High Efficiency, Lightweight, and Flexible Solar Arrays
MICROLINK DEVICES
MicroLink Devices’ core business is the design and manufacture of III-V epitaxial material used in cellular phones and other wireless devices, and the design and manufacture of solar cells and solar sheets for a variety of applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), spacecraft, and terrestrial collectors.
Niles, Illinois (IL), United States
Aerospace
Products & Services
Space Solar Power Modules (SPM)
MicroLink Devices
MicroLink has developed a space SPM using its triple junction solar cell with epitaxial lift-off (ELO) technology. The Quartex(TM) 37 cm2 solar cell geometry is used for high semiconductor wafer utilization. The Quartex cells are intermeshed in a string format for high packing fraction within the module. Different 2xN module configurations are possible. Bypass diodes are integrated with each solar cell, and Ag-Kovar interconnects with in-plane strain relief are used. Finally, a coverglass-free prismatic silicone is used to encapsulate the complete module.
UAS Augmented with Integrated Solar Array Wings for Extended Flight Endurance
MicroLink Devices
Pictured is an AeroVironment Puma UAS platform. MicroLink has developed a lightweight and flexible solar sheet technology that can generate power from a solar cell that is foil-like in nature. With the solar sheet arrays, power can be generated while the platform is in flight with minimal additional mass. MicroLink has demonstrated a doubling of endurance for small battery powered UAS that have been augmented with MicroLink's solar sheet technology.
About
MicroLink Devices’ core business is the design and manufacture of III-V epitaxial material used in cellular phones and other wireless devices, and the design and manufacture of solar cells and solar sheets for a variety of applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), spacecraft, and terrestrial collectors.
Founded in 2000, the company occupies a 30,000 square foot facility in Niles, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The facility contains clean rooms for growth and device fabrication, as well as an assembly and test laboratory. MicroLink owns all the tools and equipment necessary to grow, fabricate, and test epitaxial material and solar cells and sheets. The company owns a set of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tools capable of high volume production. MicroLink also possesses the tools and equipment required to fabricate and test semiconductor device structures and solar cells.
MicroLink is dedicated to producing quality products to meet customer needs. MicroLink is an ISO 9001-certified company. Production begins only after we are sure that all required customer specifications have been met. In order to ensure the quality of our products, we employ sophisticated quality control processes.
MicroLink prides itself on the quality of its employees. Some members of our technical staff are among the world’s foremost experts in the growth and processing of GaAs- and InP-based electronic devices and solar cells. Our staff supports customers, not only during the product development period, but also during production in order to enable continuing improvements in final product performance and yield.
Since 2003, MicroLink has been a prime federal contractor to develop solar cells, transistors, and lasers. A key result of this innovation has been the development of the epitaxial lift-off (ELO) process, which MicroLink uses in its line of solar cell and solar sheet products.
Founded in 2000, the company occupies a 30,000 square foot facility in Niles, a northern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The facility contains clean rooms for growth and device fabrication, as well as an assembly and test laboratory. MicroLink owns all the tools and equipment necessary to grow, fabricate, and test epitaxial material and solar cells and sheets. The company owns a set of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tools capable of high volume production. MicroLink also possesses the tools and equipment required to fabricate and test semiconductor device structures and solar cells.
MicroLink is dedicated to producing quality products to meet customer needs. MicroLink is an ISO 9001-certified company. Production begins only after we are sure that all required customer specifications have been met. In order to ensure the quality of our products, we employ sophisticated quality control processes.
MicroLink prides itself on the quality of its employees. Some members of our technical staff are among the world’s foremost experts in the growth and processing of GaAs- and InP-based electronic devices and solar cells. Our staff supports customers, not only during the product development period, but also during production in order to enable continuing improvements in final product performance and yield.
Since 2003, MicroLink has been a prime federal contractor to develop solar cells, transistors, and lasers. A key result of this innovation has been the development of the epitaxial lift-off (ELO) process, which MicroLink uses in its line of solar cell and solar sheet products.
