ARC MITIGATION ON HIGH-VOLTAGE SOLAR-ARRAYS

In response to the increasing demand for higher power sources in space , solar arrays are being designed with high voltages at low currents t o meet this need. Unfortunately, negatively biased high voltage solar cells have been observed to arc when exposed to the low-Earth-orbit pl asma environment. Analytical and numerical models of this arcing pheno menon for conventionally designed solar cells have been developed whic h show excellent agreement with experimental data. With an understandi ng of a mechanism for arcing, it is possible to assess mitigation stra tegies and quantify their effectiveness. It was determined that the ar cing rate can be decreased by 1) increasing the interconnector work fu nction, 2) increasing the thickness of the coverglass and cover adhesi ve, 3) decreasing the secondary electron yield of the coverglass and a dhesive, 4) decreasing the ratio of the coverglass/adhesive dielectric constants, and 5) overhanging the coverglass. Of these, methods 4 and 5 show the most promise in mitigating or even eliminating arcing.