High Specific Power, Electrostatically Bonded, Ultra-thin Gaas

ASTROPOWER PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH PERFORMANCE, ULTRA-THIN ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED GaAs SOLAR CELL WITH COPLANAR BACK CONTACTS. THE INNOVATIVE DESIGN INCORPORATES LIGHT TRAPPING, ADHESIVELESS COVER SLIDE BONDING, AND ELIMINATES GRID SHADING. THIS NOVEL DEVICE WILL EXHIBIT INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND SPECIFIC POWER DUE TO THE HIGHER OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE AND SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT OBTAINABLE FROM A THIN DEVICE. AN OPTICAL REFLECTOR IS USED TO INCREASE THE SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT WHILE MAINTAINING REDUCED BULK RECOMBINATION. BECAUSE THE THICKNESS OF THE GaAs SOLAR CELL IS LESS THAN 2 MICRONS, THE DEVICE IS SUPPORTED BY A 3-MIL THICK COVER GLASS THAT IS ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED TO THE FRONT SURFACE. THE SPECIFIC POWER FOR THIS NOVEL SOLAR CELL IS 3549 W/KG WITH AN AMO EFFICIENCY OF 24.5%. THERMAL STABILITY AND TOLERANCE TO UV DEGRADATION ARE INHERENT TO THE THIN DEVICE STRUCTURE AND ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED COVER SLIDE. SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPEMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN RESULT IN A REVOLUTIONARY IMPROVEMENT IN SURVIVABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AND LIGHTWEIGHT GaAs SOLAR CELL PRODUCTS FOR SPACE.