About the topic
When fabricated on metal or polyimide foil, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin film solar cells are flexible and
extremely light weight. In addition, they have shown a surprising robustness when exposed to space radiation.
This makes them a prone candidate for space applications. After a short review of previous studies of
in-flight testing and deploying concepts for CIGSe in space, the talk will give an account of HZB’s activities
in the field. First on Titanium foil, and later also on 25μm thick polyimide sheets, a CIGSe technology was
developed and – after vigorous testing – deployed and tested in space. While this technology shows enormous
potential, it will become clear that considerable efforts are still necessary to give this new technology the
heritage necessary for reliable use in space. So what are we waiting for?