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Pulsed Laser Illumination of Photovoltaic CellsIn future space missions, free electron lasers (FEL) may be used to illuminate photovoltaic array receivers to provide remote power. The induction FEL and the radio-frequency (RF) FEL both produce pulsed rather than continuous output. In this work, we investigate cell response to pulsed laser light which simulates the RF FEL format, producing 50 ps pulses at a frequency of 78 MHz. A variety of Si, GaAs, CaSb and CdInSe2 (CIS) solar cells are tested at average incident powers between 4 mW/sq cm and 425 mW/sq cm. The results indicate that if the pulse repetition is high, cell efficiencies are only slightly reduced by using a pulsed laser source compared to constant illumination at the same wavelength. Because the pulse separation is less than or approximately equal to the minority carrier lifetime, the illumination conditions are effectively those of a continuous wave laser. The time dependence of the voltage and current response of the cells are also measured using a sampling oscilloscope equipped with a high frequency voltage probe and current transformer. The frequency response of the cells is weak, with both voltage and current outputs essentially dc in nature. Comparison with previous experiments shows that the RF FEL pulse format yields much more efficient photovoltaic conversion of light than does an induction FEL pulse format.
Document ID
20000032848
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Yater, Jane A.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Lowe, Roland
(Kent State Univ. OH United States)
Jenkins, Philip
(NYMA, Inc. Brook Park, OH United States)
Landis, Geoffrey A.
(NYMA, Inc. Brook Park, OH United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Proceedings of the 13th Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology Conference (SPRAT 13)
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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