Abstract
The most common multijunction solar cell arrangement employs the InGaP/InGaAs/Ge configuration, which is usually exploited for high-efficiency space applications. We here test the reliability of a triple-junction device with an innovative low-thickness and flexible configuration: this is investigation is aimed at providing its main macroscopic features which must be taken into account for their applications. Notably, the specific optical and electrical features and the performance variation of these thin solar cells are systematically analyzed, both in begin-of-life (BOL) configuration and after irradiation (end-of-life, EOL) by either electrons or protons. Measurements of I-V curves, with correlated parameters, and of spectral responses (external quantum efficiency) are accomplished on several BOL and EOL samples: this allows to describe the inhomogeneous damage of the subjunctions and to follow the evolution of the solar cell physical quantities as a function of the kind and the amount of irradiation. Finally, photoluminescence emission spectra are measured, pointing out the effect of particle bombardment on luminescent features. Our results show that these innovative solar devices allow for the combination of high specific power, mechanical flexibility, high performance, and strong resistance to particle irradiation, making them an excellent option for space applications.
Highlights
Multi-junction III–V solar cells are widely employed in space applications, due to their high efficiency outside the terrestrial atmosphere
Such devices are based on the CTJ30 Centro Elettrotecnico Sperimentale Italiano (CESI) technology, a class of solar cells with standard thickness of 140 μm which are used on several satellites since 2013 [21]
Our systematic investigation on electron and proton irradiated triple-junction thin InGaP/InGaAs/Ge solar cells has examined 80-μm-thick mechanically flexible solar devices, designed for space applications
Summary
Multi-junction III–V solar cells are widely employed in space applications, due to their high efficiency outside the terrestrial atmosphere. The most employed configuration exploits InGaP/InGaAs/Ge-based devices, reaching well-established performance and reliability [1,2,3] These very high efficiency solar devices based on III–V compounds are still the best approach to increase the specific and the solar arrays lifetime. A further request recently has arisen of increasing versatility and adaptability to the spacecrafts by having bendable and mechanically flexible solar arrays [13,14,15,16,17] These issues suggest that new designs of multi-junction high-efficiency solar cells must be devised: a fruitful approach is based on manufacturing multi-junction III-V solar cells with thin substrates (typically
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