Abstract
GaAs solar cells may be the most attractive and efficient power source of a satellite. GaAs is more radiation tolerant and less temperature sensitive than widely used silicon. $Al_{x}$ Ga$_{1-x}$ As/GaAs solar cells have been designed and fabricated by Liquid Phase Epitaxial method. GaAs solar cells, of which structure is about 0.2 .mu.m p$^{+}$ - window layer, 0.6-1.O .mu.m Ge-doped p-layer. 3.mu.m n-GaAs layer and n$^{+}$ - buffer layer, have been characterized as a function of operating temperature from 25 .deg.C to 130 .deg.C. Open circuit voltage decreases linearly with increasing temperature by 1.4-1.51 mV/ .deg.C while degradation of silicon solar cells is about 2.2-2.5 mV/ .deg.C, short circuit current does not increase much with increasing temperature. Relative efficiency decreases with increasing of temperature by about 0.21-0.29 %/ .deg.C. Efficiency degradation of silicon solar cells with temperature is known to be about 0.5%/ .deg.C and our results show GaAs solar cells may be an excellent candidate for concentrated solar cells.ells.