TECSTAR AND JX CRYSTALS WORK TOGETHER ON BMDO SBIR PHASE II CONTRACT TO INCREASE CELL EFFICIENCY
Source: Tecstar, Inc.
City of Industry, CA. TECSTAR, Inc. and JX Crystals are working together to build a prototype module to demonstrate the high efficiency achieved by mechanically stacking cells. TECSTAR s IR-transparent dual junction InGaP/GaAs front cell and JX Crystal s Gallium Antimonide Infrared Booster Cell were stacked to provide matched voltages at concentration and operating temperature. At 15-suns (AMO), the full stack was 31% efficient with efficiencies at 24% for the DJ cell and 7% for GaSb cell. Entech Inc. (Keller,TX) will supply lenses and a support structure for this project.
TECSTAR s space cell technology was deemed very successful and led to an extension to Phase II on this project. In their Phase I effort, Tecstar and JX Crystals demonstrated that the boost efficiency from a GaSb cell (7%) in a voltage-matched mechanically-stacked DJ/GaSb cell is intrinsically higher than the boost efficiency for a Ge cell (3%) in a series connected monolithic DJ/Ge cell. This allows cell efficiencies well over 30% to be obtained. In Phase II, simple two terminal voltage matched circuits are being fabricated.
TECSTAR, Inc. was founded in 1954 as the country s first supplier of silicon space solar cells. Today, the privately held company is the first to manufacture and fly triple junction CascadeÔ cells and panels in space. TECSTAR powered the hugely successful Mars Pathfinder mission with its solar cell assemblies and supplied the first solar cells to power a U.S. satellite, Vanguard I, in 1958. Today, TECSTAR offers optoelectronics, solar power systems, electro-mechanical and electro-magnetic assemblies, high-speed data transfer systems, and world-class controls design and development to the space and avionics industries. TECSTAR hardware has flown successfully on more than 1,000 satellites. The Company is ISO 9001 certified.
JX Crystals Inc. is located in Issaquah, Washington and their major focus is on Infrared Cell Technology. The foundation of the company is gallium antimonide (GaSb) photovoltaic cells, which respond to longer wavelength radiation than either traditional silicon cells or newer gallium arsenide cells. This new infrared cell is being used in thermophotovoltaic generators as well as the space solar application described above. In thermophotovoltaic systems, photovoltaic cells respond to infrared radiation from a fuel-fired emitter, rather than the visible light energy from the sun. The company s expertise is in GaSb cell development and their plans are to continue developing these applications. JX Crystals sees tremendous potential in manufacturing their latest commercial products using their rapidly developing technology.
Contact: Charlene Melear Manager, Public Relations, Tecstar Tel: 626-934-6507 Fax: 626-336-8694 www.tecstar.com
Charlene Melear
Manager, Public Relations, Tecstar
Tel: 626-934-6507
Fax: 626-336-8694
www.tecstar.com
Web site: http://www.tecstar.com
