Radiation response mechanisms in multijunction III-V space solar cells

Author

Walters, Robert J. ; Warner, Jeffrey H. ; Summers, Geoffrey P. ; Messenger, Scott R. ; Lorentzen, Justin R.

Author_Institution

Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA

fYear

2005

fDate

3-7 Jan. 2005

Firstpage

542

Lastpage

547

Abstract

The radiation response mechanisms operative in multijunction (MJ) III-V space solar cells are described. The effects of electron and proton radiation-induced defects on the cell performance are identified, and a detailed description of the MJ solar cell radiation response is presented for several different stoichiometries. Special attention is paid to the case of low energy proton irradiation for both unidirectional, monoenergetic laboratory experiments and omni-directional, spectrum irradiation experienced in a space environment.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aerospace instrumentation; electron beam effects; elemental semiconductors; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; germanium; indium compounds; proton effects; radiation hardening (electronics); semiconductor heterojunctions; solar cells; stoichiometry; In_xGa_1-xP-In_yGa_1-yAs-Ge; cell performance; electron radiation-induced defects; low energy proton irradiation; multijunction III-V space solar cells; omni-directional spectrum irradiation; proton radiation-induced defects; radiation response mechanisms; space environment; stoichiometry; unidirectional monoenergetic laboratory experiments; Degradation; Electrons; III-V semiconductor materials; Laboratories; Lighting; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Protons; Space technology; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2005. Conference Record of the Thirty-first IEEE

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8707-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.2005.1488188

Filename

1488188