The best triple-junction solar cells boast efficiencies better than 28%. While solar cells have become increasingly important for terrestrial electricity generation, these devices are even more important for power generation outside the earth's atmosphere. Solar cells are widely used in all near-earth space missions, with solar panels increasingly getting bigger to supply the growing power requirements of sophisticated spacecrafts. Most solar cells begin to lose their efficiency significantly when their bulk temperature rises above about 60 degree C. This work describes gallium arsenide solar cells coated with infrared-reflecting pigments, contained in a silica film. Measurements indicate that such coated cells retain more of their efficiency at higher temperatures than similar uncoated cells with the former producing around 7.6% more power than the latter. The structure, fabrication and photovoltaic characteristics of pigment-coated single-junction gallium arsenide solar cells, capable of reflecting away a large fraction of incident infrared radiation. are described. The basic idea could be extended to triple-junction cells which are widely used for space missions. Use of special infrared-reflecting multilayer inorganic pigments embedded in silica films also provides these cells with desirable passivation and environmental resistance characteristics. These cells remain significantly cool in high infrared ambients and are thus ideal for use in missions to the inner planets.
High radiant flux photovoltaic cells for solar proximity missions
Semiconductor Science and Technology ; 22 , 7 ; 695-700
2007
6 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 22 Quellen
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Englisch
Antireflexschicht , Energiedirektumwandlung , Epitaxialtechnik , Galliumarsenid , Halbleiterübergang , Infrarotstrahlung , photogalvanischer Effekt , Photovoltaik , Raumfahrzeug , reflektierende Schicht , Siliciumnitrid , Solarzelle , Sonnenschutzfilter , Sonnenstrahlung , Temperatureinfluss , Überzug (Beschichtung) , Wirkungsgrad , Forschungssatellit
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