Radiation Hardness of CdTe/CdS solar cells

The performance stability of CdTe/CdS thin film solar cells against radiation damage caused by protons and electrons has been investigated. High vacuum evaporated superstrate configuration cells of 10 - 12.5 % were developed on soda-lime glass.The irradiation experiments were performed under extremely damaging conditions. The subsequent characterisation confirms that CdTe/CdS solar cells are highly suitable for space application. A minor degradation is measured at high fluences for low energy protons of 650 keV and fluences of some 1016cm-2 for 3 MeV electrons