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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 19 records

The variably spaced superlattice electroluminescent display - A new high efficiency electroluminescence scheme

A new, highly efficient dc electroluminescent display is presented. A variably spaced superlattice scheme is suggested herein which can produce high-energy injection of electrons into a ZnSe:Mn active layer in which impact excitation of the Mn centers can occur. The device is predicted to operate at an applied external bias an order of magnitude less than the best dc electroluminescent device to date. The device is predicted to have comparable brightness, since it operates in the saturation regime. The improved efficiency stems from avoiding significant energy loss to phonons. The electrons sequentially tunnel through a multilayer stack under bias and emerge into the active layer at an energy equal to the conduction-band bending. The injection energy is chosen to coincide with the impact excitation energy of the Mn centers. Different device designs are presented and their performance is predicted.

Brennan, K. F.

Planar electroluminescent panel techniques

Investigations of planar electroluminescent multipurpose displays with latch-in memory are described. An 18 x 24 in. flat, thin address panel with elements spacing of 0.100 in. was constructed which demonstrated essentially uniform luminosity of 3-5 foot lamberts for each of its 43200 EL cells. A working model of a 4-bit EL-PC (electroluminescent photoconductive) electrooptical decoder was made which demonstrated the feasibility of this concept. A single-diagram electroluminescent display device with photoconductive-electroluminescent latch-in memory was constructed which demonstrated the conceptual soundness of this principle. Attempts to combine these principles in a single PEL multipurpose display with latch-in memory were unsuccessful and were judged to exceed the state-of-the-art for close-packed (0.10 in. centers) photoconductor-electroluminescent cell assembly.

Kerr, C.

Electroluminescence Imaging: A Study in the Impact of Microscopic Surface Defects

Electroluminescence (EL) imaging can be used as a quantitative characterization method for solar cell performance when combined with image processing, allowing for the impact of dust grain size on electroluminescence imaging characteristics to be investigated. Simulating these results via modelling can help to predict what dust grain sizes, if any, will have a greater impact on performance.

photovoltaics

Electroluminescence Imaging: A Quantitative Characterization Technique to Measure Dust Occlusion of Solar Cells

Electroluminescence (EL) imaging is a qualitative characterization technique that is typically used to identify cracks, corrosion, and other defects in solar cells. It consists of imaging a cell under forward bias, where the solar cell emits photons due to radiative electron-hole pair recombination. Over the past few years, our team has expanded this into a quantitative technique with the help of image processing. We have primarily used this method to investigate lunar dust occlusion of solar cells and arrays. Lunar dust accumulation on solar cells is a major concern because it directly limits light accessible to the cell, decreasing power output. Many teams are working to develop dust mitigation technology to protect these arrays on the surface of the Moon, but thoroughly characterizing their efficacy is important to ensure their success prior to launch. Here, we present EL as a quantitative characterization technique to observe dust coverage on solar cells that, when coupled with IV performance measurements, can offer unique insights into how dust coverage impacts power output. Quantitative electroluminescence imaging works by running EL images through an image processing script that first grayscales the image then plots a histogram of the brightness of each pixel. On its own, it does not offer much insight into a solar cell’s performance. However, when comparing images to a baseline pristine, undamaged, or uncoated solar cell, it can quickly provide information about the impacts of surface contaminants or damage to the cell. Here, we present a case study where quantitative EL is used to measure the efficacy of dust mitigation technology for flexible solar arrays and discuss the lessons learned about dust mitigation, testing with lunar simulant, and this characterization technique.

photovoltaics

Two-Layer, Full-Color Electroluminescent Display

Full-color, matrix-addressed electroluminescent display uses three different color phosphors located in two separate, superimposed layers to provide higher brightness, better contrast ratio, and higher resolution. Design used for such transparent, flat-panel display media as thin-film electroluminescent phosphors, liquid crystals, or light-emitting diodes.

Robertson, J. B.

Theoretical and material studies on thin-film electroluminescent devices

A highly efficient DC electroluminescent display is presented. A variably spaced superlattice structure is used to produce high energy injection of electrons into a ZnSe:Mn active layer in which impact excitation of the Mn centers can occur. The device is predicted to operate at an applied external bias on order of magnitude less than the best DC electroluminescent device to date. The device is predicted to have comparable brightness, since it operates in the saturation regime. The improved efficiency stems from avoiding significant energy loss to phonons. The electrons sequentially tunnel through a multilayer ZnSe/CaSrF2 stack under bias and emerge into the active layer at an energy equal to the conduction band bending. The injection energy is chosen to coincide with the impact excitation energy of the Mn centers. Different device designs are presented and their performance is predicted.

Summers, C. J.

Degradation resistance of semiconductor electroluminescent devices

The P type conductivity layer or layers of an electroluminescent device includes zinc as the primary conductivity modifier, and germanium as the secondary conductivity modifier. The combination of zinc and germanium provide an electroluminescent device having improved reliability. In the method of fabricating the P type conductivity layer, the zinc and germanium are simultaneously introduced into the layer during deposition of the layer.

Ladany, Ivan

Methods and apparatus of spatially resolved electroluminescence of operating organic light-emitting diodes using conductive atomic force microscopy

A conductive atomic force microscopy (cAFM) technique which can concurrently monitor topography, charge transport, and electroluminescence with nanometer spatial resolution. This cAFM approach is particularly well suited for probing the electroluminescent response characteristics of operating organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) over short length scales.

Hersam, Mark C.

Evaluating Electroluminescence Imaging and Image Processing as a Quantitative Solar Cell Characterization Method

Mitigating dust accumulation on the surface of solar arrays is crucial for maintaining maximum power output. We propose investigating electroluminescence imaging paired with image processing as a means of evaluating various dust mitigation techniques. Image processing was able to clearly differentiate between pristine and dusted solar cells. Paired with traditional analysis techniques, this method proves to be a quick and powerful characterization tool.

Photovoltaic