Improving the radiation hardness of space solar cells via nanophotonic light trapping
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
We show that the radiation-hardness of space solar
cells can be significantly improved by employing nanophotonic
light trapping. Two light-trapping structures are investigated in
this work. In the first, an array of Al nanoparticles is embedded
within the anti-reflection coating of a GaInP/InGaAs/Ge solar cell.
A combined experimental and simulation study shows that this
structure is unlikely to lead to an improvement in radiation
hardness. In the second, a diffractive structure is positioned
between the middle cell and the bottom cell. Computational
results, obtained using an experimentally validated electro-optical
simulation tool, show that a properly designed light-trapping
structure in this position can lead to a relative 10% improvement
in the middle-cell photocurrent at end-of-life.
cells can be significantly improved by employing nanophotonic
light trapping. Two light-trapping structures are investigated in
this work. In the first, an array of Al nanoparticles is embedded
within the anti-reflection coating of a GaInP/InGaAs/Ge solar cell.
A combined experimental and simulation study shows that this
structure is unlikely to lead to an improvement in radiation
hardness. In the second, a diffractive structure is positioned
between the middle cell and the bottom cell. Computational
results, obtained using an experimentally validated electro-optical
simulation tool, show that a properly designed light-trapping
structure in this position can lead to a relative 10% improvement
in the middle-cell photocurrent at end-of-life.
Date Issued
2016-11-21
Date Acceptance
2016-03-12
Citation
2016
Publisher
IEEE
Copyright Statement
© 2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
European Space Agency / Estec
Imperial College London
Commission of the European Communities
Grant Number
248154
4000110969/14/NL/FE
657359
Source
43rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Physical Sciences
Energy & Fuels
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Physics, Applied
Engineering
Physics
CARRIER TRANSPORT CALCULATIONS
Publication Status
Published
Start Date
2016-06-05
Finish Date
2016-06-10
Coverage Spatial
Portland, OR, USA