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Kamath, G. S.

Publications and source records attributed to Kamath, G. S..

15 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Evaluation of AlsubxGasub1-xsubAs solar cells

Single junction GaAs solar cells have already attained an efficiency of 19% AMO which could potentially be increased to approx 20%, with some optimization. To achieve the higher efficiency the concept of multibandgap solar cells which utilizes a wider region of the solar spectrum should be sed. One of the materials for fabricating the top cell in a multibandgap solar cell is AlGaAs because it is compatible with GaAs in bandgap and lattice match. This is a very important consideration from the materials technology point of view, and the viability of this approach is evaluated.

Loo, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Recent advances in LPE GaAs-based solar cells

Several modifications were made to an infinite solution liquid phase epitaxy system that help fabricate both GaAs-based cells and thin cells that effectively reduce power-to-weight ratio for space applications. The most important development is the multiwell crucible for multilayer growth. Using a split crucible in one system, as many as five layers were grown in succession with varying Al levels and dopants. The structures grown were used to produce thin GaAs cells only 10 to 20 microns thick and also to grow cascade cell components. Results of these studies are presented and their applications to the future development of GaAs-based cells are discussed.

Kamath, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1983

GaAs solar cells for concentrator systems in space

Cells for operation in space up to more than 100 suns were made, and an AMO efficiency of 21% at 100 suns with these cells was obtained. The increased efficiency resulted not only from the higher open circuit voltage associated with the higher light intensity (higher short circuit current); it also benefitted from the increase in fill factor caused by the lower relative contribution of the generation recombination current to the forward bias current when the cell's operating current density is increased. The experimental cells exhibited an AMO efficiency close to 16% at 200 C. The prospect of exploiting this capability for the continuous annealing of radiation damage or for high temperature missions (e.g., near Sun missions) remains therefore open. Space systems with concentration ratios on the order of 100 suns are presently under development. The tradeoff between increased concentration ratio and increased loss due to the cell's series resistance remains attractive even for space applications at a solar concentrator ratio of 100 suns. In the design of contact configuration with low enough series resistance for such solar concentration ratios, the shallow junction depth needed for good radiation hardness and the thin AlGaAs layer thickness needed to avoid excessive optical absorption losses have to be retained.

Loo, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Medium energy proton radiation damage to (AlGa)As-GaAs solar cells

The performance of (AlGa)As-GaAs solar cells irradiated by medium energy 2, 5, and 10 MeV protons was evaluated. The Si cells without coverglass and a number of GaAs solar cells with 12 mil coverglass were irradiated simultaneously with bare GaAs cells. The cell degradation is directly related to the penetration of depth of protons with GaAs. The influence of periodic and continuous thermal annealing on the GaAs solar cells was investigated.

Loo, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effect of electron flux on radiation damage in GaAs solar cells

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of electron flux and temperature on radiation damage in GaAs solar cells. The defect levels and the power ratio of the GaAs solar cells under various irradiation conditions are compared. In a 200 C continuous annealing experiment, the GaAs solar cells which were irradiated at a flux of 2 x 10 to the 9th e/sq cm s suffered less power degradation than the cells which were irradiated at the same temperature at a higher flux of 4 x 10 to the 10th e/sq cm s. After the continuous annealing experiment, a single-step post annealing at 200 C was performed for 40 hr on these irradiated cells. An additional improvement in power recovery was observed only on those cells irradiated at the high flux of 4 x 10 to the 10th e/sq cm s. DLTS data indicate that the defect density decreases with lower electron flux. Both of these observations strongly suggest that the continuous annealing in GaAs cells can be effective at temperatures as low as 150 C, or even less in a space environment such as geosynchronous orbit.

Loo, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Enhanced annealing of GaAs solar cell radiation damage

Solar cells are degraded by radiation damage in space. Investigations have been conducted concerning possibilities for annealing this radiation damage in GaAs solar cells, taking into account the conditions favoring such annealing. It has been found that continuous annealing as well as the combination of injection annealing with thermal annealing can lead to recovery from radiation damage under particularly favorable conditions in GaAs solar cells. The damage caused by both electrons and protons in GaAs solar cells can be substantially reduced by annealing at temperatures as low as 150 C, under appropriate conditions. This possibility makes the GaAs solar cells especially attractive for long space missions, or for missions in severe radiation environments. Attention is given to results concerning periodic thermal annealing, continuous annealing, and injection annealing combined with thermal annealing.

Loo, R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Development of space-qualified GaAs solar cells

Cells 2 cm x 2 cm were produced having an efficiency of 16% at 100 C and 12% at 200 C. They were superior to silicon cells under 1 MeV electron bombardment up to fluences in excess of 10 to the 15th power electron per sq cm, and to protons with an energy in excess of 1 MeV. The possibility of producing cells in quantity using a graphite wafer holder is mentioned.

Knechtli, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

GaAs workshop report

The advantages of GaAs over silicon are discussed. The substrate problem in solar cell fabrication was reviewed. Future trends in solar energy technology were predicted with special emphasis on cost of production.

Kamath, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Periodic annealing of radiation damage in GaAs solar cells

Continuous annealing of GaAs solar cells is compared with periodic annealing to determine their relative effectiveness in minimizing proton radiation damage. It is concluded that continuous annealing of the cells in space at 150 C can effectively reduce the proton radiation damage to the GaAs solar cells. Periodic annealing is most effective if it can be initiated at relatively low fluences (approximating continuous annealing), especially if low temperatures of less than 200 C are to be used. If annealing is started only after the fluence of the damaging protons has accumulated to a high value 10 to the 11th power sq/pcm), effective annealing is still possible at relatively high temperatures. Finally, since electron radiation damage anneals even more easily than proton radiation damage, substantial improvements in GaAs solar cell life can be achieved by incorporating the proper annealing capabilities in solar panels for practical space missions where both electron and proton radiation damage have to be minimized.

Loo, R. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Deep-level defects and recombination parameters in proton irradiated AlGaAs-GaAs solar cells

The deep-level defects produced in high efficiency AlGaAs-GaAs solar cells by proton energies of 50, 100, 200, and 290 keV are investigated. Proton fluences were from 10 to the 10th to 10 to the 13th p/sq cm. The results show that the diode ideality factor varies between 1.9 and 2.1, indicating that the dominant current component is due to the recombination of electron-hole pairs via deep-level traps in the junction space charge region of these diodes. The recombination current increases with increasing proton fluence and proton energy. The reduction of open circuit voltage, short circuit current, and conversion efficiency in the irradiated cells relates directly to the density of the deep-level defects induced by proton irradiation.

Li, S. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Electron Radiation Damage of (alga) As-gaas Solar Cells

Solar cells (2 cm by 2 cm (AlGa) As-GaAs cells) were fabricated and then subjected to irradiation at normal incidence by electrons. The influence of junction depth and n-type buffer layer doping level on the cell's resistance to radiation damage was investigated. The study shows that (1) a 0.3 micrometer deep junction results in lower damage to the cells than does a 0.5 micrometer junction, and (2) lowering the n buffer layer doping density does not improve the radiation resistance of the cell. Rather, lowering the doping density decreases the solar cell's open circuit voltage. Some preliminary thermal annealing experiments in vacuum were performed on the (AlGa)As-GaAs solar cells damaged by 1-MeV electron irradiation. The results show that cell performance can be expected to partially recover at 200 C with more rapid and complete recovery occurring at higher temperature. For a 0.5hr anneal at 400 C, 90% of the initial power is recovered. The characteristics of the (AlGa)As-GaAs cells both before and after irradiation are described.

Loo, R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Summary of GaAs Solar Cell Performance and Radiation Damage Workshop

The workshop considered the GaAs solar cell capability and promise in several steps: (1) maximum efficiency; (2) space application; (3) major technology problems (AR coating optimization, contacts); (4) radiation resistance; (5) cost and availability; and (6) alternatives. The workshop believes that GaAs solar cells are fast approaching the fulfillment of their potential as candidates for space cells. A maximum efficiency of 20 to 31 percent AMO can be reasonably expected from GaAs based cells, and this may go a little higher with concentration. The use of concentration in space needs to be more carefully evaluated.

Kamath, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Electron and proton degradation in /AlGa/As-GaAs solar cells

Results on radiation damage in (AlGa)As-GaAs solar cells by 1 MeV electron fluences up to 10 to the 16th electrons/sq cm and by 15, 20, 30 and 40 MeV proton fluences up to 5 times 10 to the 11th protons/sq cm are presented. The damage is compared with data on state-of-the-art silicon cells which were irradiated along with the gallium arsenide cells. The theoretical expectation that the junction depth has to be kept relatively shallow, to minimize radiation damage has been verified experimentally. The damage to the GaAs cells as a function of irradiation, is correlated with the change in their spectral response and dark I-V characteristics. The effect of thermal annealing on the (AlGa)As-GaAs solar cells was also investigated. This data is used to predict further avenues of optimization of the GaAs cells.

Loo, R.↗