Page 44 - ISES SWC50

Dr Mort Prince

Country: USA
Year Started Research/Industry: 1951
Institute: Bell Telephone Laboratories
Still Active in Research/Industry : No

Morton Prince obtained his Ph.D. in Physics in 1951 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then joined the Bell
Telephone Laboratories (BTL). In 1954, he participated in the analysis and experimental development and improvement
of the newly “invented” Bell Solar Battery. He developed a diffusion technique for producing junctions in silicon without
destroying the minority carrier lifetime in the material. This allowed him to develop an extremely efficient silicon (conductivity
modulated) power rectifier. Mort is an ISES pioneer, presenting a key paper at the historic 1955 “Conference on Solar
Energy—the Scientific Basis” in Tucson Arizona. In 1956, he joined the Hoffman Electronics Corporation, Semiconductor
Division, initially as Director of Research and Development, where he helped to commercialize the solar cells/modules
he was involved with at the BTL. It was in 1957 that his organization convinced the Vanguard I Satellite engineers to
use his Hoffman solar cells for space power—leading to the world’s 1 solar-power satellite and ushering in the first
st
PV markets in space. In 1960, Dr. Prince became Division Manager and Corporate Vice-President and was responsible
for overall administrative, technical, marketing, manufacturing and financial operations of the Semiconductor Division,
encompassing two separate plants, employing more than 1,000 employees. After leaving Hoffmann, he became involved
in other activities including his own organization. However, in 1975, when the Energy Research and Development
Administration (ERDA) was started, he was invited to join the organization to lead the photovoltaic section and was
responsible for planning, funding and monitoring the Federal Photovoltaic Program. Dr. Prince retired from the program
in 1993. He was awarded the Becquerel Prize in 1999 and Marconi Premium of the British Institute of Radio Engineers in
1958 for a paper on solar cells. He served on various committees for many organizations, including the Institute of Radio
Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, WESCON, IEEE and ASES. Mort Prince is a pioneer with
leading roles in 3 major PV events: the Bell Discovery of the modern solar cell, the powering of the 1 solar-PV satellite,
st
and the establishing of the U.S. terrestrial PV program.

Eugene Ralph

Country: USA Year Started Research: 1955
Title of Research: Single Crystal Solar cells
University/Research Centre: Hoffman Electronics Corp

Mr. Eugene L. Ralph joined in 1955 what soon after became the Semiconductor Division of Hoffman Electronics
Corp. At Hoffman’s Ralph engaged in R & D on single crystal silicon solar cells for terrestrial applications, and
on their transition to space applications. His early activities in process development resulted in a patent on the
formation of ohmic contacts with aluminium on n-type silicon. In 1961, he was a member of the joined Heliotek
which was part of Spectrolab where he stayed as vice President until 1983. He acted as President in 1979 and 80.
Spectrolab, quickly attained the largest share of the space solar cell market through achievement of consistent
fabrication of high performance, reliable, and radiation resistant cells at high yield. By continuously pursuing
this quality goal in his responsibilities for research and engineering at Spectrolab; he helped assure Spectrolab’s
leading role as a space solar cell supplier. At Spectrolab he promoted large scale solar utilization for terrestrial
applications. From 1983 to 1993 he was chief scientist engineer at the Space and Communications group at the
Hugh Aircraft Corporation. From 1993 to 200 he was chief scientist/Engineer and director of Advanced Development
at TECSTAR, Applied Solar Division where he was responsible for the development of advanced solar cells. While
at TECSTAR he developed and patented an advanced concentrator space solar array. In 2000 he started his own
consultancy business. Over the years he was involved with many committees and conferences and he served as
General Chairman of the 1975 International Solar Energy Conference. In 1985 he was awarded the IEEE William
Cherry award.

26 | ISES SWC50 - The Century of Solar-Stories and Visions