Development of space solar sheet with inverted triple-junction cells

Yamaguchi, Hiroshi*; Ijichi, Ryo*; Suzuki, Yoshiyuki*; Ooka, Sachiyo*; Shimada, Keiji*; Takahashi, Naoki*; Washio, Hidetoshi*; Nakamura, Kazuyo*; Takamoto, Tatsuya*; Imaizumi, Mitsuru*; Sumita, Taishi*; Shimazaki, Kazunori*; Nakamura, Tetsuya*; Oshima, Takeshi

In order to develop high efficiency space solar cells with flexible and light weight, InGaP/GaAs/Ge Inverted Triple Junction (IMM-3J) solar cells mounted on film type sheet (film type space solar sheet) and glass type sheet (glass type space solar sheets) were fabricated and their reliability was investigated. As a result, no significant change in their characteristics (less than 1 % change) was observed for both types of space solar sheets after reliability tests, such as (1) thermal cycling (-180 to +120 C, 1000 cycles), (2) humidity and temperature (65 C, humidity 90 %, 720h), (3) high temperature under vacuum condition (160 C, less than 10 Torr, 168h), and (4) high temperature (150 C, 1000 h). Both type space solar sheets also showed high radiation resistance compared to current version of space 3J solar cells. Therefore, we can conclude that the space solar sheets have enough reliability in space environments.