Photovoltaic systems and methods

• US 20050139252A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Youngtack Shim
• Original Assignee: Youngtack Shim
• Inventors: Shim, Youngtack
• Application Number:
  US10/745,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20050139252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03529 Shape of the potential jump barrier or surface barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/076 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to various photovoltaic systems capable of generating electric energy in response to various electromagnetic waves projected thereupon and, optionally, at least partially transmitting such waves therethrough. More particularly, the present invention relates to planar arrangements and methods of such photovoltaic systems where photovoltaic members are electrically connected in series without employing any conventional vertical interconnects. Therefore, an exemplary photovoltaic system includes multiple photovoltaic members each of which is arranged to include multiple charge layers, where such members are arranged to be disposed laterally and side by side, where the charge layers of each of the members are arranged to be disposed vertically and contacting each other and to have different polarities arranged in a preset order in order to generate voltage in response to said waves, where at least two of the members are arranged to be disposed adjacent to each other, to generate the voltages in opposite vertical direction, and to be connected in series by their top and/or bottom charge layers in order to enable the system to generate the driving voltage greater than each of the voltages generated by such members. Such a present invention also relates to various methods of providing such photovoltaic system and/or members thereof. In addition, the present invention further relates to various process of providing such photovoltaic systems and/or members thereof.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic system capable of generating driving voltage in response to electromagnetic waves impinged thereupon comprising:

a plurality of photovoltaic members each of which is configured to include a plurality of charge layers, wherein said members are configured to be disposed laterally and side by side, wherein said charge layers of each of said members are configured to be disposed vertically and contacting each other and to have different polarities arranged in a preset order so as to generate voltage in response to said waves, wherein at least two of said members are configured to be disposed adjacent to each other, to generate said voltages in opposite vertical direction, and to be connected in series by on of their top and bottom charge layers so as to enable said system to generate said driving voltage which is greater than each of said voltages generated by said members.

2. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said preset order of said polarities of said charge layers of one of said adjacent members is configured to be at least partially opposite to said preset order of said polarities of said charge layers of the other of said adjacent members.

3. The photovoltaic system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a top contact layer and a bottom contact layer, wherein said top contact layer is configured to be disposed over and to connect top charge layers of said adjacent members, and wherein said bottom contact layer is configured to be disposed below and to connect bottom charge layers of said adjacent members.

4. The photovoltaic system of claim 3, wherein said top and bottom contact layers are configured to not vertically traverse more than one of said charge layers.

5. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein each of said members is configured to include at least substantially similar number of said charge layers and to have substantially similar transmittivity to said waves, and wherein said system is configured to have said transmittivity at least substantially uniform through its horizontal length.

6. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein said members are configured to be connected to each other by at least one of series and parallel connection and to generate said voltages at least substantially independently of each other such that said system is configured to generate said driving voltages when at least one of said members is configured to be disconnected from others thereof.

7. The photovoltaic system of claim 6, wherein at least a substantial number of said members are configured as a plurality of member groups, wherein a preset number of said members are configured to be connected in series in each of said member groups in order to generate said driving voltage, and wherein said member groups are configured to be connected in parallel so that said system is capable of generating said driving voltage even when at least some of said members are disabled.

8. The photovoltaic system of claim 1, wherein at least a substantial number of said members are configured to be at least partially transparent and said system at least partially transparent, wherein said system is disposed over at least a portion of an at least partially transparent article which is one of a lens and a sheet of glass, and wherein said system is configured to supply said driving voltage to said article.

9. A planar photovoltaic system for generating a driving voltage in response to electromagnetic waves impinged thereupon and capable of transmitting at least a portion of said waves therethrough, said system configured to include a plurality of photovoltaic members and to be defined in a plurality of planar layers configured to be disposed vertically one over the other and to contact each other, said system comprising:

a first photovoltaic member configured to be defined vertically across a first zone of at least two of said planar layers contacting each other, wherein said planar layers of said first member are configured to be at least partially transparent and to have different polarities arranged in a first order to generate first voltage in response to said waves; and

a second photovoltaic member configured to be defined vertically across a second zone of said at least two layers and to be defined laterally adjacent to said first member, wherein said planar layers of said second member are configured to be at least partially transparent and to have different polarities arranged in a second order to generate second voltage in response to said waves,

wherein said first and second members are configured to be connected in series by their top planar layers in order to enable said system to generate said driving voltage greater than each of said first and second voltages.

10. The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein said first order of polarities of said planar layers of said first member is configured to be at least partially opposite to said second order of polarities of said planar layers of said second member.

11. The photovoltaic system of claim 9 further comprising at least one of a top contact layer and a bottom contact layer, wherein said top contact layer is configured to be disposed over and to connect top planar layers of said first and second members and said bottom contact layer is configured to be disposed below and to connect bottom planar layers of said first and second members.

12. The photovoltaic system of claim 11, wherein neither of said top and bottom contact layers is configured to vertically traverse more than one of said planar layers.

13. The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein said first and second members are configured to include at least substantially similar number of said planar layers and, therefore, to have substantially similar transmittivities to said waves such that said system is configured to have said transmittivity at least substantially uniform along its horizontal length.

14. The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein said first and second members are configured to be connected to each other through at least one of a series connection and a parallel connection and to generate said voltages at least substantially independently of each other such that said system is capable of to generating said driving voltage even when at least one of said members is configured to be disconnected from the rest thereof.

15. The photovoltaic system of claim 14, wherein said system include a plurality of said first and second members, wherein said first and second members are configured into a plurality of member groups, wherein a preset number of said members are configured to be connected in series in each of said member groups so as to generate said driving voltage, and wherein said member groups are configured to be connected in parallel so that said system is capable of generating said driving voltage even when at least some of said members are disabled.

16. The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein said first and second members are configured to be at least partially transparent to render said system at least partially transparent.

17. The photovoltaic system of claim 16, wherein said system is disposed over at least a portion of an at least partially transparent article which is one of a lens and a sheet of glass and wherein said system is configured to supply said driving voltage to said article.

18. The photovoltaic system of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of said system is configured to be at least one of elastic and deformable.

19. The photovoltaic system of claim 9 further comprising a switch configured to operate between an on-state and an off-state, wherein said switch is configured to supply said driving voltage from said system to an article over which said system is disposed in said on-state and to stop supplying said system from said article in said off-state.

20. A method of providing a plurality of planar photovoltaic members connected in series without employing vertical interconnects comprising the steps of:

depositing a first planar layer;

doping a first region of said first planar layer into a first polarity of a first order of polarities;

doping a second region of said first planar layer into a first polarity of a second order of said polarities, wherein said second order is configured to be at least partially opposite to said first order;

depositing a second planar layer over said first planar layer;

doping a first region of said second planar layer configured to at least partially overlap with said first region of said first planar layer into a second polarity of said first order;

doping a second region of said second planar layer configured to at least partially overlap with said second region of said first planar layer into a second polarity of said second order;

repeating said depositing and doping until said regions of said planar layers including said first region are configured to form a first member completing said first order and until said regions of said planar layers including said second region are configured to form a second member completing said second order; and

connecting said members in series by connecting one of top planar layers and bottom planar layers of said members.