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Alteration of surface of silicon solar cell with chemical etchant prior to application of antireflection (AR) coating and encapsulant FEP Teflon, reduces surface reflectivity to 2%. Reduced reflection achieved occurs at all wavelengths resulting in improved short circuit current and spectral response. Improved collection efficiency is also expected.
Data are presented from a range of operating conditions which include background photo flux, operating temperature, and frequency. Each detector is equipped with a load resistor, a cryogenic field effect transistor preamplifier, and a temperature sensor. Data are also presented of detector signal, noise spectra, noise equivalent power, and spectral response.
Certain techniques and procedures are developed and evaluated for the ascertainment of the relative spectral-photometric characteristics of standard and special spectroscopic films and plates in the visible and UV regions. These films are used in ground based and rocket launched instruments. Two photographic spectral sensitometers were developed. One instrument is a vacuum sensitometer covering a range of 1,000 to 3,000 Angstroms and the other sensitometer is the device this investigator used to study its spectral responses in the visible region of the spectrum through the utilization of a computer microdensitometric and photometric plot and contour routines.
The effects of changing atmospheric parameters on the performance of a typical silicon solar cell were calculated. The precipitable water vapor content, airmass and turbidity were varied over wide ranges and the normal terrestrial distribution of spectral irradiance was studied. The cell short-circuit current was then computed for each spectral irradiance distribution using the cell spectral response. Data are presented in the form of calibration number (cell current/incident irradiance) vs. water vapor content or turbidity.
Errors in short circuit current measurement were calculated for a variety of spectral mismatch conditions. The differences in spectral irradiance between terrestrial sunlight and three types of solar simulator were studied, as well as the differences in spectral response between three types of reference solar cells and various test cells. The simulators considered were a short arc xenon lamp AMO sunlight simulator, an ordinary quartz halogen lamp, and an ELH-type quartz halogen lamp. Three types of solar cells studied were a silicon cell, a cadmium sulfide cell and a gallium arsenide cell.
Several solar cells having dissimilar spectral response curves and cell construction were measured at various locations in the United States to determine sensitivity of cell performance to atmospheric water vapor and turbidity. The locations selected represent a broad range of summer atmospheric conditions, from clear and dry to turbid and humid. Cell short circuit current under direct normal incidence sunlight, the intensity, water vapor and turbidity were measured. Regression equations were developed from the limited data base in order to provide a single method of prediction of cell current sensitivity to the atmospheric variables.
A computer controlled laser based characterization facility used for detailed studies of silicon photodetectors and spectral response measurement on silicon solar cell is described. The power in the laser beam is measured with respect to electrical standards using an electrically calibrated pyroelectric radiometer.
The spectral thermal optimization of solar cell configurations for various solar panel applications is considered. The method of optimization depends upon varying the solar cell configuration's optical characteristics to minimize panel temperatures, maximize power output and decrease the power delta from beginning of life to end of life. Four areas of primary investigation are: (1) testing and evaluation of ultraviolet resistant coverslide adhesives, primarily FEP as an adhesive; (2) examination of solar cell absolute spectral response and corresponding cell manufacturing processes that affect it; (3) experimental work with solar cell manufacturing processes that vary cell reflectance (solar absorptance); and (4) experimental and theoretical studies with various coverslide filter designs, mainly a red rejection filter. The Hughes' solar array prediction program has been modified to aid in evaluating the effect of each of the above four areas on the output of a solar panel in orbit.
The LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS) data were analyzed with a view toward classification to identify wheat. The notion of spectral signature of a crop, a commonly used basis for classification, was found to be inadequate. Data analysis has revealed that the MSS data from agricultural sites were essentially two dimensional, and that the data from different sites and different acquisition lay on parallel planes in the four dimensional feature space. These results were exploited to gain new insight into the data and to develop alternate models for classification. In particular, it was found that the temporal pattern of change in the spectral response of a crop constitutes its signature and provides a basis for crop classification.
Soil survey mapping units are designed such that the dominant soil represents the major proportion of the unit. At times, soil mapping delineations do not adequately represent conditions as stated in the mapping unit descriptions. Digital analysis of LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS) data provides a means of accurately describing and quantifying soil mapping unit composition. Digital analysis of LANDSAT MSS data collected on 9 June 1973 was used to prepare a spectral soil map for a 430-hectare area in Clinton County, Indiana. Fifteen spectral classes were defined, representing 12 soil and 3 vegetation classes. The 12 soil classes were grouped into 4 moisture regimes based upon their spectral responses; the 3 vegetation classes were grouped into one all-inclusive class.
From 1974 through 1977, seven solar cell calibration flights and two R&D flights with a spectroradiometer as a payload were attempted. There were two R&D flights, and one calibration flight that failed. Each calibration flight balloon was designed to carry its payload to an altitude of 36.6 km (120 kft). The R&D flight balloons were designed for a payload altitude of 47.5 km (150 kft). At the end of the flight period, the upper (solar cell calibration system) and lower (consolidated instrument package (DIP) payloads were separated from the balloon and descend via parachutes. The calibrated solar cells recovered in this manner were used as primary intensity reference standards during solar simulator testing of solar cells and solar arrays with similar spectral response characteristics. This method of calibration has become the most widely accepted technique for developing space standard solar cells.
The objective of this research program is to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of producing solar-cell-quality sheet silicon by coating one surface of carbonized ceramic substrates with a thin layer of large-grain polycrystalline silicon from the melt. The past quarter demonstrated significant progress in several areas. Seeded growth of silicon-on-ceramic (SOC) with an EFG ribbon seed was demonstrated. Different types of mullite were successfully coated with silicon. A new method of deriving minority carrier diffusion length, L sub n from spectral response measurements was evaluated. ECOMOD cost projections were found to be in good agreement with the interim SAMIS method proposed by JPL. On the less positive side, there was a decrease in cell performance which we believe to be due to an unidentified source of impurities.
The author has identified the following significant results. The MSS channels 6 and 7 were considered the best to study the relative tonality of different spectral responses of soils, while channels 5 and 7 were best for natural vegetation, drainage patterns, and land use. Frequency ratio was the recommended index for use when analyzing a drainage pattern quantitatively.
The author has identified the following significant results. The concept of average mutual information in the received spectral random process about the spectral scene was developed. Techniques amenable to implementation on a digital computer were also developed to make the required average mutual information calculations. These techniques required identification of models for the spectral response process of scenes. Stochastic modeling techniques were adapted for use. These techniques were demonstrated on empirical data from wheat and vegetation scenes.
The Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) data have been analyzed with a view toward classification to identify wheat. The notion of spectral signature of a crop, a commonly used basis for classification, has been found to be inadequate. Data analysis has revealed that the MSS data from agricultural sites are essentially two dimensional, and that the data from different sites and different acquisitions lie on parallel planes in the four-dimensional feature space. These results have been exploited to gain new insight into the data and to develop alternate models for classification. In particular, it has been found that the temporal pattern of change in the spectral response of a crop constitutes its signature and provides a basis for crop classification.
Doped tin oxide gates are used in a time-delay-and-integration (TDI) CCD scheme in an effort to develop a stable transparent gate technology. Design characteristics of the system are discussed, including 2 sections of 10 by 9 integration stages, four-phase buried channel construction, and 10 input parallel-in/serial-out output shift register at a video rate of 1.25 MHz. A quantum efficiency of 65% with smooth spectral response is attained by front surface imaging. The suitability of the system for the Landsat program is discussed in terms of TDI-CCD operating parameters.
A preliminary application of the machine processing of Landsat data for the identification of swidden farming in East Africa is discussed. Three sets of Landsat data were analyzed: the 1972 mid-dry season, the 1973 late dry season, and the 1975 early wet season. The analysis procedure consisted of: (1) a preprocessing step to de-skew, rotate, and rescale the data, (2) a geometric correction process, (3) photographic enlargement, and (4) a procedure to obtain spectral response values for training the classification algorithm.
Ribbon to Ribbon (RTR) solar cells processed from polycrystalline feedstock showed maximum AMO efficiency of 5.6%. Solar cells from single crystalline feedstock showed slightly higher efficiency than those from polycrystalline feedstock, indicating maximum efficiency of about 6.6% with SiO AR coating. Single crystalline control cells gave 11-12% AMO efficiencies demonstrating that the poor performance of the RTR solar was due to the low quality of material itself. Dendritic web solar cells from the standard process showed maximum AMO efficiency of 9.8% while efficiency of control solar cells were around 11-12%. Web solar cells from back surface field (BSF) process indicated maximum AMO efficiency of 10.9%. Some improvement in open circuit voltage was noticed from the BSF process. Small light spot scanning experiments were carried out on the solar cells from Wacker Silso, EFG, RTR, and dendritic web ribbons. Photoresponse results provided information on localized cell performance and grain size in polycrystalline material, and agreed quite well with the cell performance data, such as efficiency, minority carrier diffusion length, and spectral response.