18.3% efficient silicon solar cells for space applications

Author

Crotty, G.T. ; Verlinden, P.J. ; Cudzinovic, M. ; Swanson, R.M. ; Crane, R.A.

Author_Institution

SunPower Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

29 Sep-3 Oct 1997

Firstpage

1035

Lastpage

1038

Abstract

In this paper, the authors report on the development of high-efficiency silicon solar cells designed specifically for space applications. The cells are the 100 μm thin N⁺-P-P⁺ and are 2×4 cm in size. The front side surface is textured with inverted pyramids and received a double layer anti-reflection coating (ARC). They also have a back surface field (BSF) and a back surface reflector (BSR). Both front and back diffusions are optimized for radiation hardness. The best beginning of life (BOL) efficiencies of these thin (100 μm) 2 cm×4 cm cells have been measured At JPL to be 18.3%. The best end of life (EOL) efficiencies after 1 MeV 1E15 electrons is 12.1%

Keywords

aerospace testing; electron beam effects; elemental semiconductors; semiconductor device testing; silicon; solar cells; space vehicle power plants; 1 MeV; 100 mum; 12.1 percent; 18.3 percent; 2 cm; 4 cm; Si; back surface field; back surface reflector; beginning of life; double layer anti-reflection coating; electron irradiation; end of life; inverted pyramid surface texture; radiation hardness; silicon solar cells; space power applications; Costs; Degradation; Electrons; Gallium arsenide; Manufacturing; Passivation; Photovoltaic cells; Silicon; Space technology; Surface texture;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3767-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1997.654266

Filename

654266