Landis, Geoffrey A. — Page 13 | Engineering Papers

NASA NTRS1988

Lunar production of space photovoltaic arrays

The advantages of manufacturing solar cells for use in space on the moon rather than on Earth are discussed. It is shown how solar cells manufactured on the moon could significantly reduce the cost of transportation of power systems to space destinations, including the moon, Mars, earth orbit, and transfer orbits. Silicon is abundant on the moon, and refining processes are demonstrated which do not depend on extensive use of reactants imported from Earth. Because of the lower requirements for refined silicon, the amorphous silicon process is preferred, despite lower efficiencies. Calculations show that the specific power of amorphous silicon cells can be adequate for most uses.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

A low-cost solar-cell front contact using trapped silver mesh and electrostatic bonding

A new system to provide a contact with a silver mesh trapped between the cell and an encapsulating glass cover is described. Borosilicate glass is joined to the cell by electrostatic bonding during which the glass is deformed around the silver mesh to form a permanent optically coupled integral bond to the cell. The hermetic seal prevents the silver from oxidizing and destroying the electrical contact formed during the bonding process. It is demonstrated that electrostatic glass/silicon bonds have excellent stability under a variety of accelerated environmental tests. Electrostatic bonds to thin films of AL2O3, Ta2O5, and ZrO2 on glass can be used to make antireflective coatings for solar cells manufactured by this process. Test solar cells were manufactured by electrostatic bonding with good curve fill factors and efficiencies of 10 percent.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗