Nano-and micro-devices for performance improvement of space solar power system

摘要

Since the development of a space solar power (SSP) system involves energy conversion at different stages, the key factor in improving the viability of the overall system is to enhance the efficiency of its building blocks. In this paper, we address the development of highly efficient components and devices, based on carbon nanotubes and RF MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems), which will enable the safe deployment and distribution of power generated using the SSP-based scheme. Carbon nanotubes show distinctive properties — such as the electron ballistic transport property and a high current-density capacity — that may not be available in any existing semiconductor materials. One of the developments in carbon-nanotube-based solar panels is to utilize the property of fast charge transfer to improve the energy-conversion efficiency. Microwave transmission of power from an SSP to Earth requires precisely controlled highly directive antennas. This antenna system should ensure that the power is directed towards the receptor station. In this paper, an antenna system with a reconfigurable beam-steering reflector using micro-machined barium-strontium-titanate thin-film based phase shifters is also investigated.