Engineering topics

Heaps, J. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Heaps, J. D..

20 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1976

Dip-coated sheet silicon solar cells

A cost-effective method is being developed for producing solar cell quality sheet silicon by dip coating inexpensive ceramic substrates with a thin layer of large grain silicon. Mullite (Aluminum Silicate) ceramic substrates coated with a thin layer of graphite have been dipped into molten silicon to produce 20-150 micron thick layers having grain sizes as large as .4 cm x 4 cm. With these silicon layers photovoltaic diodes have been fabricated with measured and inherent conversion efficiencies of 4% and 7%, respectively.

Heaps, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Dip coating process: Silicon sheet growth development for the large-area silicon sheet task of the low-cost silicon solar array project

The research program to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of producing solar-cell-quality sheet silicon by dip-coating one surface of carbonized ceramic substrates with a thin layer of large-grain polycrystalline silicon is reported. The initial effort concentrated on the design and construction of the experimental dip-coating facility. The design was completed and its experimental features are discussed. Current status of the program is reported, including progress toward solar cell junction diffusion and miscellaneous ceramic substrate procurement.

Heaps, J. D.↗