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Web base material is being improved with a goal toward obtaining solar cell efficiencies in excess of 18% (AM1). Carrier loss mechanisms in web silicon was investigated, techniques were developed to reduce carrier recombination in the web, and web cells were fabricated using effective surface passivation. The effect of stress on web cell performance was also investigated.
Inversion layer (IL) Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) solar cells were fabricated. The fabrication technique and problems are discussed. A plan for modeling IL cells is presented. Future work in this area is addressed.
Fabrication and analysis of lithium diffused radiation resistant solar cells
For a period covering October 1, 1995 through August 12, 1996, the research group at CSU has conducted theoretical and experimental research on "Electrochemical Characterization of Semiconductor Materials and Structures. " The objective of this investigation was to demonstrate the applicability of electrochemical techniques for characterization of complex device structures based on InP and GaAs, Ge, InGaAs, InSb, InAs and InSb, including: (1) accurate EC-V net majority carrier concentration depth profiling, and (2) surface and bulk structural and electrical type defect densities. Our motivation for this R&D effort was as follows: "Advanced space solar cells and ThermoPhotoVoltaic (TPV) cells are fabricated using a large variety of III-V materials based on InP and GaAs for solar cells and low bandgap materials such as Ge, InGaAs, InAs and InSb for TPV applications. At the present time for complex device structures using these materials, however, there is no simple way to assess the quality of these structures prior to device fabrication. Therefore, process optimization is a very time consuming and a costly endeavor". Completion of this R&D effort would have had unquestionable benefits for space solar cell and TPV cells, since electrochemical characterization of the above cell structures, if properly designed can provide many useful structural and electrical material information virtually at any depth inside various layers and at the interfaces. This, could have been applied for step-by-step process optimization, which could have been used for fabrication of new generation high efficiency, low cost space PV and TPV cells.
Summary and main accomplishments 1. Screening of available polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production. 2. Two main candidate membranes selected and synthesized. 3. Selected membranes characterized, including assessment of electrochemical properties (conductivity) and mechanical properties (creep and creep compliance). 4. Single cell PEC system successfully fabricated. 5. Electrochemical cell tested with initial water decomposition results obtained under ‘dark electrolysis’ conditions. 6. Recommendations given for future test and work.
A preliminary design was completed, reviewing of such subjects as: the trade studies for media isolation and one sensor vs. two sensors for two bridges; compensation resistors; unit design; hydrogen embrittlement; sealing techniques and test station design. A design substantiation phase was finished, consisting of testing of a prototype unit and fabrication technique studies. A cryogenic test station was implemented and prototype sensor cells were fabricated, sensors assembled, and cryogenic tests performed.
A five-cell, liquid-cooled advanced electrochemical depolarized carbon dioxide concentrator module was fabricated. The cells utilized the advanced, lightweight, plated anode current collector concept and internal liquid-cooling. The five cell module was designed to meet the carbon dioxide removal requirements of one man and was assembled using plexiglass endplates. This one-man module was tested as part of an integrated oxygen generation and recovery subsystem.
Thin GaAs epi-layers with good crystallographic quality were grown using a (100) Si-substrate on which a thin Ge epi-interlayer was grown by CVD from germane. Both antireflection-coated metal oxide semiconductor (AMOS) and n(+)/p homojunction structures were studied. The AMOS cells were fabricated on undoped-GaAs epi-layers deposited on bulk poly-Ge substrates using organo-metallic CVD film-growth, with the best achieved AM1 conversion efficiency being 9.1%. Both p-type and n(+)-type GaAs growth were optimized using 50 ppm dimethyl zinc and 1% hydrogen sulfide, respectively. A direct GaAs deposition method in fabricating ultra-thin top layer, epitaxial n(+)/p shallow homojunction solar cells on (100) GaAs substrates (without anodic thinning) was developed to produce large area (1 sq/cm) cells, with 19.4% AM1 conversion efficiency achieved. Additionally, an AM1 conversion efficiency of 18.4% (17.5% with 5% grid coverage) was achieved for a single crystal GaAs n(+)/p cell grown by OM-CVD on a Ge wafer.
At the time of writing, cells made by several groups are approaching 19% efficiency. General aspects of the processing required for such cells are discussed. Most processing used for high efficiency cells is derived from space-cell or concentrator cell technology, and recent advances have been obtained from improved techniques rather than from better understanding of the limiting mechanisms. Theory and modeling are fairly well developed, and adequate to guide further asymptotic increases in performance of near conventional cells. There are several competitive cell designs with promise of higher performance ( 20%) but for these designs further improvements are required. The available cell processing technology to fabricate high efficiency cells is examined.
A monolithic two-terminal InP/InGaAsP tandem solar cell was successfully fabricated. This tandem solar cell consists of a p/n InP homojunction top subcell and a 0.95 eV p/n InGaAsP homojunction bottom subcell. A patterned 0.95 eV n(+)/p(+) InGaAsP tunnel diode was employed as an intercell ohmic connection. The solar cell structure was prepared by two-step liquid phase epitaxial growth. Under one sun, AM1.5 global illumination, the best tandem cell delivered a conversion efficiency of 14.8 pct.
Work was performed to improve web base material with a goal of obtaining solar cell efficiencies in excess of 18% (AM1). Efforts in this program are directed toward identifying carrier loss mechanisms in web silicon, eliminating or reducing these mechanisms, designing a high efficiency cell structure with the aid of numerical models, and fabricating high efficiency web solar cells. Fabrication techniques must preserve or enhance carrier lifetime in the bulk of the cell and minimize recombination of carriers at the external surfaces. Three completed cells were viewed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to investigate further the relation between structural defects and electrical performance of web cells. Consistent with past TEM examinations, the cell with the highest efficiency (15.0%) had no dislocations but did have 11 twin planes.
A fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts the chemical energy of a fuel and oxidant into electricity. Cation-exchange and anion-exchange membranes play an important role in hydrogen fed proton-exchange membrane (PEM) and anion-exchange membrane (AEM) fuel cells, respectively. Over the past 10 years, there has been growing interest in using nanofiber electrospinning to fabricate fuel cell PEMs and AEMs with improved properties, e.g., a high ion conductivity with low in-plane water swelling and good mechanical strength under wet and dry conditions. Electrospinning is used to create either reinforcing scaffolds that can be pore-filled with an ionomer or precursor mats of interwoven ionomer and reinforcing polymers, which after suitable processing (densification) form a functional membrane. In this review paper, methods of nanofiber composite PEMs and AEMs fabrication are reviewed and the properties of these membranes are discussed and contrasted with the properties of fuel cell membranes prepared using conventional methods. The information and discussions contained herein are intended to provide inspiration for the design of high-performance next-generation fuel cell ion-exchange membranes.
The design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance, n(+)/p InP shallow-homojunction (SHJ) concentrator solar cells are described. The InP device structures were grown by atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. A preliminary assessment of the effects of grid-collection distance and emitter-sheet resistance on cell performance is presented. At concentration ratios of around 100, cells with efficiencies of 21.4 percent AM0 (24.3 percent direct) at 25 C are fabricated. These are the highest efficiencies yet reported for single-junction InP solar cells. The performance of these cells as a function of temperature is discussed, and areas for future improvement are outlined. Application of these results to other InP-based photovoltaic devices is discussed.
High-purity polycrystalline silicon was produced in an experimental, intermediate and advanced CVD reactor. Data from the intermediate and advanced reactors confirmed earlier results obtained in the experimental reactor. Solar cells were fabricated by Westinghouse Electric and Applied Solar Research Corporation which met or exceeded baseline cell efficiencies. Feedstocks containing trichlorosilane or silicon tetrachloride are not viable as etch promoters to reduce silicon deposition on bell jars. Neither are they capable of meeting program goals for the 1000 MT/yr plant. Post-run CH1 etch was found to be a reasonably effective method of reducing silicon deposition on bell jars. Using dichlorosilane as feedstock met the low-cost solar array deposition goal (2.0 gh-1-cm-1), however, conversion efficiency was approximately 10% lower than the targeted value of 40 mole percent (32 to 36% achieved), and power consumption was approximately 20 kWh/kg over target at the reactor.
The main objective of the study described was to identify the causes responsible for the capacity losses observed during cycling of secondary Li-TiS2 cells. Experimental Li-TiS2 cells were fabricated and tested for their cycle life performance. The open circuit voltage of the cells was monitored during the rest period between the charging and discharging. The polarization at the Li and TiS2 electrodes was also monitored during cycling. Cycled cells were disassembled and the cathodes were analyzed by various analytical techniques. The results of the study indicate that the observed capacity loss is almost entirely due to the increased polarization of the TiS2 electrode with cycling. The electrolyte was found to degrade during cycling and the degradation products were found to deposit at the TiS2 electrode, which probably lead to the higher polarization.
In support of the space exploration initiative a new architecture for the production of solar cells on the lunar surface is devised. The paper discusses experimental data on the fabrication and properties of lunar glass substrates, evaporated lunar regolith thin film (antireflect coatings and insulators), and preliminary attempts in the fabrication of thin film (silicon/II-VI) photovoltaic materials on lunar regolith substrates. A conceptual design for a solar powered robotic rover capable of fabricating solar cells directly on the lunar surface is provided. Technical challenges in the development of such a facility and strategies to alleviate perceived difficulties are discussed. Finally, preliminary cost benefit ratio analysis for different in situ solar cell production scenarios (using exclusively in-situ planetary resources or hybrid) are discussed.
Solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) show great potential as a power source for future space exploration missions. Because SOFCs operate at temperatures significantly higher than other types of fuel cells, they can reach overall efficiencies of up to 60% and are able to utilize fossil fuels. The SOFC team at GRC is leading NASA's effort to develop a solid oxide fuel cell with a power density high enough to be used for aeronautics and space applications, which is approximately ten times higher than ground transport targets. layers must be able to operate as a single unit at temperatures upwards of 900'C for at least 40,000 hours with less than ten percent degradation. One key challenge to meeting this goal arises from the thermal expansion mismatch between different layers. The amount a material expands upon heating is expressed by its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). If the CTEs of adjacent layers are substantially different, thermal stresses will arise during the cell's fabrication and operation. These stresses, accompanied by thermal cycling, can fracture and destroy the cell. While this is not an issue at the electrolyte-cathode interface, it is a major concern at the electrolyte-anode interface, especially in high power anode-supported systems. electrolyte are nearly identical. Conventionally, this has been accomplished by varying the composition of the anode to match the CTE of the yittria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte (approx.10.8x10(exp -6/degC). A Ni/YSZ composite is typically used as a base material for the anode due to its excellent electrochemical properties, but its CTE is about 13.4x10(exp -6/degC). One potential way to lower the CTE of this anode is to add a small percentage of polycrystalline Al2TiO5, with a CTE of 0.68x10(exp -6/degC, to the Ni/YSZ base. However, Al2TiO5 is thermally unstable and loses its effectiveness as it decomposes to Al2O3 and TiO2 between 750 C and 1280 C. be used as additives to increase the thermal stability of Al2TiO5 in SOFC operating conditions without adversely affecting the electrochemical properties of the SOFC anode. Three candidate materials were chosen through an extensive literature review: MgO, Fe2O3, and ZrTiO4. Although all three have been shown to prevent Al2TiO5 decomposition under various conditions, their effectiveness in the temperature range and atmosphere of the SOFC has not yet been evaluated. Several batches of Al2TiO5 with varying amounts of additives were prepared, exposed to reducing and oxidizing atmospheres at elevated temperatures, and the resulting decomposition of Al2TiO5 was measured. The most promising additives were further evaluated with the goal of ultimately preparing low CTE anodes that are chemically compatible to current systems. Adding minor constituents to stabilize Al2TiO5 could ultimately preserve its low CTE for the life of the fuel cell and improve the cell's long-term performance without a drop in anode conductivity. Further, these low CTE filler additions could allow the use of new sulfur tolerant anode materials, improving the viability of SOFCs for future aeronautics and space applications. Every SOFC consists of a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, These three One way to avoid this problem is to design the cell such that the CTEs of the anode and The objective of this summer research project was to evaluate several materials that could
Efficient solar cells of indium tin oxide (ITO)/InP have been fabricated using dc magnetron deposition of the ITO into single-crystal InP substrates. Efficiencies of over 16.5 percent have been achieved, the highest ever recorded for devices of this construction. The results of studies of the annealing behavior of the cells and observations of interfacial changes using Raman spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy, together with measurements of light and dark current/voltage and quantum efficiency characteristics, are used to model the behavior of the cells and explain their lack of sensitivity to fabrication conditions.