Investigation on Space Environmental Degradation Effects of Solar Cell Coverglass

Based on the ground-based simulation for space irradiation environment, the degradation of CMG100-AR solar cell coverglasses produced by Qioptiq was conducted by thermal cycling at the range
${-}{\rm 160}^{\circ}{\rm C}$
to
${+}{\rm 110}^{\circ}{\rm C}$
, 50-keV protons irradiation, 500-keV electrons irradiation,
${\sim}{4000}$
equivalent solar hours vacuum ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and their multifactors radiation in sequence. The key parameter related to surface charging of virgin and degraded coverglasses, total electron emission yield (TEEY), was measured and discussed. The Monte Carlo simulation, infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible-near-infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum were used to disclose the damage mechanism and its influence on TEEY.