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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 901 records · Page 50
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Growth of silicon ribbon by edge-defined, film-fed growth

Recent advances in the application of the edge-defined, film-fed growth (EFG) method to silicon ribbon are described. Ribbons up to 2 x 40 cm and 1 x 70 cm in width and length, respectively, have been grown at rates of 1 to 2.5 cm/min. The electrical properties of typical undoped ribbons are resistivity of 0.5 to 5 ohm-cm p-type, and hole mobility of 200 to 350 sq cm/V-sec. Ribbon growth speeds are consistent with the use of EFG silicon for terrestrial power.

Bates, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Sputtered gold mask for deep chemical etching of silicon

Sputtered mask resists chemical attack from acid and has adherence to withstand prolonged submergence in etch solution without lifting from silicon surface. Even under prolonged etch conditions with significant undercutting, gold mask maintained excellent adhesion to silicon surface and imperviousness to acid.

Pisciotta, B. P.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Silicon nitride used as a rolling-element bearing material

Rolling-element fatigue tests were conducted with hot-pressed silicon nitride to determine its ability to withstand concentrated contacts in rolling-element bearings. If hot-pressed silicon nitride is used for both balls and races, attention must be paid to fitting both shaft and bearing housing.

Parker, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Irradiation and measurements of fluorinated ethylene-propylene-A on silicon solar cells in vacuum

Silicon monoxide (SiO) coated silicon solar cells covered with fluorinated ethylene-propylene-A (FEP-A) were irradiated by 1-MeV electrons in vacuum. The effect of irradiation on the light transmittance of FEP-A was checked by measuring the short-circuit current of the cells while in vacuum after each dose increment, immediately after the irradiation, and again after a minimum elapsed time of 16 hr. The results indicated no apparent loss in transmission due to irradiation of FEP-A and no delamination from the SiO surface while the cells were in vacuum, but embrittlement of FEP-A occurred at the accumulated dose.

Marsik, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Application of the MOS-C-V technique to determine impurity concentrations and surface parameters on the diffused face of silicon solar cells

The feasibility of using the MOS C-V technique to obtain information regarding impurity and surface state concentrations on the diffused face of silicon solar cells with Ta2O5 coatings is studied. Results indicate that the MOS C-V technique yields useful information concerning surface parameters which contribute to the high, efficiency limiting, surface recombination velocities on the n+ surface of silicon solar cells.

Weinberg, I.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Damage coefficients in low resistivity silicon

Electron and proton damage coefficients are determined for low resistivity silicon based on minority-carrier lifetime measurements on bulk material and diffusion length measurements on solar cells. Irradiations were performed on bulk samples and cells fabricated from four types of boron-doped 0.1 ohm-cm silicon ingots, including the four possible combinations of high and low oxygen content and high and low dislocation density. Measurements were also made on higher resistivity boron-doped bulk samples and solar cells. Major observations and conclusions from the investigation are discussed.

Srour, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Summary of theoretical and experimental investigation of grating type, silicon photovoltaic cells

Theoretical and experimental aspects are summarized for single crystal, silicon photovoltaic devices made by forming a grating pattern of p/n junctions on the light receiving surface of the base crystal. Based on the general semiconductor equations, a mathematical description is presented for the photovoltaic properties of such grating-like structures in a two dimensional form. The resulting second order elliptical equation is solved by computer modeling to give solutions for various, reasonable, initial values of bulk resistivity, excess carrier concentration, and surface recombination velocity. The validity of the computer model is established by comparison with p/n devices produced by alloying an aluminum grating pattern into the surface of n-type silicon wafers. Current voltage characteristics and spectral response curves are presented for cells of this type constructed on wafers of different resistivities and orientations.

Chen, L. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Silicon ribbon study program

The feasibility is studied of growing wide, thin silicon dendritic web for solar cell fabrication and conceptual designs are developed for the apparatus required. An analysis of the mechanisms of dendritic web growth indicated that there were no apparent fundamental limitations to the process. The analysis yielded quantitative guidelines for the thermal conditions required for this mode of crystal growth. Crucible designs were then investigated: the usual quartz crucible configurations and configurations in which silicon itself is used for the crucible. The quartz crucible design is feasible and is incorporated into a conceptual design for a laboratory scale crystal growth facility capable of semi-automated quasi-continuous operation.

Seidensticker, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Effects of processing on the carrier lifetime in silicon solar cells

Measurements were taken to determine the effects that solar cell processing steps have on the minority carrier lifetime in silicon. The experimental work included measurements of diffusion lengths of the silicon at various stages of cell fabrication, of solar cell properties, and of the PN junction properties for ingots covering a wide range of doping and other ingot properties. Resistivities covered the range of 0.01 to 10 ohm-cm, and combinations of extreme concentrations (high and low) of dislocations and oxygen were included. The results showed that the major cell process steps did not usually cause any appreciable change in diffusion lengths. The solar cell currents obtained supported the diffusion length measurements. The effects of heavy doping concentrations on solar cell performance were studied. Attempts were made to relate the voltage behavior of the cells with the diode properties and the properties of the ingots.

Iles, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Low cost silicon solar arrays

The economic production of silicon solar cell arrays circumvents p-n junction degradation by nuclear doping, in which the Si-30 transmutes to P-31 after thermal neutron capture. Also considered are chemical purity specifications for improved silicon bulk states, surface induced states, and surface states.

Goldsmith, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Low cost silicon solar arrays

Continuous growth methodology for silicon solar cell ribbons deals with capillary effects, die effects, thermal effects and crystal shape effects. Emphasis centers on the shape of the meniscus at the ribbon edge as a factor contributing to ribbon quality with respect to defect densities. Structural and electrical characteristics of edge defined, film-fed grown silicon ribbons are elaborated. Ribbon crystal solar cells produce AMO efficiencies of 6 to 10%.

Ravi, K. V.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Studies of silicon PN junction solar cells

Silicon pn junction solar cells made with low-resistivity substrates show poorer performance than traditional theory predicts. The purpose of this research was to identify and characterize the physical mechanisms responsible for the discrepancy. Attention was concentrated on the open circuit voltage in shallow junction cells of 0.1 ohm-cm substrate resistivity. A number of possible mechanisms that can occur in silicon devices were considered. Two mechanisms which are likely to be of main importance in explaining the observed low values of open-circuit voltage were found: (1) recombination losses associated with defects introduced during junction formation, and (2) inhomogeneity of defects and impurities across the area of the cell. To explore these theoretical anticipations, various diode test structures were designed and fabricated and measurement configurations for characterizing the defect properties and the areal inhomogeneity were constructed.

Lindholm, F. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Gate-controlled-diodes in silicon-on-sapphire: A computer simulation

The computer simulation of the electrical behavior of a Gate-Controlled Diode (GCD) fabricated in Silicon-On-Sapphire (SOS) was described. A procedure for determining lifetime profiles from capacitance and reverse current measurements on the GCD was established. Chapter 1 discusses the SOS structure and points out the need of lifetime profiles to assist in device design for GCD's and bipolar transistors. Chapter 2 presents the one-dimensional analytical formula for electrostatic analysis of the SOS-GCD which are useful for data interpretation and setting boundary conditions on a simplified two-dimensional analysis. Chapter 3 gives the results of a two-dimensional analysis which treats the field as one-dimensional until the silicon film is depleted and the field penetrates the sapphire substrate. Chapter 4 describes a more complete two-dimensional model and gives results of programs implementing the model.

Gassaway, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Determination of a Definition of Solar Grade Silicon

A definition of solar grade silicon was determined by investigating the singular and the combined effect of the impurities usually found in metallurgical grade silicon on solar cell device performance. The impurity matrix was defined by Jet Propulsion Laboratory Technical Direction Memorandum. The initial work was focussed on standardizing the solar cell process and test procedure, growing baseline crystals, growing crystals contaminated with carbon, iron, nickel, zirconium, aluminum and vanadium, solar blank preparation, and material characterization.

Hill, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

LSSA (Low-cost Silicon Solar Array) project

The Photovoltaic Conversion Program was established to find methods of economically generating enough electrical power to meet future requirements. Activities and progress in the following areas are discussed: silicon-refinement processes; silicon-sheet-growth techniques; encapsulants; manufacturing of off-the-shelf solar arrays; and procurement of semistandardized solar arrays.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1975

Efficiency of silicon solar cells as a function of base layer resistivity

This paper reports on a theoretical study of the limitations on silicon solar-cell efficiency for both n(+)-p and n(+)-p-p(+) type cells. Detailed calculations have been made of solar-cell operation using a general computer analysis program for semiconductor devices. The computer program, which simultaneously solves Poisson's equation and the electron and hole quasi-Fermi level equations, provides an accurate numerical solution of solar-cell operation without limiting assumptions or approximations. It is found that minority-carrier lifetime and heavy doping effects in the n(+) surface region present serious limitations to efficiency in low-resistivity silicon solar cells.

Dunbar, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Electron and proton damage coefficients in low-resistivity silicon

The electron and proton damage coefficients for low resistivity p-type boron-doped silicon were determined from minority-carrier lifetime measurements on bulk material and diffusion length measurements on solar cells. The bulk samples were irradiated with electrons at three energy levels (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 MeV) using a Dynamitron. Lifetime measurements were made with a steady-state photoconductivity apparatus, and comparison measurements of diffusion length were obtained using the steady-state surface photovoltage method (Goodman, 1961). The diffusion-length damage coefficients increased with decreasing resistivity for boron-doped silicon; this dependence can be qualitatively accounted for using a two-level Hall-Shockley-Read model. The damage coefficients for solar cells were larger than for their bulk-material counterparts. The damage coefficient was apparently independent of the dislocation density in the 0.1 ohm-cm bulk samples and solar cells investigated.

Srour, J. R.↗