Perovskites, which have shown enormous potential as a new semiconductor for solar cells, are gaining attention as well as a potential next-generation technology to also power spacefaring missions. As scientists around the globe continue efforts toward harnessing the potential of perovskites on Earth, others are looking into how well the technology might work in the planet's orbit.
A collaborative research effort to collectively address this important issue involving scientists from the National Renewable Laboratory (NREL) lays out guidelines to test the radiation-tolerating properties of perovskites intended for use in space.
"Radiation is not really a concern on Earth, but becomes increasingly intense as we move to higher and higher altitudes," said Ahmad Kirmani, a postdoctoral researcher at NREL and lead author of the new paper, "Countdown to perovskite space launch: Guidelines to performing relevant radiation-hardness experiments," which appears in Joule.
Radiation reaching the Earth tends to mostly be photons, or light from the sun, which solar cells absorb and use to generate electricity. In space, however, radiation comes from all directions in the form of protons, electrons, neutrons, alpha particles, and gamma rays. This creates an inhospitable environment for operation of many electronic devices, including solar cells. Therefore, as researchers develop new technologies for space applications, careful thought and rigorous testing must be performed to be certain the technology can function for an extended period in the operating environment.
"When you try to mimic the radiation in space with an Earth-based test, it's very challenging because you have to consider many different particles and the associated particle energy, and they have different influences on various layers within the solar cell. It all depends on where you intend for the technology to operate in space and what specific radiation events are known to occur there," said Joseph Luther, co-author of the paper and a senior scientist in the Chemical Materials and Nanoscience team at NREL.
His NREL colleagues who contributed to the paper are Nancy Haegel, David Ostrowski, Mark Steger, and Kaitlyn VanSant, who is a NASA postdoctoral program fellow working at NREL.
