Space solar arrays, as a crucial part of satellite power systems, are essential for maintaining normal satellite operation. Their large surface area and complex insulation structure make them highly vulnerable to strong external electromagnetic fields. High-power microwaves (HPM), with their wide bandwidth, high power, and rapid action, can readily damage such structures. Therefore, investigating the HPM coupling effects on space solar arrays is of significant importance.

This study aims to investigate the electric field coupling of space solar cell array samples under high-power microwave exposure.

Using a representative solar cell array structure and layout as a reference, we construct a three-dimensional model under high-power microwave irradiation and examines the coupling behavior of the array under varying excitation source parameters, including frequency, polarization direction, incidence angle and so on.

（1）Within the frequency range of 2–18  GHz, vertically polarized S-band microwave irradiation is most likely to induce discharge damage to the solar cell array, with the induced electric field at the triple junction in cell string gaps being much higher than that at interconnect gaps. (2) Under microwave irradiation, the solar cell samples exhibit intense transient electric fields; in the case of vertical polarization, the induced field is mainly concentrated in the cell string gaps, near the busbars, and along the cell edges. (3) The steady peak of the induced electric field at the triple junction decreases with increasing microwave incidence angle and increases with higher microwave power density. (4) The rise and fall times of the microwave pulse have no significant effect on the induced electric field magnitude. (5) The electric field in the space around the cell string gap gradually decreases from the gap center toward the outer region.

The findings of this study provide valuable references for the electromagnetic protection design of space solar cell arrays.