Manufacturing status of GaAs solar cells for space applications
Abstract
Around 50,000 GaAs solar cells per year with typical efficiency of 17.5% are routinely produced by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) using the vertically separated three chambers technique. The cells will be used in space solar array for Japanese domestic communications satellite (CS-3) to be launched in 1988. The LPE process and in-line process control used to achieve the required quality in a GaAs solar cell are described. The mass production process data is also presented and the future technology of GaAs solar cells is discussed.
- Publication:
-
Photovoltaic Generators in Space
- Pub Date:
- November 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986pvgp.symp...31M
- Keywords:
-
- Gallium Arsenides;
- Liquid Phase Epitaxy;
- Manufacturing;
- Solar Cells;
- Spacecraft Power Supplies;
- Japanese Spacecraft;
- Process Control (Industry);
- Production Engineering;
- Technological Forecasting;
- Energy Production and Conversion