The conversion efficiency and the life expectancy of solar cells and arrays were evaluated for space applications. Efforts were made to improve the understanding of the conversion of electromagnetic radiation to useful forms of energy. A broad range of advanced concepts were evaluated

Randolph, L. P.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

NASA's HIGH EFFICIENCY A N D  RADIATION DAMAGE SOLAR CELL PROGRAM 
Lynwood P. Randolph 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Washington, D. C. 
ABSTRACT 
The NASA High Eff ic iency  and Radiation Damage (HERD) Solar  Cel l  Program 
has the object ive of improving the conversion e f f ic iency  and increasing the 
end of l i f e  e f f i c i ency  of s o l a r  c e l l s  and ar rays  f o r  space appl icat ions.  The 
accomplishment of t h i s  ob jec t ive  rests upon developing and applying an 
improved understanding of the conversion of electromagnetic rad ia t ion  t o  
usefu l  forms of energy. To t h i s  end a broad range of  advanced concepts are 
being evaluated. 
The research and technology under t h i s  program i s  ccnducted by four 
NASA Centers: J e t  Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Langley (LaRC) , L e w i s  (LeRC), 
and Marshall (MSFC). The elements of NASA program are c lose ly  coordinated 
with s imilar  a c t i v i t i e s  under DOD and DOE sponsorship. This cooperative 
e f f o r t  i s  focussed on a number of key milestones f o r  both c e l l s  and arrays 
as shown i n  f igu re .  Among these two major components the c e l l  work stresses 
s i l i con ,  gall ium arsenide,  and multibandgap mater ia l s ;  the  a r ray  technology 
includes both planar and concentrator tasks,  annealable a r rays  and advanced 
systems. In  add i t ion  r e l a t ed  work includes updating the so l a r  ce l l  r ad ia t ion  
handbook and maintaining a na t iona l  t e s t i n g  capabi l i ty .  
The major t h r u s t s  of the J P L  work a re  t o  develop p i l o t  c e l l  production 
capabi l i ty  f o r  the t h i n  (50mm) S i  c e l l ,  develop advanced high performance 
G a A s  c e l l s ,  advance the state-of-the-art  of e f f i c i e n t  a r ray  s t ruc tu res ,  
develop the  technology for  blankets  with a s p e c i f i c  power g rea t e r  than 
300 W/kg, develop the technology f o r  concentrator a r rays ,  and t o  conduct 
subsystem t e s t i n g  of c e l l s .  I n  addi t ion  another important a c t i v i t y  is t o  
monitor DOE technology f o r  app l i cab i l i t y  t o  space ce l l s .  
The LaRC program i s  devoted a t  t h i s  t i m e  t o  GaAs c e l l  a c t i v i t i e s .  The 
t h r u s t s  include r ad ia t ion  damage and annealing s tudies ,  t h in  c e l l  development 
using CVD and graphotaxy and developing the technology f o r  high temperature 
operations.  
The LeRC program's major t h rus t  are t o  produce a n  18%-A~O-ef i c i e n t  
s i l i c o n  s o l a r  c e l l ,  reduce the r ad ia t ion  damage suffered by s i l i c o n  s o l a r  
c e l l s  i n  space, develop high ef f ic iency  wrap-around contact  and th in  (50mm) 
s i l i c o n  c e l l s  f o r  space use, develop G a A s  so la r  c e l l s  for concentrator 
appl ica t ions ,  i nves t iga t e  the f e a s i b i l i t y  of 30% so lar  energy conversion 
and develop r e l i a b l e  encapsulants f o r  space blankets .  
1 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19810009010 2020-03-21T08:58:35+00:00Z
The MSFC a c t i v i t y  i s  focussed on evaluat ion of advanced systems fo r  
high power appl icat ions.  Current concepts under study are  the spectrophoto- 
vo 1 t a  i c s  and the rmopho tovo 1 t a i c s  . 
The NASA HERD Program encompasses a range of a c t i v i t i e s  from fundamental 
science and engineering t o  appl icat ions of advanced technology. The need 
for  future  research and technology i s  evidenced by continuing challenges 
faced i n  t h i s  important endeavor. 
2 
HIGH EFFICIENCY AND RADIATION DAMAGE (HERD) 
3 


NASA's high efficiency and radiation damage solar cell program

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server