3rd AIAA Atmospheric Space Environments Conference AIAA 2011-3977

27 - 30 June 2011, Honolulu, Hawaii

Evaluation Method of Solar Array Panel Substrate

Insulation against Sustained Arcs

Kazuhiro Toyoda1, Tomohiro Wada2, Taishi Endo3, and Mengu Cho4

Kyushu Institution of Technology, Kitakyushu, JAPAN

and

Bao Hoang5, Tom Hsieh6

Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, California 94303, USA

A testing method for evaluating the robustness of insulation films against sustained arcs
on solar array panels was developed. Metal electrodes were used to simulate solar cells. The
gap length between electrodes was controlled. In this paper, five samples with various
insulator thicknesses were tested with the testing method. The robustness of the insulation
films was evaluated.

I. Introduction

S trong demand for more power in recent satellites calls for high-voltage power generation by solar arrays. The
higher voltage can cause sustained arcs between solar cell strings with a high voltage difference and higher solar
array current capabilities. A sustained arc can break the insulation of a solar array panel and cause a permanent
short-circuit current path in the array circuit.1 The insulation is typically a dielectric film between the solar cell and
the substrate which is typically connected to the spacecraft ground. The duration for which the insulator film can
withstand the intense heat of the arc can affect the durability of the solar panel against the sustained arc.

In this paper, we report a newly developed method for evaluating the robustness of the insulation or dielectric
film against sustained arcs on solar array panels.

II. Testing Method

Copper electrodes were used to simulate solar cells. The metal electrodes were used instead of solar cells
because the arc location can be better controlled. Metal electrodes were considered to be adequate material for the
purpose of evaluating relative robustness between various types and thicknesses of insulation films. An arc is
generated between the electrodes by applying a current flow with a voltage difference as shown in Fig. 1. The arc
column has a high temperature in the order of 10000 C. The continuous arc discharge can break the insulation
between electrodes (or solar cells) and substrate resulting in current flow between electrodes and substrate. To
evaluate the robustness of the insulation film, the current flowing from electrode to substrate was monitored.

1
Associate Professor, Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering.
2
Graduated student, Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering.
3
Researcher, Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering.
4
Professor, Laboratory of Spacecraft Environment Interaction Engineering.
5
Senior Engineering Specialist, Solar Array/Deployable Product, AIAA Senior Member
6
Engineering Specialist, Solar Array/Deployable Product
1
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Copyright 2011 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Figure 1. Current Path of Arc Discharge

In the test, the insulation films with different thicknesses were mounted on a metal plate to simulate the solar
array substrate as shown in Fig. 2. The insulation film material was polyimide. Their thicknesses were 12.5m,
25m, 50m, 75m, and 125m. The polyimide film was mounted on the substrate with instant glue.

Figure 2. Coupon

Configuration of the electrode is shown in Fig. 3. The thickness of electrodes was from 200m to 300m. The
electrodes were glued on top of the insulation film. The coverglass was mounted on top of the electrodes to initiate
discharges due to charging by an electron beam in a vacuum chamber. The gap between electrodes was controlled to
350m100m, verified by visual inspection with a microscope.

Figure 3. Electrode Specification

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 The differential voltage and available current were applied to a pair of the electrodes such that repeatable and
consistent sustained arcs were generated after the primary arc inceptions. It is important to emphasize that initial test
trials, with various voltage and current setpoints, be performed to determine the threshold where consistent sustained
arc after primary arc inception occurs. If test voltages and currents are set too low, then the sustained arc may be
inconsistent; whereas if the test voltages and current are set too high, powerful sustained arcs may leave little of no
differentiating results. Figure 4 shows the test schematic. The constant current was regulated by a current regulative
diode (CRD) from the power supply.2 The current flows through a variable resistance, RL. The voltage between
electrodes was adjusted by changing the value of RL. The current probes, from Cp1 to Cp6, were used for current
measurement.

Figure 4. Test Schematic

When a sustained arc occurs in the gap between the electrodes, the current flows permanently between the cells
or between a cell and the metal substrate until the power supply is switched off. The insulation breakdown was
detected by monitoring the current flowing from the electrodes to the substrate.
A high-voltage switch was inserted in the circuit to cut the current after the current began flowing to the
substrate. This switch was operated by a logic algorithm of an oscilloscope to cut the current within 10ms after
detecting substrate current as shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 5. Timing Chart for Current Shut-Down

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 The timing pulse of 500Hz produced by a pulse generator was sent to a photo MOSFET relay. The relay was
connected between a current probe output measuring substrate current and ground. The current probe signal (Cp4-2)
was dropped near 0V with an interval of 2 ms. The oscilloscope was triggered if the signal of Cp4-2 was more than
Iswitch and longer than 1 ms. The triggered oscilloscope sent output trigger signal to the high-voltage relay. The high-
voltage relay was switched on within 10 ms from the trigger signal.
The time to break down the insulation after specified test current shut-down was used as an index of the insulator
strength after statistical analysis of the test results.

Figure 6 shows the measurement system. The test was performed in a vacuum chamber. An electron beam gun
was mounted on the chamber. The electron beam energy was ~5 keV. The discharge positions were identified with a
Quick Look system, and the flash images of discharge were acquired as digital images. The current and voltage
waveform of discharge were measured with an oscilloscope.

Figure 6. Measurement System

III. Test Results

More than 10 gaps were tested for every insulation film thickness. The differential voltage and current were
100V and 4A, respectively. Figure 7 shows the current waveform of a permanent sustained arc (PSA). The duration
for insulation breakdown was defined by the current flow to the substrate. In this experiment, the threshold value of
substrate current was set at 0.2A. The PSA (Permenant Sustained Arc) duration, or duration for the arc to break
down the insulating polyimide film, was defined as the interval between arc current rise and substrate current rise.

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 Area
Enlarged

Figure 7. Current Waveform of PSA

Figure 8 shows the microscopic picture of test gap before and after PSA inception. In this case, the PSA
continued flowing for 116 ms. The insulation film between electrodes was damaged. The insulation between
electrodes and substrate was broken.

Figure 8. Microscopic Picture of Electrode Gap Before and After Test

The time to insulation breakdown for all samples is shown in Fig. 9. The circle marks and error bars show the
average and the standard deviation, respectively. The time to breakdown increased with increasing thickness except
for the thickness of 125m.

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 1

0.8

0.6

Time, s
0.4

0.2

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150
Polyimide thickness, m
Figure 9. Breakdown Time Vs. Polyimide Thickness

Figure 10 shows the relationship between arc resistance of the PSA and insulator thickness. The arc resistance
was calculated from arc current and voltage. The resistance of 125m thick film was less than that of the other
thicknesses.
In the case of the polyimide film of 125m in thickness, the polyimide may be vaporized from the result of
lower arc resistance. The surface temperature of thicker film may be increased due to lower thermal conductivity.
Further research is needed to confirm this result.

3.5
Arc resistance,

2.5

2
0 25 50 75 100 125 150
Polyimide thickness, m
Figure 10. Arc resistance of PSA.

IV. Summary
A testing method for evaluating the robustness of insulation films against sustained arcs on solar array panels
was developed. Metal electrodes were used to simulate solar cells. The gap length between electrodes was
controlled. The robustness of the insulation films was evaluated. A film thickness of 75m showed the highest
robustness against breakdown among the tested films.

Acknowledgments
The authors thank DuPont-Toray for kindly supplying the test samples of polymide film.

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 References
1
Masui, H., Ose, T., Kitamura, T., Toyoda, K., and Cho, M., Characterization Experiments of Secondary Arcs on Solar Arrays:
Threshold and Duration, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 47, No. 6, 2010, pp. 966, 973.
2
Toyoda, K., Aso, S., Kyoku, T., Kitamura, T., and Cho, M., Proposal of a current regulative diode for power supply in
sustained arc test, IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE, Vol. 34, No. 5, 2006, pp. 1967, 1972

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