Analysis of radiation-damaged and annealed gallium arsenide and indium phosphide solar cells using deep-level transient spectroscopy techniques. Master's thesis

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5536894

Pinzon, D

Degradation of solar cell performance from radiation damage was found to be reversed through annealing processes. The mechanisms behind the degradation and recovery is based on deep-level traps, or defects, in the lattice structure of the solar cell. Through a process known as Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS), a correlation can be made between damage/recovery and trap energy level/concentration of the cell. Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Indium Phosphide (InP) solar cells were subjected to 1 MeV electron irradiation by a Dynamitron linear acceleration at two fluence levels of 1E1r and 1E15 electrons/cm sq. The process of annealing included thermal annealing at 90 c with forward bias current and thermal annealing alone for (GaAs). After each cycle, DLTS measurements were taken to determine the energy level of the traps and their concentration. Multiple cycles of irradiation, annealing and DLTS were performed to observe the correlation between degradation and recovery to trap energy level and concentration. The results show that the lower energy level traps are associated with the recovery of the cells while the higher level traps are associated with the overall permanent degradation of the cells.

• Research Organization: Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5536894
• Report Number(s): AD-A-247260/3/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
360606 -- Other Materials-- Physical Properties-- (1992-)
ANNEALING
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
BEAMS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEEP LEVEL TRANSIENT SPECTROSCOPY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY LEVELS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HEAT TREATMENTS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
IRRADIATION
LEPTON BEAMS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PNICTIDES
POWER SUPPLIES
RADIATION EFFECTS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPACECRAFT POWER SUPPLIES
SPECTROSCOPY