PHOTOCELL WITH FLUORESCENT CONVERSION LAYER

• US 20030056820A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomed Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Biomed Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: MacDonald, Stuart G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,538,191 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/247
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02322 comprising luminescent members, e.g. fluorescent sheets upon the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

A photocell device having enhanced conversion efficiency. The device is adapted to convert light energy to electrical energy in a semiconductor layer, to convert a first, monochromatic light, to a second light of different wavelength, in a fluorescent layer, to transmit the first light through a hot mirror layer, to reflect light from the hot mirror layer, and to reflect light from a mirror layer disposed at a second surface of the device.

Claims

1. A photocell device having enhanced conversion efficiency, comprising means for converting light energy to electrical energy in a semiconductor layer, means for converting a first, monochromatic light, to a second light of different wavelength, in a fluorescent layer, means for transmitting said first light through a hot mirror layer at a first surface of said device, means internally for reflecting said second light from said hot mirror layer, and means for internally reflecting said first and said second light from a mirror layer disposed at a second surface of said device.

2. The photocell device as recited in claim 1, wherein said photocell device further comprises a source of said light energy.

3. The photocell device as recited in claim 2, wherein said source of light energy emits monochromatic light.

4. The photocell device as recited in claim 3, wherein said monochromatic light has a half-power bandwidth of less than about 50 nanometers.

5. The photocell device as recited in claim 4, wherein said monochromatic light has a half-power bandwidth of less than about 25 nanometers.

6. The photocell device as recited in claim 3, wherein said monochromatic light has a wavelength of form about 400 to about 575 nanometers.

7. The photocell device as recited in claim 2, wherein said source of light energy is a laser diode.

8. The photocell device as recited in claim 2, wherein said source of light energy is a light-emitting diode.

9. The photocell device as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot mirror preferentially transmits at least 80 percent of light with a wavelength of from about 400 to about 700 nanometers and preferentially reflects at least 80 percent of light with a wavelength of from about 750 to about 1500 nanometers.

10. The photocell device as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot mirror preferentially transmits at least 90 percent of light with a wavelength below 675 nanometers and preferentially reflects at least 90 percent of light with a wavelength above 750 nanometers.

11. The photocell device as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot mirror preferentially transmits at least 95 percent of light with a wavelength less than 675 nanometers and preferentially reflects at least 97 percent of light with a wavelength above 750 nanometers.

12. The photocell device as recited in claim 1, wherein said hot mirror preferentially transmits at least 95 percent of light with a wavelength less than about 550 nanometers and preferentially reflects at least 95 percent of light with a wavelength above 550 nanometers.

13. The photocell device as recited in claim 2, wherein said fluorescent layer is comprised of a fluorescent dye with a peak excitation wavelength and a peak emission wavelengh.

14. The photocell device as recited in claim 13, wherein said light source emits light at a wavelength which is about the same as the peak excitation wavelength of said fluorescent dye.

15. The photocell device as recited in claim 2, wherein said device is comprised of said hot mirror layer and, disposed beneath said hot mirror layer, said semiconductor layer.

16. The photocell device as recited in claim 15, wherein said semiconductor layer is photovoltaic layer.

17. The photocell device as recited in claim 16, wherein said photovoltaic layer is contiguous with said hot mirror layer.

18. The photocell device as recited in claim 17, wherein said fluorescent layer is disposed beneath said photovoltaic layer.

19. The photocell device as recited in claim 16, wherein said fluorescent layer is disposed between said hot mirror and said photovoltaic layer.

20. The photocell device as recited in claim 19, wherein said fluorescent layer is contiguous with said hot mirror layer.