Forward-biased current annealing of radiation-damaged gallium arsenide and silicon solar cells. Master's thesis

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5533170

Staats, R L

Radiation-damaged gallium arsenide and silicon solar cells were annealed using a combination of thermal and forward-bias current-annealing techniques. These cells were annealed under varying current densities from 0.125 to 1.250 A/sq. cm.2 and at temperatures from 90 to 140 C. Gallium arsenide solar cells annealed at current densities from 0.250 to 0.750 A/sq. cm. 2. Attempts to anneal silicon solar cells failed to produce positive results at all current densities. The primary application of this research is to determine the feasibility of on-orbit annealing of a satellite's solar array. At present, only silicon solar cells are deployed in space to provide electric power for satellites. When GaAs solar cells become space-qualified, on-orbit forward-bias current-annealing of these solar arrays may significantly increase the end of life of orbiting satellites.

• Research Organization: Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5533170
• Report Number(s): AD-A-186904/9/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605 -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
ANNEALING
DENSITY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC POWER
EQUIPMENT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
HEAT TREATMENTS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POWER
RADIATION EFFECTS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT