Short circuit current changes in electron irradiated GaAlAs/GaAs solar cellsHeteroface p-GaAlAs/p-GaAs/n-GaAs solar cells with junction depths of 0.8, 1.5, and 4 microns were irradiated with 1 MeV electrons. The short-circuit current for the 4 micron junction depth cells is significantly reduced by the electron irradiation. Reduction of the junction depth to 1.5 microns improves the electron radiation resistance of the cells while further reduction of the junction depth to 0.8 microns improves the stability of the cells even more. Primary degradation is in the blue region of the spectrum. Considerable recovery of lost response is obtained by annealing the cells at 200 C. Computer modeling shows that the degradation is caused primarily by a reduction in the minority carrier diffusion length in the p-GaAs.
Document ID
19790056961
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Walker, G. H. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Conway, E. J. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, Va., United States)