Lanterna Rally

Author: M. W. Walkden

Publisher:

Published: 1979

Total Pages: 73

ISBN-13:

In order to determine their proton to electron damage ratios, four different types of modern silicon solar cell have been subjected to 1 MeV electrons and protons in the energy range from 2-50 MeV, followed at each irradiation stage by an exposure to photon irradiation. The cells included non-reflecting and violet cells of normal (200-250 micrometer) thickness and a thin (50 micrometer) cell. Cell performance measurements were made on new and irradiated cells at room and at elevated temperatures to obtain the proton damage ratios and to ascertain whether these were temperature dependent. It was found that the proton damage ratio of one type of cell was approximately one half of that of the other three types. It was also found that the proton damage ratio for this type of cell was independent of temperature, which was not the case with the other types. One cause of these differences is attributed to photon induced changes in solar cell performance following electron and proton irradiation for the particular material from which this type of cell is made. (Author).