Novel design of Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) solar cell with Application on UAS Puma 3 AE
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Authors
Herrera, Jose A.
Subjects
solar cell
CIGS
thin film
SILVACO
UAS
UAV
CIGS
thin film
SILVACO
UAS
UAV
Advisors
Michael, Sherif N.
Date of Issue
2019-09
Date
September 2019
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Silicon (Si) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells have shown success in back-contact designs.
However, solar cells with back contacts have not been implemented on copper indium gallium diselenide
(CIGS). To show the advantages of using this type of solar cell on unmanned aircraft, data from the Puma 3
AE was used. Our objective was to model 144 staggered back contact (SBC) CIGS cells onto a Puma and
prove that it would extend the flight time, all at a minimal cost to the U.S. military. There are four tasks to
achieving this objective: calculate maximum efficiency the solar cell could achieve, simulate a real CIGS
cell, simulate the SBC CIGS cell, and model 144 SBC CIGS cells on a Puma while doing a cost analysis.
Using a MATLAB script, this research calculated the ideal efficiency for a CIGS cell to be 26.72%. Using
Silvaco, an accurate CIGS cell was simulated, based on a 3% difference in output performance from the real
cell. A simulated SBC CIGS cell was successfully designed, which had a 23% efficiency. The new design
had an 18% increase in power output from the real NREL model. Modeling 144 SBC CIGS cells on the
Puma improved its standard 1–2 hour flight time to 8–17 hours, depending on location and temperature. To
install 144 cells and equipment, the total cost was estimated at $926. This thesis determined that a simulated
SBC CIGS cell can be made to help extend the Puma flight time, at minimal cost to the U.S. military.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. As such, it is in the public domain, and under the provisions of Title 17, United States Code, Section 105, it may not be copyrighted.