A protection of space solar cells in an arrangement in the form of a string that extends in an X direction. In each case two space solar cells directly neighboring in the X direction are electrically connected to one another in series via a metallic connector of a first type. The string has a first end and a second end opposite from the first end, and a protection arrangement is provided directly at one of the two ends along a y direction. The protection arrangement includes a first string protection diode arrangement, a metal strip, and a second string protection diode arrangement provided in the Y direction. The protection arrangement is electrically connected to one of the two ends of the string via two spaced-apart metal strips, and each string protection diode arrangement includes multiple unhoused string protection diodes.

A method of controlling solar panels in a solar propelled aircraft which has a wing having solar cell modules mounted therein. The solar propelled aircraft includes: first solar cell modules which are positioned in a main wing or a tail wing of the aircraft and receive solar energy directly from the sun; second solar cell modules which are positioned in a main wing or a tail wing of the aircraft and supplied with directed energy from the earth; and rotating shafts which rotate the first solar cell modules and the second solar cell modules so that the first solar cell modules and the second solar cell modules correspond to each other in both directions. The first solar cell module at the upper surface obtains solar energy from the sun, and the second solar cell module at the lower surface obtains directed energy transferred from the earth.

A solar power transmission system having a solar-microwave fabric for absorbing sunlight, transforming the sunlight into electrical energy, amplifying a received signal using the electrical energy, and transmitting the amplified signal to a rectenna beacon. Embodiments according to the present invention include a system for space-based solar power transmission having a solar power collection balloon in geostationary orbit around Earth, which allows for continuous, feasible, and efficient collection of solar power in space that can be packaged into a condensed canister for launch and deployed without manual or machine assembly once in orbit.

The present invention relates to a solid-state optically activated switch that may be used as limiting switch in a variety of applications or as a high voltage switch. In particular, the switch may incorporate the photoconductive properties of a semiconductor to provide the limiting function in a linear mode. In one embodiment, a configuration of the switch allows for greater than 99.9999% off-state transmission and an on-state limiting of less than 0.0001% of the incident signal.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming, on a cover glass, a film having a predetermined specific gravity and configured to shield an alpha ray that arises from the cover glass; and bonding the cover glass on which the film is formed and an image pickup device, by filling a transparent resin between the cover glass and the image pickup device.

A multi-junction solar cell having at least three partial cells having an emitter and a base. The first partial cell comprises a first layer of a compound containing at least the elements GaInP, and the energy band gap of the first layer is greater than 1.75 eV, and wherein the second partial cell has a second layer of a compound having at least the elements GaAs and the lattice constant of the second layer is in the range between 5.635 and 5.675 , and wherein the third partial cell has a third layer of a compound having at least the elements GaInAs and the energy band gap of the third layer is smaller than 1.25 eV and the lattice constant of the third layer is greater than 5.700 .

A stacked multi-junction solar cell having a first subcell and second subcell, the second subcell having a larger band gap than the first subcell. A third subcell has a larger band gap than the second subcell, and each of the subcells include an emitter and a base. The second subcell has a layer which includes a compound formed at least the elements GaInAsP, and a thickness of the layer is greater than 100 nm, and the layer is formed as part of the emitter and/or as part of the base and/or as part of the space-charge zone situated between the emitter and the base. The third subcell has a layer including a compound formed of at least the elements GaInP, and the thickness of the layer is greater than 100 nm.

The present disclosure relates to a solar cell that includes a first layer that includes a semiconductor and a second layer that includes at least one of an oxide, a carbide, a nitride, a fluoride, and/or a sulfide, where the second layer covers a surface of the first layer, the second layer has a thickness between about 400 nm and about 10 m, and the solar cell retains at least 95% of a starting power-conversion-efficiency (PCE) after exposure to a proton fluence of about 1E15 cm.sup.2 for protons having an energy between greater than zero KeV per proton and less than or equal to 0.05 KeV per proton.

An antenna assembly has a solar layer having one or more solar cells generating solar power, an antenna layer connected to the solar layer and having electronic components utilizing the solar power generated by the solar layer, and a thermal dissipation device dissipating heat locally at the antenna assembly. A large number of antenna assemblies are connected to form an antenna array in which heat is generated locally at each antenna assembly and dissipated locally at each antenna assembly.

An electrical generator system including a radionuclide material; and a sandwich structure, the sandwich structure including: a layer of an n-type semiconductor material; a layer of intrinsic n-type semiconductor material; a layer of p-type semiconductor material; and metal electrodes, one of the electrodes being in direct contact with said n-type semiconductor material and another electrode being in contact with the p-type semiconductor material, forming metal-semiconductor junctions therebetween; wherein radiation emissions received from said radionuclide material are converted into electrical energy at said metal-semiconductor junctions; and electrical contacts connected to said electrodes which facilitate the flow of said electrical energy when connected to a load.