Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4758755 Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 2017 5 Pages PDF
Abstract
As the main electrical power source of spacecraft, solar cells require high electrical performance and light weight, to provide enough electrical power for missions in space and to lower costs for launching. Multi-junction compound semiconductor solar cells generate relatively high power, but their rigid substrates are tens or hundreds of times thicker than the solar cells. In this paper, methods are described to realize flexible space solar cell arrays that can be wrapped on non-planar surfaces, by removing the rigid substrates and integrating the thin solar cells on flexible substrates. Cover glasses were integrated over the solar cells on flexible substrates through an guided-printing method, providing both flexibility and radiation shielding. Experimental results and mechanical analysis demonstrate the mechanical and electrical performances of these flexible space solar cell arrays.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemical Engineering Catalysis
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