High Specific Power Radiation Hard Bifacial Back Metal Mirror Solar Cells for Flex Arrays

MicroLink Devices proposes to develop triple-junction (3J) epitaxial lift-off (ELO) solar cells containing Bifacial Back Metal Mirror (BBMM) technology to allow for reduced mass through device structure thinning as well as cooler and more efficient operation by selectively rejecting excess broadband infrared (IR) radiation. These BBMM 3J solar cells will achieve 33% 1-Sun AM0 beginning-of-life (BOL) power conversion efficiency and greater than 2.5 kW/kg specific power thus enabling compact and low mass solar photovoltaic arrays for NASA science missions.

Efficient and power dense 3J ELO BBMM solar cells are attractive for next-generation spacecraft power and solar electric propulsion (SEP) systems. Photovoltaic arrays based on the proposed 3J ELO BBMM solar cells will be ideal for NASA missions where greater efficiency and specific power than existing Ge wafer-based 3J solar cells are required.

Manufacturers of commercial satellites and high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are interested in MicroLink’s low mass and power dense ELO solar cell technology.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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