Title :
Performance of Ga0.47In0.53As cells over a range of proton energies
Author :
Weinberg, I. ; Jain, R.K. ; Vargas-Aburto, C. ; Wilt, D.M. ; Scheima, D.A.
Author_Institution :
NASA Lewis Res. Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
Abstract :
Ga0.47In0.53As space power solar cells were processed by OMVPE and their characteristics determined at proton energies of 0.2, 0.5, and 3 MeV. Emphasis was on characteristics applicable to use of this cell as the low bandgap member of a monolithic, two terminal high efficiency InP/GaInAs cell. It was found that the radiation induced degradation in efficiency, Isc V oc and diffusion length increased with decreasing proton energy. When efficiency degradations were compared with InP it was observed that the present cells showed considerably more degradation over the entire energy range. Similar to InP, Rc, the carrier removal rate, decreased with increasing proton energy. However, numerical values for Rc differed from those observed with InP. The difference is attributed to differing defect behavior between the two cell types. It was concluded that particular attention should be paid to the effects of low energy protons especially when the particle´s track ends in one cell of the multibandgap device
Keywords :
gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; indium compounds; photovoltaic power systems; proton effects; semiconductor device testing; semiconductor growth; solar cells; space vehicle power plants; vapour phase epitaxial growth; 0.2 MeV; 0.5 MeV; 3 MeV; Ga0.47In0.53As; OMVPE; carrier removal rate; defect behavior; efficiency; low energy protons; multibandgap device; open-circuit voltage; performance tests; proton irradiation energies; semiconductor; short-circuit current; space power solar cells; Degradation; Electrons; Fabrication; Indium phosphide; NASA; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Protons; Solar power generation; Sun;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on
Conference_Location :
Waikoloa, HI
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1460-3
DOI :
10.1109/WCPEC.1994.521653
