Spatial solar cell particle irradiation test system and method under photo-thermal condition

Abstract

A space solar cell particle irradiation test system under a photo-thermal condition comprises: a vacuum chamber, the wall surface of which is provided with a particle beam port and a light transmitting port; the sample table is arranged in the vacuum cavity, and the table surface of the sample table obliquely faces the particle beam port and the light transmitting port at the same time; the temperature control module is in heat conduction connection with the sample table; the particle irradiation module comprises a particle gun which is arranged outside the vacuum cavity and is aligned with the particle beam port; the illumination simulation module comprises a solar simulator which is arranged outside the vacuum cavity and is aligned with the light transmitting opening; and starting a particle gun in the vacuum cavity under the conditions of temperature and illumination, and performing particle irradiation on the solar cell according to a preset particle beam flow and irradiation time. The device can effectively simulate particle irradiation attenuation of the space solar cell under illumination and high and low temperature conditions, and is especially suitable for irradiation attenuation simulation of the solar cell in different tracks.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application belongs to the technical field of ground simulation test of space environment, and particularly relates to a space solar cell particle irradiation test system and method under light and heat conditions. BACKGROUND

[0002] The solar cell array is the in-orbit energy source of most spacecrafts, which determines the service life of the spacecraft. The solar cell array is installed outside the satellite cabin and directly experiences high and low temperature alternation, particle irradiation, atomic oxygen, plasma, ultraviolet irradiation, debris and other environmental effects during in-orbit operation. Among them, space particles can cause displacement damage to solar cells, resulting in the destruction of the originally regular arrangement of atomic structure in the crystal lattice, forming vacancy and interstitial defects. Their existence becomes the recombination center of minority carriers, reduces the drift and diffusion efficiency of minority carriers, and further reduces the conversion efficiency of the cell and the power generation. Therefore, to improve the service life of the solar cell array, the key is to improve the anti-irradiation capability of the space solar cell, and the prerequisite is to fully understand the irradiation effect of the solar cell.

[0003] Therefore, a ground simulation test system for space solar cell particle irradiation has been established. The irradiation dose is estimated by using the irradiation belt model, and then the on-orbit time equivalent to different irradiation doses is obtained, so as to obtain the solar cell efficiency at the end of life.

[0004] However, in the real space environment, the solar cell array does not exist in a single environment, but simultaneously experiences multiple environmental factors, for example, high and low temperature environment can change the rate of carrier migration and defect generation and recombination in the solar cell, and the annealing effect caused by light can accelerate the relaxation process after collision and inhibit the generation of defects. These environments will have a significant impact on the irradiation effect of the solar cell. For mature solar cells, these influences can be corrected by modifying the parameters of the ground simulation test based on the on-orbit data. However, with the development of space technology, higher efficiency, flexibility and special function of space solar cells are being developed. Since the influence of light and temperature environment is not considered in the ground simulation test of space solar cell particle irradiation, the ground irradiation test results of these new type of cells may have a large deviation from the real state in orbit, affecting the accuracy of the evaluation of the cells, and then causing on-orbit failure and economic loss.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a space solar cell particle irradiation test system under light and heat conditions to obtain the influence of light and high and low temperature environment on the irradiation effect of the solar cell, which is very necessary for the ground reliability verification of space solar cells, especially new type of space solar cells. SUMMARY

[0006] The application provides a space solar cell particle irradiation test system and method under light and heat conditions to solve the problem that the existing space solar cell particle irradiation ground simulation test system does not consider the influence of light and temperature environment, resulting in deviation of the irradiation test result of a new solar cell from the real state in orbit, affecting the evaluation accuracy and possibly causing an on-orbit failure.

[0007] To solve at least one of the above technical problems, the application adopts the technical scheme of:

[0008] A space solar cell particle irradiation test system under light and heat conditions, comprising:

[0009] A vacuum cavity for providing a sealed cavity simulating a space vacuum environment, a particle beam port and a light transmission port being arranged on the wall surface of the vacuum cavity;

[0010] A sample stage arranged inside the vacuum cavity and used for installing a solar cell, the stage surface of the sample stage being inclined and simultaneously facing the particle beam port and the light transmission port;

[0011] A temperature control module in thermal contact with the sample stage and used for controlling the temperature of the sample stage;

[0012] A particle irradiation module comprising a particle gun arranged outside the vacuum cavity and aligned with the particle beam port;

[0013] A light simulation module comprising a solar simulator arranged outside the vacuum cavity and aligned with the light transmission port;

[0014] In the vacuum cavity and under temperature and light conditions, the particle gun is turned on, and the solar cell is irradiated according to a preset particle beam flow and irradiation time.

[0015] Further, the stage surface is at an angle of 45° with the horizontal plane, and a limiting block for fixing the solar cell is arranged on the stage surface.

[0016] Further, the temperature control module comprises:

[0017] A fluid channel arranged inside the sample stage;

[0018] A liquid inlet and a liquid outlet arranged on the wall surface of the vacuum cavity and in communication with the fluid channel;

[0019] A heating / cooling device arranged outside the vacuum cavity;

[0020] The heating / cooling device is connected to the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet through a pipeline to circulate a heat-conducting fluid in the fluid channel.

[0021] Further, the temperature control module further comprises a thermistor arranged on the sample table and a temperature measuring instrument arranged outside the vacuum chamber, the thermistor is connected with the temperature measuring instrument through a wire; and the wire connecting the thermistor and the temperature measuring instrument is a radiation-resistant wire.

[0022] Further, the particle beam port and the light transmission port are arranged on two adjacent walls of the vacuum chamber, and each is formed by a glass window sealingly arranged on the wall of the vacuum chamber; wherein the glass of the light transmission port has high transmittance in the wavelength range of 300-1800 nm.

[0023] Further, an air exhaust port is further arranged on the vacuum chamber, and the air exhaust port is connected with an external vacuum pump through a pipeline.

[0024] Further, the solar simulator in the light simulation module is capable of simulating space AM0 solar spectrum or halogen tungsten lamp.

[0025] Further, the system further comprises a shielding assembly arranged on the side of the solar simulator facing the particle beam for shielding the particle beam generated by the particle irradiation module from irradiating surrounding equipment.

[0026] A method for testing space solar cell under particle irradiation under light and heat conditions, using the system as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0027] Mounting the solar cell on the sample table inside the vacuum chamber and fixing it;

[0028] Pumping the vacuum chamber to establish a vacuum environment, and selectively controlling the temperature of the sample table and selectively turning on the light simulation;

[0029] Under the vacuum chamber, and the selected temperature and light conditions, controlling the particle gun to be turned on, and irradiating the solar cell according to the preset particle beam flow and irradiation time;

[0030] After the irradiation is completed, sequentially turn off each device, take out the solar cell after the environment is safe, test the electrical performance of the solar cell after irradiation, and compare it with the electrical performance before the test to obtain the irradiation attenuation data.

[0031] Further, the selective temperature control of the sample table is specifically: through an external heating / cooling device, making the heat-conducting fluid flow into the fluid channel inside the sample table through the liquid inlet and flow out through the liquid outlet, and monitoring the temperature through the thermistor and the temperature measuring instrument, so that the temperature of the sample table is controlled in the range of -95℃ to +95℃;

[0032] The selective illumination simulation specifically involves turning on a solar simulator or a halogen tungsten lamp, allowing the emitted light to shine through the light-transmitting port onto the solar cell to simulate space illumination conditions.

[0033] The experimental system and method for space solar cell particle irradiation under photothermal conditions designed in this application can effectively simulate the particle irradiation decay of space solar cells under light and high and low temperature conditions. The system parameters are adjustable, and it is especially suitable for simulating the irradiation decay of new solar cells in different orbits, improving the accuracy of evaluation and avoiding on-orbit failures. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a front view of the structure of the test system in this application;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a top view of the structure of the test system in this application.

[0036] In the picture:

[0037] 10 vacuum chamber 11 particle beam port 12 light transmission port 13 liquid inlet port 14 liquid outlet port 15 air outlet port 20 sample stage 21 solar cell 22 stop block 30 temperature control module 31 thermistor 32 temperature measuring instrument 40 solar simulator 50 particle gun 60 vacuum pump 70 thick metal plate Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0039] This embodiment proposes a space solar cell particle irradiation experimental system under photothermal conditions, such as... Figures 1-2 As shown, the system includes: a vacuum chamber 10 providing a sealed cavity for simulating a vacuum environment; a sample stage 20 for mounting solar cells; a temperature control module 30 for controlling the temperature of the sample stage 20; a particle irradiation module; a light simulation module; and protective components for shielding surrounding equipment from the particle beam generated by the particle irradiation module. A particle beam inlet 11 and a light-transmitting opening 12 are provided on two adjacent walls of the vacuum chamber 10. The particle irradiation module includes a particle gun 50 positioned outside the vacuum chamber 10 and aligned with the particle beam inlet 11. The light simulation module includes a solar simulator 40 positioned outside the vacuum chamber 10 and aligned with the light-transmitting opening 12. Within the vacuum chamber 10, under set temperature and light conditions, the particle gun 50 is activated, and the solar cells 21 are irradiated with particles according to a preset particle beam flow rate and irradiation time.

[0040] Specifically, the vacuum chamber 10 is used to simulate a space vacuum environment, and the vacuum level inside the chamber can reach 10. -3 The vacuum level is in the Pa range. This level of vacuum falls into the high vacuum category, which is sufficient to meet the core physical process requirements of ground simulation experiments; it also prevents air molecules from carrying away heat, thus ensuring the accuracy of the temperature control module; moreover, under this condition, it can reduce particle beam scattering, ensuring that high-energy particles do not collide with a large number of gas molecules on their way to the solar cell, thus ensuring the accuracy of the irradiation dose.

[0041] The particle beam port 11 and the light transmission port 12 are arranged on two adjacent walls of the vacuum chamber 10, respectively for the high-energy particle and the light source to enter the chamber, ensuring that the particle beam and the light can be incident on the sample table 20 from two different directions.

[0042] An exhaust port 15 is also arranged on the outer wall of the vacuum chamber 10, which is connected to an external vacuum pump 60 through a pipeline for vacuum pumping. The exhaust port 15 is arranged on the adjacent surface of the light transmission port 12 in the vacuum chamber 10; because this position is also far away from the particle beam port, it will not interfere with the entry of the particle beam. In addition, when the vacuum pump is pumping, it may suck away the trace contaminants such as dust and volatile matter on the inner wall of the chamber or the sample. If the exhaust port is directly opposite the light transmission port, these contaminants may directly splash or migrate to the glass window inside the light transmission port, causing window contamination, transmission rate reduction, and affecting the accuracy of the light simulation. Arranging the exhaust port on the adjacent surface can effectively avoid this direct spraying effect.

[0043] The sample table 20 is arranged inside the vacuum chamber 10, and the surface of the sample table 20 is inclined and simultaneously faces the particle beam port 11 and the light transmission port 12. A limiting block 22 for fixing the solar cell 21 is arranged on the sample table 20. Preferably, the surface of the sample table 20 is at an angle of 45° with the horizontal plane; so that the sample table 20 can simultaneously face the particle beam and the light incident from two directions, to realize the key of synchronous application of three environmental factors of light, heat and particle irradiation.

[0044] The temperature control module 30 is in thermal contact with the sample table 20, and the heat is efficiently transmitted to the solar cell through the sample table 20, ensuring the accuracy and rapidity of temperature control. The temperature control module 30 includes a fluid channel arranged inside the sample table 20, a liquid inlet 13 and a liquid outlet 14 arranged on the wall of the vacuum chamber 10 and communicating with the fluid channel, and a heating / cooling device arranged outside the vacuum chamber 10 (omitted in the figure). The fluid channel can be designed based on the actual situation, and this is a commonly used design, which is omitted in the figure and does not require specific requirements.

[0045] The liquid inlet 13 and the liquid outlet 14 are arranged on the back of the sample table 20 and are located on the opposite side of the light transmission port 12 in the vacuum cavity 10. The liquid inlet 13 and the liquid outlet 14 are used for the heat source or the cold source to enter and exit. The heating / cooling device is connected to the liquid inlet 13 and the liquid outlet 14 through a pipeline to circulate the heat-conducting fluid in the fluid channel, so as to control the temperature of the sample table 20. The purpose of this structure design is to concentrate all the liquid circuits and particle guns that need to be manually connected or maintained in different positions, so that the operation space is concentrated and does not interfere with each other. The pipeline filled with liquid is arranged on the side away from the solar simulator 40 or the light transmission port 12, which reduces the risk of contaminating or damaging the optical system in case of liquid leakage. Moreover, when heating or cooling, the pipeline and the interface may have heat loss or condensation; by concentrating them on one side, local insulation or protection can be easily achieved to avoid unnecessary heat interference on the light transmission port 12 in the cavity.

[0046] Further, the temperature control module 30 further comprises a thermistor 31 arranged on the sample table 20 and a temperature measuring instrument 32 located outside the vacuum cavity 10. The thermistor 31 is connected to the temperature measuring instrument 32 through a wire. The wire connecting the thermistor 31 and the temperature measuring instrument 32 is a radiation-resistant wire. The thermistor 31 is a sensor which is directly installed on the sample table and can directly sense the actual temperature of the sample. The temperature measuring instrument 32 is a readout device which is placed outside the cavity to facilitate real-time observation and recording, and also protects the precise electronic equipment from the vacuum and radiation environment. The heating / cooling device can adjust the temperature of the heat-conducting fluid according to the difference between the temperature read by the temperature measuring instrument and the set target temperature, so as to realize closed-loop precise temperature control.

[0047] The particle beam port 11 and the light transmission port 12 are both composed of glass windows which are sealingly installed on the wall of the vacuum cavity 10. The particle gun 50 is used for emitting a particle beam. The glass of the light transmission port 12 has high transmittance in the wavelength range of 300-1800 nm. The solar simulator 40 in the light irradiation simulation module can simulate the spatial AM0 solar spectrum or a halogen tungsten lamp.

[0048] The light wave in the wavelength range of 300-1800 nm covers the ultraviolet light (UV) of 300-400 nm, the visible light (VIS) of 400-700 nm, and the near-infrared (NIR) of 700-1800 nm. This range is the most sensitive and responsive spectral range of the spatial solar cell. The short-circuit current and efficiency of the solar cell are determined by the photon absorption in this spectral range. Therefore, ensuring high transmittance in this range ensures that the spectrum irradiated to the cell is consistent with that emitted by the simulator, without unnecessary attenuation or spectral distortion caused by the window, thereby ensuring the fidelity of the light irradiation simulation.

[0049] AM0 spectrum refers to the solar spectrum with zero atmospheric mass, i.e. the standard solar spectrum outside the Earth's atmosphere, which is the gold standard for evaluating the performance of space solar cells. Using a solar simulator that can simulate the AM0 spectrum, test data closest to the real in-orbit light conditions can be obtained.

[0050] While the halogen tungsten lamp is an economical and practical option, it is low in cost and high in light intensity; but its spectrum is a continuous spectrum. If there is no special requirement for the working current of the solar cell, the halogen tungsten lamp can be used to replace the AM0 spectrum, that is, when the focus of the experiment is to study the irradiation effect itself, without the need to accurately measure the absolute conversion efficiency of the cell, the halogen tungsten lamp can be used as a strong light source to study the annealing effect of light and other physical processes.

[0051] As can be seen from the above, the solar simulator 40 in the present case can simulate the space AM0 solar spectrum or halogen tungsten lamp, and the design has flexibility and economy.

[0052] The protection assembly is a thick metal plate 70 arranged on the side of the solar simulator 40 facing the particle beam, which can also be said to be used to shield the particle beam and protect the equipment. Since the particle beam emitted by the particle gun 50 is directional emission, only the area directly opposite the radiation is at risk of being directly bombarded. Therefore, the protection is directional and local, rather than a full-range wrapping of the entire equipment. In the present embodiment, physical shielding is adopted, i.e. shielding with a thick metal plate 70, the principle of which is to use high-density materials, usually lead, tungsten or thick steel plates, to attenuate and absorb high-energy particles; this is an active, reliable and space-saving protection method. For the electrons in the radiation, the thick metal plate can effectively consume their energy through bremsstrahlung and multiple scattering; for protons and heavy ions in the radiation, they are mainly prevented from advancing through the Coulomb interaction with atomic nuclei and nuclear reactions. The thickness of the thick metal plate 70 needs to be calculated and designed according to the type, energy and flux of the particle beam used, to ensure that the radiation dose can be attenuated to a safe level below the equipment can withstand.

[0053] A method for testing space solar cells under particle irradiation in photothermal conditions, using the system as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0054] Install the solar cell 21 on the sample table 20 inside the vacuum chamber 10 and fix it with the limiting block 22;

[0055] Vacuumize the vacuum chamber 10 to establish a vacuum environment, and selectively control the temperature of the sample table 20 and selectively turn on the light simulation;

[0056] Under the conditions of the vacuum chamber 10, the selected temperature and light, control the particle gun 50 to be turned on, and irradiate the solar cell 21 according to the preset particle beam flux and irradiation time;

[0057] After the irradiation, the devices are closed in sequence, and the solar cell 21 is taken out after the environment is safe, the electrical performance after irradiation is tested, and compared with the electrical performance before the test, so as to obtain the irradiation attenuation data.

[0058] Further, the temperature control of the sample table 20 is selectively performed, specifically, by the external heating / cooling device, the heat-conducting fluid flows into and out of the fluid channel in the sample table 20 through the liquid inlet 13 and the liquid outlet 14, and the temperature is monitored by the thermistor 31 and the temperature meter 32, so that the temperature of the sample table 20 is controlled in the range of -95℃ to +95℃.

[0059] The light irradiation simulation is selectively performed, specifically, the solar simulator 40 or the halogen tungsten lamp is turned on, and the light emitted thereby is transmitted through the light-transmitting port to irradiate on the solar cell 21, so as to simulate the space light irradiation condition.

[0060] The space solar cell particle irradiation test system and method under the light-heat condition designed in the application can effectively simulate the particle irradiation attenuation of the space solar cell under the light irradiation and high-low temperature conditions, the system parameters are adjustable, and the method is especially suitable for the irradiation attenuation simulation of the new solar cell in different orbits, so that the accuracy of the evaluation is improved, and the in-orbit failure is avoided.

[0061] The embodiments of the application are described in detail above, and the content is only the preferred embodiments of the application, and cannot be considered as limiting the scope of the application. Any equivalent changes and improvements made within the scope of the application should still belong to the patent coverage range of the application.

Claims

1. A system for testing space solar cell particles under photothermal conditions, characterized in that, The system comprises: a vacuum chamber for providing a sealed cavity simulating a space vacuum environment, the chamber having a particle beam port and a light transmission port formed on the wall thereof; a sample stage disposed in the vacuum chamber for mounting a solar cell, the stage having a surface inclined to face both the particle beam port and the light transmission port; a temperature control module in thermal contact with the sample stage for controlling the temperature of the sample stage; a particle irradiation module comprising a particle gun disposed outside the vacuum chamber and aligned with the particle beam port; a light simulation module comprising a solar simulator disposed outside the vacuum chamber and aligned with the light transmission port; under the temperature and light conditions in the vacuum chamber, the particle gun is turned on to irradiate the solar cell with a preset particle beam flux and irradiation time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, The surface is inclined at an angle of 45° to the horizontal plane, and a limiting block for fixing the solar cell is arranged on the surface.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The temperature control module comprises: a fluid channel arranged in the sample stage; an inlet and an outlet formed on the wall of the vacuum chamber and in communication with the fluid channel; and a heating / cooling device arranged outside the vacuum chamber; The heating / cooling device is connected to the inlet and the outlet through a pipeline to circulate a heat-conducting fluid in the fluid channel.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein, The temperature control module further comprises a thermistor arranged on the sample stage and a temperature measuring instrument arranged outside the vacuum chamber, the thermistor being connected to the temperature measuring instrument through a wire; and the wire connecting the thermistor and the temperature measuring instrument is a radiation-resistant wire.

5. The system according to any of claims 1-2, 4, characterized in that, The particle beam port and the light transmission port are formed on two adjacent walls of the vacuum chamber, and each is formed by a glass window sealingly mounted on the wall of the vacuum chamber; the glass of the light transmission port has a high transmittance in the wavelength range of 300-1800 nm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein, An air outlet is formed on the vacuum chamber, and the air outlet is connected to an external vacuum pump through a pipeline.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein, The solar simulator in the light simulation module can simulate space AM0 solar spectrum or a halogen tungsten lamp.

8. The system of any of claims 1-2, 4, 6-7, wherein, The system further comprises a shielding assembly for shielding the particle beam generated by the particle irradiation module from irradiating surrounding equipment, the shielding assembly being arranged on the side of the solar simulator facing the particle beam.

9. A method for testing space solar cell particles under photothermal conditions, characterized in that, The system of any one of claims 1-7 is used, comprising the following steps: mounting a solar cell on the sample stage in the vacuum chamber and fixing it; vacuumizing the vacuum chamber to establish a vacuum environment, and selectively controlling the temperature of the sample stage and selectively turning on the light simulation; under the temperature and light conditions in the vacuum chamber, controlling the particle gun to be turned on to irradiate the solar cell with a preset particle beam flux and irradiation time; after the irradiation, sequentially turning off the equipment, taking out the solar cell after the environment is safe, testing the electrical performance of the solar cell after irradiation, and comparing the electrical performance before and after the test to obtain irradiation attenuation data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The selective temperature control of the sample stage is specifically that a heating / cooling device outside the sample stage is used to make a heat-conducting fluid flow into the fluid channel in the sample stage through an inlet and flow out of the fluid channel through an outlet, and a thermistor and a temperature detector are used to monitor the temperature so that the temperature of the sample stage is controlled in a range of -95 DEG C to +95 DEG C. The selective opening of the light simulation is specifically that a solar simulator or a halogen tungsten lamp is turned on so that the light emitted by the solar simulator or the halogen tungsten lamp is transmitted through the light-transmitting port and irradiates on the solar cell to simulate the space light condition.

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