sunlight available even at high opacity, so that solar array operation is still possible. Typical results for tracking solar collectors are also shown and compared to the fixed collectors. During the Northern Hemisphere spring and summer the isolation is relatively high, 2-5 kW-hr/sq m-day, due to the low optical depth of the Martian atmosphere. These seasons, totalling a full terrestrial year, are the likely ones during which manned mission will be carried out
Parameterization of solar cells
The aggregation (sorting) of the individual solar cells into an array is commonly based on a single operating point on the current-voltage (I-V) characteristic curve. An alternative approach for cell performance prediction and cell screening is provided by modeling the cell using an equivalent electrical circuit, in which the parameters involved are related to the physical phenomena in the device. These analytical models may be represented by a double exponential I-V characteristic with seven parameters, by a double exponential model with five parameters, or by a single exponential equation with four or five parameters. In this article we address issues concerning methodologies for the determination of solar cell parameters based on measured data points of the I-V characteristic, and introduce a procedure for screening of solar cells for arrays. We show that common curve fitting techniques, e.g., least squares, may produce many combinations of parameter values while maintaining a good fit between the fitted and measured I-V characteristics of the cell. Therefore, techniques relying on curve fitting criteria alone cannot be directly used for cell parameterization. We propose a consistent procedure which takes into account the entire set of parameter values for a batch of cells. This procedure is based on a definition of a mean cell representing the batch, and takes into account the relative contribution of each parameter to the overall goodness of fit. The procedure is demonstrated on a batch of 50 silicon cells for Space Station Freedom
The Larmor clock and anomalous spin dephasing in silicon
Drift-diffusion theory - which fully describes charge transport in
semiconductors - is also universally used to model transport of spin-polarized
electrons in the presence of longitudinal electric fields. By transforming spin
transit time into spin orientation with precession (a technique called the
"Larmor clock") in current-sensing vertical-transport intrinsic Si devices, we
show that spin diffusion (and concomitant spin dephasing) can be greatly
enhanced with respect to charge diffusion, in direct contrast to predictions of
spin Coulomb-drag diffusion suppression.Comment: minor edits and updated ref
Nonequilibrium Transport through a Kondo Dot in a Magnetic Field: Perturbation Theory
Using nonequilibrium perturbation theory, we investigate the nonlinear
transport through a quantum dot in the Kondo regime in the presence of a
magnetic field. We calculate the leading logarithmic corrections to the local
magnetization and the differential conductance, which are characteristic of the
Kondo effect out of equilibrium. By solving a quantum Boltzmann equation, we
determine the nonequilibrium magnetization on the dot and show that the
application of both a finite bias voltage and a magnetic field induces a novel
structure of logarithmic corrections not present in equilibrium. These
corrections lead to more pronounced features in the conductance, and their form
calls for a modification of the perturbative renormalization group.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure
Screening of solar cells
Because solar cells in a production batch are not identical, screening is performed to obtain similar cells for aggregation into arrays. A common technique for screening is based on a single operating point of the I-V characteristic of the cell, usually the maximum power point. As a result, inferior cell matching may occur at the actual operating points. Screening solar cells based on the entire I-V characteristic will inherently result in more similar cells in the array. An array consisting of more similar cells is likely to have better overall characteristics and more predictable performance. Solar cell screening methods and cell ranking are discussed. The concept of a mean cell is defined as a cell 'best' representing all the cells in the production batch. The screening and ranking of all cells are performed with respect to the mean cell. The comparative results of different screening methods are illustrated on a batch of 50 silicon cells of the Space Station Freedom
Solar radiation on Mars: Stationary photovoltaic array
Solar energy is likely to be an important power source for surface-based operation on Mars. Photovoltaic cells offer many advantages. In this article we have presented analytical expressions and solar radiation data for stationary flat surfaces (horizontal and inclined) as a function of latitude, season and atmospheric dust load (optical depth). The diffuse component of the solar radiation on Mars can be significant, thus greatly affecting the optimal inclination angle of the photovoltaic surface
Towards spin injection from silicon into topological insulators: Schottky barrier between Si and Bi2Se3
A scheme is proposed to electrically measure the spin-momentum coupling in
the topological insulator surface state by injection of spin polarized
electrons from silicon. As a first approach, devices were fabricated consisting
of thin (<100nm) exfoliated crystals of Bi2Se3 on n-type silicon with
independent electrical contacts to silicon and Bi2Se3. Analysis of the
temperature dependence of thermionic emission in reverse bias indicates a
barrier height of 0.34 eV at the Si-Bi2Se3 interface. This robust Schottky
barrier opens the possibility of novel device designs based on sub-band gap
internal photoemission from Bi2Se3 into Si
Coherent spin transport through a 350-micron-thick Silicon wafer
We use all-electrical methods to inject, transport, and detect spin-polarized
electrons vertically through a 350-micron-thick undoped single-crystal silicon
wafer. Spin precession measurements in a perpendicular magnetic field at
different accelerating electric fields reveal high spin coherence with at least
13pi precession angles. The magnetic-field spacing of precession extrema are
used to determine the injector-to-detector electron transit time. These transit
time values are associated with output magnetocurrent changes (from in-plane
spin-valve measurements), which are proportional to final spin polarization.
Fitting the results to a simple exponential spin-decay model yields a
conduction electron spin lifetime (T1) lower bound in silicon of over 500ns at
60K.Comment: Accepted in PR
The Kondo Effect in Non-Equilibrium Quantum Dots: Perturbative Renormalization Group
While the properties of the Kondo model in equilibrium are very well
understood, much less is known for Kondo systems out of equilibrium. We study
the properties of a quantum dot in the Kondo regime, when a large bias voltage
V and/or a large magnetic field B is applied. Using the perturbative
renormalization group generalized to stationary nonequilibrium situations, we
calculate renormalized couplings, keeping their important energy dependence. We
show that in a magnetic field the spin occupation of the quantum dot is
non-thermal, being controlled by V and B in a complex way to be calculated by
solving a quantum Boltzmann equation. We find that the well-known suppression
of the Kondo effect at finite V>>T_K (Kondo temperature) is caused by inelastic
dephasing processes induced by the current through the dot. We calculate the
corresponding decoherence rate, which serves to cut off the RG flow usually
well inside the perturbative regime (with possible exceptions). As a
consequence, the differential conductance, the local magnetization, the spin
relaxation rates and the local spectral function may be calculated for large
V,B >> T_K in a controlled way.Comment: 9 pages, invited paper for a special edition of JPSJ "Kondo Effect --
40 Years after the Discovery", some typos correcte
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