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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 1,081 records · Page 60
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

Process research on non-CZ silicon material

High risk, high payoff research areas associated with he process for producing photovoltaic modules using non-CZ sheet material are investigated. All investigations are being performed using dendritic web silicon, but all processes are directly applicable to other ribbon forms of sheet material. The technical feasibility of forming front and back junctions in non-CZ silicon using liquid dopant techniques was determined. Numerous commercially available liquid phosphorus and boron dopant solutions are investigated. Temperature-time profiles to achieve N(+) and P(+) sheet resistivities of 60 + or - 10 and 40 + or - s10 ohms per square centimeter respectively are established. A study of the optimal method of liquid dopant application is performed. The technical feasibility of forming a liquid applied diffusion mask to replace the more costly chemical vapor deposited SiO2 diffusion mask was also determined.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1983

Silicon-slurry/aluminide coating

A low cost coating protects metallic base system substrates from high temperatures, high gas velocity ovidation, thermal fatigue and hot corrosion and is particularly useful fo protecting vanes and blades in aircraft and land based gas turbine engines. A lacquer slurry comprising cellulose nitrate containing high purity silicon powder is sprayed onto the superalloy substrates. The silicon layer is then aluminized to complete the coating. The Si-Al coating is less costly to produce than advanced aluminides and protects the substrates from oxidation and thermal fatigue for a much longer period of time than the conventional aluminide coatings. While more expensive Pt-Al coatings and physical vapor deposited MCrAlY coatings may last longer or provide equal protection on certain substrates, the Si-Al coating exceeded the performance of both types of coatings on certain superalloys in high gas velocity oxidation and thermal fatigue and increased the resistance of certain superalloys to hot corrosion.

Deadmore, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Investigation of nickel-silicon metallization process

The metallization of silicon solar cells passivated with silicon nitride coating was investigated by using commercial Ni pastes #5517 from Thick Film Systems, #7028-5 from Cermalloy, experimental formulation # X-A by Sollos, Inc. and evaporated Ti-Ni film. Comparative and reference tests were done with the Dupont Ag paste #7095 and with a mixture of Ni paste #5517 with Ag paste #7095 in the respective ratio of 9 to 1 by weight. The evaluation criteria for the metallization was the mechanical bond strength of the contact, solderability, copper plating ability and electrical characteristics in terms of Voc, Isc values and shape of the V-I curve. The results revealed that the Dupont Ag paste #7095 mt all required criteria, while the quality of the cells metalized with the commercial Ni paste #5517 from Thick Film Systems, #7028-5 from Cermalloy as well as the experimental paste # X-A from Sollos, Inc. was below the acceptable standards. A significant improvement was obtained with the mixture of Ni paste #5517 from Thick Film Systems with 10% addition of Dupont paste # 7095.

Macha, M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Silicon sheet with molecular beam epitaxy for high efficiency solar cells

The capabilities of the new technique of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) are applied to the growth of high efficiency silicon solar cells. Because MBE can provide well controlled doping profiles of any desired arbitrary design, including doping profiles of such complexity as built-in surface fields or tandem junction cells, it would appear to be the ideal method for development of high efficiency solar cells. It was proposed that UCLA grow and characterize silicon films and p-n junctions of MBE to determine whether the high crystal quality needed for solar cells could be achieved.

Allen, F. G.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ultraviolet /UV/ sensitive phosphors for silicon imaging detectors

The fluorescence properties of UV sensitive organic phosphors and the radiometric properties of phosphor coated silicon detectors in the VUV, UV, and visible wavelengths are described. With evaporated films of coronene and liumogen, effective quantum efficiencies of up to 20% have been achieved on silicon photodiodes in the vacuum UV. With thin films of methylmethacrylate (acrylic), which are doped with organic laser dyes and deposited from solution, detector quantum efficiencies of the order of 15% for wavelengths of 120-165 nm and of 40% for wavelengths above 190 nm have been obtained. The phosphor coatings also act as antireflection coatings and thereby enhance the response of coated devices throughout the visible and near IR.

Viehmann, W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Modifying a silicone potting compound for space flight applications

RTV-615 has been devolatilized by subjecting the uncatalyzed resin to a temperature of between 125 and 150 C for 24 hours in a vacuum of about 10 to the -6th torr. The resultant resin can be catalyzed and after a room temperature cure the outgassing of the resin is sufficiently low when tested according to ASTM E-595 that it is suitable for space flight use. Tests of physical properties of the cured devolatilized resin were compared with those of the as received silicone. The devolatilized silicones are slightly harder, have a higher tear resistance and higher tensile strengths.

Park, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Theory of silicon superlattices - Electronic structure and enhanced mobility

A realistic tight-binding band-structure model of silicon superlattices is formulated and used to study systems of potential applied interest, including periodic layered Si-Si(1-x)Ge(x) heterostructures. The results suggest a possible new mechanism for achieving enhanced transverse carrier mobility in such structures: reduced transverse conductivity effective masses associated with the superlattice band structure. For electrons in 100-line-oriented superlattices, a reduced conductivity mass arises intrinsically from the lower symmetry of the superlattice and its unique effect on the indirect bulk silicon band gap. An order of magnitude estimate of the range of mobility enhancement expected from this mechanism appears to be consistent with preliminary experimental results on Si-Si(1-x)Ge(x) superlattices.

Moriarty, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

AES study on the chemical composition of ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films RF sputter-deposited on silicon

AES depth profiling data are presented for thin films of BaTiO3 deposited on silicon by RF sputtering. By profiling the sputtered BaTiO3/silicon structures, it was possible to study the chemical composition and the interface characteristics of thin films deposited on silicon at different substrate temperatures. All the films showed that external surface layers were present, up to a few tens of angstroms thick, the chemical composition of which differed from that of the main layer. The main layer had stable composition, whereas the intermediate film-substrate interface consisted of reduced TiO(2-x) oxides. The thickness of this intermediate layer was a function of substrate temperature. All the films showed an excess of barium at the interface. These results are important in the context of ferroelectric phenomena observed in BaTiO3 thin films.

Dharmadhikari, V. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Silicon-Web-Growing Machine

Silicon replenished automatically as web is withdrawn. Semiautomatic silicon-web-growing machine set down in detailed engineering drawings. Melt level sensed with He/Ne laser beam and melt-level error signal used to control motor-driven pellet feeder, speeding up when level is low. System reduces demand upon operator's time.

Duncan, C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Making Cubic Silicon Carbide Semiconductors

Thin buffer layer of SiC minimizes effects of lattice mismatch. Approach consists of growing single-crystal layer of cubic SiC on single-crystal silicon (Si) wafer by chemical-vapor deposition (CVD). Process developed for production of large-area single-crystal wafers of cubic silicon carbide (SiC) for semiconductor devices; also used to make devices themselves. Applications include electronics for high temperature (up to 900 C) and electronics for very high frequencies.

Powell, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Gas Atmospheres Improve Silicon-Ribbon Quality

Growing crystal surrounded by gas containing carbon or oxygen. Ribbon of solid silicon, edgewise, grows from pool of molten silicon in die. Gases flowing through orifice ensure longer diffusion length and less contaminiation by carbide particles in product.

Wald, F. V.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Microgravity silicon zoning investigation

A resistance heated zoner, suitable for early zoning experiments with silicon, was designed and put into operation. The initial power usage and size was designed for an shown to be compatible with payload carriers contemplated for the Shuttle. This equipment will be used in the definition and development of flight experiments and apparatus for float zoning silicon and other materials in microgravity.

Kern, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The effect of diffusion induced lattice stress on the open-circuit voltage in silicon solar cells

It is demonstrated that diffusion induced stresses in low resistivity silicon solar cells can significantly reduce both the open-circuit voltage and collection efficiency. The degradation mechanism involves stress induced changes in both the minority carrier mobility and the diffusion length. Thermal recovery characteristics indicate that the stresses are relieved at higher temperatures by divacancy flow (silicon self diffusion). The level of residual stress in as-fabricated cells was found to be negligible in the cells tested.

Weizer, V. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Orientation and Morphology Effects in Rapid Silicon Sheet Solidification

Radial growth anisotropies and equilibrium forms of point nucleated, dislocation free silicon sheets spreading horizontally on the free surface of a silicon melt were measured for (100), (110), (111), and (112) sheet planes. The growth process was recorded. Qualitative Wulff surface free energy polar plots were deduced from the equilibrium shapes for each sheet plane. Predicted geometries for the tip shape of unidirectional, dislocation free, horizontally grown sheets growing in various directions within the planes were analyzed. Polycrystalline sheets and dendrite propagation were analyzed. For dendrites, growth rates on the order of 2.5 m/min and growth rate anisotropies of 25 are measured.

Ciszek, T. F.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Silicon Foils Growth by Interface-controlled Crystallization

During interface controlled crystallization (ICC) the chance to accelerate the removal of crystallization heat is the basis for high pulling rates of about 100 mm/min. The forced heat flow from the extended crystallization front to a cooling ramp is controlled by a lubricating melt film which also influences the crystallization behavior by suppressing nucleation centers. The basic principles of this full casting technique are presented and the influences of process parameters on the morphology of prepared silicon foils are demonstrated. Three different types of crystalline structure were found in silicon foils grown to ICC technique: dendritic, coarse granular and monocrystalline with (111) 211 orientation. The criteria for their appearance of process variables are discussed.

Helmreich, D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

An Improved Analysis of the Thermal Buckling of Silicon Sheet

Buckling problems on the production of wide and thin silicon sheet are discussed. Buckling occurs in all of the processes which are investigated for their potential in mass producing wide silicon sheet for use in making solar cells. It is a fact that the processes which produce good ribbon 2 cm in width do not yield the same quality product at 10 cm in width. Buckling develops precisely because the sheets are wide and very very thin. The buckling of very thin cantilever plates due to temperature variations in the axial direction is considered. The temperature variation in the width direction was determined. Axial temperature variations which cause very thin plates to buckle in a torsional mode are demonstrated. It is assumed that the particular variation of the stress function in the width direction and thereafter the analysis is exact.

Dillon, O. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Defects in High Speed Growth of EFG Silicon Ribbon

Silicon ribbons grown by the Edge-defined Film-fed Growth (EFG) technique exhibit a characteristic defect structure typified by twins, dislocations, grain boundaries and silicon carbide inclusions. As growth speed is increased from less than 2.5 cm per minute, the structural details change. The major difference between the ribbons grown at speeds below and above 2.5 cm per minute is in the generation of a cellular structure at the higher growth speeds, observable in the ribbon cross section. The presence of the cross sectional structure leads, in general, to a reduction in cell performance. Models to explain the formation of such a cross sectional structure are presented and discussed.

Rao, C. V. H. N.↗