ELECTRON IRRADIATION DAMAGE IN RADIATION-RESISTANT InP SOLAR CELLS.

It is shown that InP solar cell is more radiation-resistant than Si and GaAs solar cells. 1 Mev electron irradiation damage is examined in InP solar cells with AM 1. 5 conversion efficiencies exceeding 16. 5%. Minority carrier diffusion length and carrier concentration studies are carried out for defects induced by 1 Mev electron irradiation in InP solar cells, and the correlation between the measured defect parameters and the performance characteristics of the electron-irradiated InP solar cells is elucidated. InP solar cells with higher carrier concentration substrate are found to be more radiation resistant, due to the superior radiation-resistance for the high carrier concentration InP substrate.