Study of the Impact Between a Triple Junction Space Solar Cell and the Antenna Integrated on Top of It

Abstract

Solid and meshed patch antennas integrated on the cover glass of a commercial space solar cell were examined. The effect of the solar cell on the antenna was analyzed and validated. The impact of the antenna on the efficiency of the solar cell was quantified through experiments. It has been found that while the active semiconductor junction in a solar cell severely reduces the gain of the antenna in many space communication bands, the electrode lattice in the solar cell can potentially act as an isolation between the solar cell and the antenna, preventing the gain worsening. The effect of the lattice also promises a potential application in lab-grown solar cells such that one may carefully design the size and number of the electrodes to ensure the best gain for the integrated antenna. The main factor that impacts the efficiency of the solar cells was found to be the cover glass rather than the shadow from the antenna. These results can serve as design guidelines when integrating optically transparent antennas on solar panels of small satellites to reduce payload and to achieve reliable communication link. One may balance the selection of solar cells, cover glass, and antenna geometry to achieve the optimal link budget.