The effects of radiation and annealing on amorphous silicon solar cell space arrays

This study centers on an ongoing effort to develop large area amorphous silicon (/spl alpha/-Si) solar cells for space applications. Such units are routinely commercially mass produced for terrestrial use. Of major importance, however, is their behavior in radiation environments. Compared to conventional crystalline cells, /spl alpha/-Si devices have the advantages of being very low cost, large area (/spl ges/12/spl times/13 in.), extremely thin (2 /spl mu/), of minimal weight, flexible and monolithically interconnectable. Although these cells have considerable lower AM0 beginning of life (BOL) efficiencies compared to crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide on germanium (GaAs/Ge) space cells approximately 10% versus 13.5% and 18.2% respectively-the key consideration centers upon end of life (EOL) power which, in turn, is dependent upon a mission having a specific radiation environment.