Abstract
After almost two decades of being the industry standard for space-based power generation, legacy silicon solar cells were slowly replaced by GaAs-based solar cells from 1977, due to their superior efficiencies and radiation resistances. Since then, modern silicon solar cells for terrestrial applications have advanced significantly with silicon heterojunction and perovskite/silicon tandem cells reaching impressive heights with record efficiencies of 27.8% and 34.8% in AM1.5G. Hence, modern silicon-based solar cells are now being re-evaluated for space power generation. Even though using modern silicon solar cells would currently reduce the beginning of life power output density by around 28% and, for a given coverglass thickness they are 2.6 times less radiation resistant than triple-junction devices, the cost savings could be as large as 85-90% with the major upfront cost coming from the price of the space qualified coverglass, rather than the silicon cell itself.
This paper will review silicon solar cell structures, the history of silicon solar cells in space and the effects of the space environment, with a focus on charged-particle radiation, thermal effects, and UV light. Areas for future research on enhancing radiation resilience and improving maximum efficiencies are also presented with the aim that silicon-based solar cells will make a significant return to space soon.
•Silicon solar cells are making a significant return to space•Switching from triple junction to silicon would save an order of magnitude in costs•Silicon solar cell structures and their history in space are presented•The effects of radiation, thermal and ultraviolet stressors are shared•Methods are proposed on how to improve efficiency and radiation resistance