While silicon is the most popular material used to make wafers, there are sometimes when it is not the best choice. In some situations, like with the making of solar panels, materials such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) are better. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of a GaAs wafer over Silicon.
One of the biggest advantages of GaAs solar is its ability to be efficient even when very thin layers are used. This allows the overall weight of the solar material to be kept low. Silicon doesn’t have the ability to absorb sunlight in that environment. It requires thicker layers, adding to the overall weight.
Gallium Arsenide is naturally resistant to damage from moisture, radiation and ultraviolet light. These properties make GaAs an excellent choice for aerospace applications where there is increased UV and radiation.
GaAs is the highest efficiency solar material currently available in the world. As a result, it produces more power for a given surface area than any other solar technology. This is ideal for things that have a limited surface area such as aircraft, cars or on small satellites.
When it comes to solar power, solar cells need to be able to perform even when there isn’t a lot of light. Luckily, GaAs is able to perform at high levels even when the amount of light available is low.
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