Thin film GaAs for space-moving out of the laboratory

Author

Stella, Paul M. ; Kurland, Richard M. ; Mesch, Hans G.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

fYear

1993

fDate

10-14 May 1993

Firstpage

21

Lastpage

26

Abstract

In 1991, NASA-JPL completed the APSA (Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array) program, demonstrating a lightweight deployable flexible array wing capable of 130 W/kg specific performance, a substantial improvement over conventional flight hardware. The design was based on the use of thin (55 microns) silicon or thin (100 microns) GaAs/Ge solar cells. Further array performance enhancements will require the implementation of a new advanced solar cell. An effort has been initiated to develop array fabrication methods for use of ultrathin high efficiency large area thin film GaAs cells. Flexible substrate modules have been assembled for thermal cycle testing

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; photovoltaic power systems; semiconductor device testing; semiconductor thin films; solar cell arrays; solar cells; space vehicle power plants; Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array; NASA-JPL; array fabrication methods; flexible substrate modules; lightweight deployable flexible array wing; thermal cycle testing; thin film GaAs solar cell; ultrathin high efficiency cells; Fabrication; Gallium arsenide; Hardware; Laboratories; Optical arrays; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Silicon; Solar power generation; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1993., Conference Record of the Twenty Third IEEE

Conference_Location

Louisville, KY

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1220-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1993.347084

Filename

347084