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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Large area low-cost space solar cell development

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6170809
A development program to produce large-area (5.9 x 5.9 cm) space quality silicon solar cells with a cost goal of 30 $/watt is descibed. Five cell types under investigation include wraparound dielectric, mechanical wraparound and conventional contact configurations with combinations of 2 or 10 ohm-cm resistivity, back surface reflectors and/or fields, and diffused or ion implanted junctions. A single step process to cut cell and cover-glass simultaneously is being developed. A description of cell developments by Applied Solar Energy Corp., Spectrolab and Spire is included. Results are given for cell and array tests, performed by Lockheed, TRW and NASA. Future large solar arrays that might use cells of this type are discussed.
Research Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
OSTI ID:
6170809
Report Number(s):
N-8232854; NASA-TM-82902; E-1285; CONF-8205183-
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English