Space CIC (Coverglass Interconnected Cell) GaAs Solar Cell

Gallium arsenide-based solar cells are typically favored over crystalline silicon in industry because they have a higher efficiency and degrade more slowly than silicon in the radiation present in space. The most efficient solar cells currently in production are multi-junction photovoltaic cells. CETC Solar Energy's multi-junction solar cells have contributed to thousands of satellites for over 15 countries in 35 years. CETC Solar Energy's latest generation solar cells and Coverglass Interconnected Cell (CIC) assemblies are the highest efficiency commercially available products in the industry. A combination of several layers of gallium arsenide, indium gallium phosphide, and germanium is used to capture more energy from the solar spectrum. The CIC assemblies manufactured at CETC Solar Energy employ the most advanced interconnect welding techniques in the industry that offer the highest reliability under severe space radiation environment and thermal stress conditions. The latest weld process capability methodologies and statistical process control are in practice at CETC Solar Energy to ensure the most consistent and reliable assembly interconnections.

• Fully Space Qualified
• Extensive Flight Heritage for LEO, MEO, GEO, and Interplanetary Missions
• High-Intensity High-Temperature Missions
• Low-Intensity Low-Temperature Missions

High Efficiency Space CIC Solar Cell
Dimension	30*40 mm or customerized size (40*60 mm, 40*80 mm, etc.)
Substrate	Ge
Structure	GaInP2/GaAs/Ge
Thickness	175 μm
Weight	100 mg/cm2
Effective Area	12.25 cm2
Efficiency	28~29%
Type	Left / Right oblique angle
CIC Accessories	Si bypass diode integrated at top corner Coverglass with MgF2 anti-reflective (AR) coating Ag interconnector
Jsc	16.9 mA/cm2
Voc	2710 mV
Jmp	16.16 mA/cm2
Vmp	2390 mV
FF	0.845
αs	0.92 ± 0.02
εH (with coverglass)	0.82 ± 0.02
Tc of Isc	0.007 mA/cm2°C
Tc of Voc	-6.5 mV/°C
Note: Customerized specification other than the above parameters is acceptable.

 

Ultra-High Efficiency Space CIC Solar Cell
Dimension	30*40 mm or customerized size (40*60 mm, 40*80 mm, etc.)
Substrate	Ge
Structure	GaInP2/GaAs/Ge
Thickness	140 μm
Weight	80 mg/cm2
Effective Area	12.25 cm2
Efficiency	30~35%
Type	Left / Right oblique angle
CIC Accessories	Si bypass diode integrated at left top or right top corner Coverglass with MgF2 anti-reflective (AR) coating Ag interconnector
Jsc	17.1 mA/cm2
Voc	2700 mV
Jmp	16.8 mA/cm2
Vmp	2410 mV
FF	0.87
αs	0.92 ± 0.02
εH (with coverglass)	0.80 ± 0.02
Tc of Isc	0.007 mA/cm2°C
Tc of Voc	-6.5 mV/°C
Note: Customerized specification other than the above parameters is acceptable.

 

 

 

 

 

And Beyond...

I. Satellite Components and Manufacturing:

• Advanced Propulsion Systems: More efficient and durable propulsion systems are needed for station-keeping, orbit adjustments, and extending satellite lifespans. This includes electric propulsion (Hall Effect Thrusters (HETs), Ion Thrusters (Gridded Ion Thrusters), Resistojets, Arcjets), chemical propulsion (Monopropellant Thrusters (e.g., Hydrazine), Bipropellant Thrusters), and emerging technologies like ElectroDynamic Tethers (EDTs) for propellant-free propulsion and deorbiting.
• High-Throughput Transponders and Signal Processing Units: As demand for high-speed internet and data-intensive applications from space grows, so does the need for advanced communication hardware on satellites. High-Throughput Transponders (HTS) are central to this evolution, significantly increasing data capacity beyond traditional systems. Unlike conventional transponders that use wide beams, HTS leverage multiple narrow "spot beams" and extensive frequency reuse, similar to cellular networks, to maximize spectral efficiency. These systems can achieve aggregate capacities of tens to hundreds of Gigabits per second (Gbps), with leading examples exceeding 300 Gbps, a dramatic increase compared to the typical few Gbps of older Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) satellites. HTS predominantly operate in the Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz) for its broader available spectrum, with emerging interest in V-band (40-75 GHz). The use of dozens to hundreds of spot beams, each covering an area of hundreds of kilometers, facilitates a frequency reuse factor often exceeding 20 times, thereby yielding significantly more effective bandwidth from the same spectrum. Complementing these advanced transponders, Signal Processing Units (SPUs) are increasingly being integrated directly onto satellites (On-Board Processing - OBP), providing the intelligence to manage the complex, high-throughput data streams. These units incorporate powerful Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) and Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) capable of hundreds to thousands of GMACs (Giga-Multiply Accumulate Operations per second), enabling real-time demodulation, encoding, and dynamic routing of data. SPUs are designed to handle data throughputs matching transponder capacities, supporting tens to hundreds of Gbps through the on-board network. They utilize advanced modulation techniques (e.g., DVB-S2X, 16APSK, 32APSK) and robust Forward Error Correction (FEC) codes (e.g., LDPC) to maximize spectral efficiency and data integrity. Furthermore, for regenerative payloads, SPUs provide critical on-board routing and switching capabilities, optimizing traffic flow, reconfiguring bandwidth in real-time, and enabling electronic beamforming for phased array antennas, ultimately reducing latency and enhancing network flexibility.
• Miniaturized On-Board Systems: The trend towards smaller, more cost-effective satellites (especially in LEO) drives demand for compact and efficient components. The most well-known example of miniaturization is the CubeSat standard, which defines units (U) of a specific volume and mass. A 1U CubeSat measures 10x10x11.35 cm and typically has a maximum mass of 1.33 kg. These standardized units can be combined to create larger satellites like 3U (10x10x34.05 cm) or 6U (20x10x34.05 cm), allowing for scalable designs and standardized deployment. This drive for reduced SWaP permeates all on-board systems. Power Systems: Highly efficient solar cells and compact, high-energy-density batteries are paramount. A typical 1U CubeSat might generate tens of watts of power and store tens of Wh in its batteries, while a microsatellite could generate hundreds of watts to a few kilowatts. Avionics and Flight Computers: These systems are becoming increasingly integrated, often utilizing System-on-Chip (SoC) designs and compact processors with computing powers ranging from MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second) for basic operations to GFLOPS (Giga Floating-point Operations Per Second) for more demanding payload processing, all while consuming only a few watts. Communication Modules: Radios, transceivers, and antennas are shrinking dramatically while maintaining high performance, with data rates from kilobits per second (kbps) for basic telemetry to gigabits per second (Gbps) for high-speed data downlinks. Payloads: Scientific instruments, Earth observation cameras, and communication terminals are being re-engineered to fit into ever-smaller envelopes without compromising performance, allowing for sub-meter resolution imaging from CubeSats or sophisticated sensor arrays on microsatellites.
• Radiation-Hardened Electronics: For satellites to operate reliably in the harsh space environment, Radiation-Hardened Electronics are essential to withstand the cumulative and instantaneous effects of radiation. A critical metric is Total Ionizing Dose (TID) Tolerance, which quantifies a component's resistance to the long-term degradation caused by continuous exposure to ionizing radiation. This gradual damage can lead to performance shifts and eventual failure. While commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electronics typically tolerate only 5-10 krad(Si), space-grade radiation-hardened components are designed to withstand 100 krad(Si) to 300 krad(Si) or more, with some specialized devices exceeding 1 Mrad(Si). The required TID level varies by orbit, with LEO satellites generally needing lower tolerance than MEO and GEO satellites that spend more time in the intense Van Allen radiation belts, accumulating tens to hundreds of krad(Si) over a 15-year mission in GEO. Equally vital is Single Event Effects (SEEs) Immunity, addressing the transient or permanent malfunctions induced by a single energetic particle strike on an electronic circuit. These effects include non-destructive Single Event Upsets (SEUs), which are correctable bit flips, and potentially destructive events like Single Event Latch-ups (SELs), which can cause short circuits and permanent damage if not mitigated. More catastrophic are Single Event Burnout (SEB) or Single Event Gate Rupture (SEGR), leading to component destruction. SEE immunity is quantified by the Linear Energy Transfer (LET) threshold (MeV-cm²/mg), with higher thresholds indicating greater resistance; for instance, radiation-hardened components often boast SEL immunity above 80-100 MeV-cm²/mg. For critical memory, SEU rates are designed to be extremely low, typically less than 10⁻¹⁵ errors/bit-day even with error-correcting codes, ensuring mission longevity and data integrity in the unforgiving space environment.
• Advanced Sensors and Cameras: For Earth observation, remote sensing, and scientific research satellites, high-precision sensors, cameras, and imaging systems are in high demand.
• Materials and Structures: Lightweight and robust materials are crucial for satellite construction, including composites and specialized alloys.

II. Ground Segment Equipment:

• Antenna Systems: Essential for establishing and maintaining communication links between satellites and ground stations. This includes various types of antennas (e.g., parabolic, flat panel, phased arrays).
• RF Systems (Radio Frequency): Transmit and receiver RF systems are vital for satellite communication.
• Data Processing Units: For handling the massive amounts of data transmitted from satellites, efficient data processing, storage, and analytics solutions are critical.
• Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) Systems: These systems ensure effective communication for controlling and monitoring satellites.
• Network Operations Center (NOC) Equipment: For managing and operating entire satellite networks.
• VSAT Equipment: For establishing very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks, providing satellite-based connectivity to remote areas.
• Software-Defined Ground Stations: There's a growing trend towards flexible, cost-effective software solutions that replace traditional hardware in ground stations.