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GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells are irradiated with 1.0, 1.8, and 11.5 MeV electrons with fluence ranging up to 3 × 10 15 , 3 × 10 15 , and 3 × 10 14 cm −2 , respectively. Their performance degradation effects are analyzed by using current-voltage characteristics, spectral response measurements, and electron irradiation-induced displacements. The degradation rates of the maximum power and the spectral response of the solar cells increase with the electron fluence, and also increase with the increasing electron energy. It is observed that the spectral response of the GaAs middle cell degrades more significantly than that of the GaInP top cell.

The radiation damage of three individual subcells for GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells irradiated with electrons and protons is investigated using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The PL spectra of each subcell are obtained using different excitation lasers. The PL intensity has a fast degradation after irradiation, and decreases as the displacement damage dose increases. Furthermore, the normalized PL intensity varying with the displacement damage dose is analyzed in detail, and then the lifetime damage coefficients of the recombination centers for GaInP top-cell, GaAs mid-cell and Ge bottom-cell of the triple-junction solar cells are determined from the PL radiative efficiency.

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