LIGHTWEIGHT, LIGHT-TRAPPED, THIN GAAS SOLAR CELL FOR SPACECRAFT APPLICATIONS

ASTROPOWER IS PROPOSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH PERFORMANCE, THIN LIGHT TRAPPING GAAS SOLAR CELL FOR ADVANCED SPACE POWER SYSTEMS. A THIN DEVICE LEADS TO HIGHER PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE, RADIATION RESISTANCE, AND SPECIFIC POWER. IN A THIN DEVICE, THE INCORPORATION OF LIGHT TRAPPING TO EXTEND THE OPTICAL PATH LENGTH PERMITS GREATER CURRENT GENERATIC THAN CAN BE EXPEDITED FROM A CONVENTIONAL, THICK GAAS SOLAR CELL. THE USE OF AN OPTICAL REFLECTOR INCREASES THE SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT AND REDUCES THE BULK RECOMBINATION. THE INNOVATIVE DESIGN PROPOSED FOR HIS PHASE I PROGRAM COMBINES A ULTRA-THIN GAAS SOLAR CELL WITH THE OPTIMUM LIGHT TRAPPING TECHNOLOGY, WHILE OFFERING THE ADDED BENEFITS OF DURABILITY AND LOW COST UTILIZING ASTROPOERS'S LIQUID PHASE EPITAXY TECHNOLOGIES. THE GOAL IS A 1.64 MICRON THICK SPACE SURVIVABLE GAAS SOLAR CELL OFFERING 24.5% EFFICIENCY (AMO, 1X), CORRESPONDING TO 2906 W/KG. THE DEVLOPMENT OF THIS THECNOLOGY CAN RESULT IN A REVOLUTIONARY IMPROVEMENT IN HIGH SURVIVABILITY LIGHTWEIGHT GAAS SOLAR CELL PRODUCTS FOR SPACE.