Developments in thin-film photovoltaics for space

Author

Tringe, J. ; Merrill, J. ; Reinhardt, K.

Author_Institution

US Air Force Res. Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM, USA

fYear

2000

fDate

2000

Firstpage

1242

Lastpage

1245

Abstract

Thin-film solar cells are important for space because of their low cost, high power density, and radiation resistance. However, significant technological hurdles remain before thin-film technology may be implemented as the primary power source for spacecraft. A large-area fabrication process for high-efficiency (>10% AMO) cells on a lightweight substrate must still be demonstrated, and there are many issues associated with space qualification of both the photovoltaic material itself and the substrate which must be resolved. Also, new deployment, interconnection and control schemes must be developed. Ongoing efforts led and supported by the Air Force to overcome these obstacles are discussed

Keywords

semiconductor thin films; solar cell arrays; space vehicle power plants; substrates; Air Force; control schemes; high power density; high-efficiency cells; interconnection; large-area fabrication process; lightweight substrate; low cost; photovoltaic material; radiation resistance; space qualification; space solar cells; spacecraft power source; substrate; thin-film photovoltaics; thin-film solar cells; Aircraft manufacture; Amorphous silicon; Computational Intelligence Society; Costs; Manufacturing; Photovoltaic cells; Space technology; Space vehicles; Substrates; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2000. Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anchorage, AK

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5772-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2000.916114

Filename

916114