High efficiency photovoltaic cells with self concentrating effect
First Claim
1. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
- a substrate having a top surface,wherein said top surface of the substrate has a three-dimensional geometric pattern etched from the substrate or formed on the substrate,wherein the three-dimensional geometric pattern comprising an array of quintic, or quintic-like, or truncated quintic, or truncated quintic-like, or the combination thereof, shaped nano-scaled or micrometer-scaled protruding structures;
an absorption layer comprising at least one pn-junction,wherein the at least one pn-junction comprises at least one first electrical material of p or n type, and at least one second electrical material of opposite type to the at least one first electrical material,wherein said at least one first electrical material is conformally overlaying the protruding structures;
a pair of electrodes for a front electrode and a back electrode,wherein the pair of electrodes electrically connects to the at least one pn-junction; and
an antireflective layer,wherein the substrate is being a single piece of material,wherein the nearest neighbors of two protruding structures from the array of protruding structures has a void or space created in between, andwherein a passivation material fills the void or space between the nearest neighbors of the two protruding structures.
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Abstract
This invention relates to a novel structure of photovoltaic devices (e.g. photovoltaic cells also called as solar cells) are provided. The cells are based on the micro or nano scaled structures which could not only increase the surface area but also have the capability of self-concentrating the light incident onto the photonics devices. More specifically, the structures are based on 3D structure including quintic or quintic-like shaped micor-nanostructures. By using such structures reflection loss of the light from the cell is significantly reduced, increasing the absorption, which results in increasing the conversion efficiency of the solar cell, and reducing the usage of material while increasing the flexibility of the solar cell. The structures can be also used in other optical devices wherein the reflection loss and absorption are required to enhanced to significantly improve the device performances.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
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a substrate having a top surface, wherein said top surface of the substrate has a three-dimensional geometric pattern etched from the substrate or formed on the substrate, wherein the three-dimensional geometric pattern comprising an array of quintic, or quintic-like, or truncated quintic, or truncated quintic-like, or the combination thereof, shaped nano-scaled or micrometer-scaled protruding structures; an absorption layer comprising at least one pn-junction, wherein the at least one pn-junction comprises at least one first electrical material of p or n type, and at least one second electrical material of opposite type to the at least one first electrical material, wherein said at least one first electrical material is conformally overlaying the protruding structures; a pair of electrodes for a front electrode and a back electrode, wherein the pair of electrodes electrically connects to the at least one pn-junction; and an antireflective layer, wherein the substrate is being a single piece of material, wherein the nearest neighbors of two protruding structures from the array of protruding structures has a void or space created in between, and wherein a passivation material fills the void or space between the nearest neighbors of the two protruding structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
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a substrate having a top surface, wherein said top surface of the substrate has a three-dimensional geometric pattern etched from the substrate or formed on the substrate, wherein the three-dimensional geometric pattern comprising an array of quintic, or quintic-like, or truncated quintic, or truncated quintic-like, or the combination thereof, shaped nano-scaled or micrometer-scaled protruding structures; an absorption layer comprising at least one pn-junction, wherein the at least one pn-junction comprises at least one first electrical material of p or n type, and at least one second electrical material of opposite type to the at least one first electrical material, wherein said at least one first electrical material is conformally overlaying the protruding structures; a pair of electrodes for a front electrode and a back electrode, wherein the pair of electrodes electrically connects to the at least one pn-junction; at least one reflecting layer to reflect back and forth a radiation until fully absorbed; and an antireflective layer, wherein the substrate is being a single piece of material, wherein the nearest neighbors of two protruding structures from the array of protruding structures has a void or space created in between, and wherein a passivation material fills the void or space between the nearest neighbors of the two protruding structures. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A photovoltaic cell comprising:
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a substrate having a top surface, wherein said top surface of the substrate has a three-dimensional geometric pattern etched from the substrate or formed on the substrate, wherein the three-dimensional geometric pattern comprising an array of quintic, or quintic-like, or truncated quintic, or truncated quintic-like, or the combination thereof, shaped nano-scaled or micrometer-scaled protruding structures; an absorption layer comprising at least one pn-junction, wherein the at least one pn-junction comprises at least one first electrical material of p or n type, and at least one second electrical material of opposite type to the at least one first electrical material, wherein said at least one first electrical material is conformally overlaying the protruding structures; a pair of electrodes for a front electrode and a back electrode, wherein the pair of electrodes electrically connects to the at least one pn-junction; at least one reflecting layer to reflect back and forth a radiation until fully absorbed; and an antireflective layer, wherein the antireflective layer overlays the front electrode, wherein the substrate is being a single piece of material, wherein the nearest neighbors of two protruding structures from the array of protruding structures has a void or space created in between, and wherein a passivation material fills the void or space between the nearest neighbors of the two protruding structures. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification