Abstract-High efficiency, thin-film III-V solar cells offer excellent characteristics for implementation in flexible solar panels for space applications. In order to investigate the space compatibility of such cells. The temperature-induced degradation of both substrate-based cells with Au and Au/Cu contacts and thin-film cells on Au and Cu carriers was studied by accelerated ageing testing (AAT) at 200 ○ C. With less than 3% decrease in efficiency after 37 days at 200 ○ C (equivalent to 10 years at 100 ○ C for Ea = 0.70 eV) the substrate-based cells show excellent results. With a 10% decrease in efficiency after 37 days of AAT the thin-film cells on an Au carrier exhibit promising results, given the early stage of development of the thin-film cells. On the other hand severe degradation is observed for thin-film cells on a Cu carrier (decrease in efficiency > 60% after 37 days of AAT). At least two factors contribute to this severe degradation: thermally-induced stress and Cu diffusion.
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