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High Specific Power, Electrostatically Bonded, Ultra-thin Gaas

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 19633
Amount: $65,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1993
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
Solar Park
Newark, DE 19716
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Margaret H. Hannon
 (302) 366-0400
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

ASTROPOWER PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH PERFORMANCE, ULTRA-THIN ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED GaAs SOLAR CELL WITH COPLANAR BACK CONTACTS. THE INNOVATIVE DESIGN INCORPORATES LIGHT TRAPPING, ADHESIVELESS COVER SLIDE BONDING, AND ELIMINATES GRID SHADING. THIS NOVEL DEVICE WILL EXHIBIT INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND SPECIFIC POWER DUE TO THE HIGHER OPEN CIRCUIT VOLTAGE AND SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT OBTAINABLE FROM A THIN DEVICE. AN OPTICAL REFLECTOR IS USED TO INCREASE THE SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT WHILE MAINTAINING REDUCED BULK RECOMBINATION. BECAUSE THE THICKNESS OF THE GaAs SOLAR CELL IS LESS THAN 2 MICRONS, THE DEVICE IS SUPPORTED BY A 3-MIL THICK COVER GLASS THAT IS ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED TO THE FRONT SURFACE. THE SPECIFIC POWER FOR THIS NOVEL SOLAR CELL IS 3549 W/KG WITH AN AMO EFFICIENCY OF 24.5%. THERMAL STABILITY AND TOLERANCE TO UV DEGRADATION ARE INHERENT TO THE THIN DEVICE STRUCTURE AND ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED COVER SLIDE. SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPEMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN RESULT IN A REVOLUTIONARY IMPROVEMENT IN SURVIVABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AND LIGHTWEIGHT GaAs SOLAR CELL PRODUCTS FOR SPACE.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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