Review of Radiation Damage to Silicon Solar Cells

This paper reviews a large number of silicon solar cell irradiation experiments performed over the last 10 years, including 1-MeV and energy spectrum electron studies, and low-(100-keV) and high-energy (up to 155-MeV) proton studies on bare and covered silicon solar cells of several types. The results of satellite flight experiments on individual solar cells are also presented, as well as data from complete solar arrays and data on the new high-efficiency solar cells. Experimental evidence indicates that the percentage of degradation is smaller in thin solar cells than in thick ones, and that cells with high resistivity (10 ?·cm) degrade less than cells with lower resistivity (1 ?·cm). It is shown that high-efficiency silicon solar cells produced at COMSAT Laboratories and pilot production groups of these cells retain most of their increased power output under irradiation. It is emphasized that all surfaces and edges of the solar cells must be completely shielded from the large flux protons in the space environment. Insufficiencies in the published data are noted in certain areas, and recommendations for additional research are presented. Finally, an extensive bibliography is included.     

The space performance of silicon vertical junction solar cells onthe LIPS-III satellite

The authors present the preliminary analysis and results of a space experiment to evaluate the performance of a new generation of silicon vertical junction solar cells and three adhesives for attaching coverglass to the solar cells. Two of the adhesives are used for the first time in coverglass applications in the space environment. The SOLAREX vertical junction solar cells, which are of 10-Ω-cm silicon with back surface fields (BSFs) and back surface reflectors (BSRs) are compared to SOLAREX planar junction cells, also of 10-Ω-cm, BSF, BSR silicon. The results up to 386 days in space indicate that the two types of solar cell show about the same degradation rate in power output. There are no significant differences at this point in the performances of the three different adhesives