MULTIJUNCTION PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
First Claim
1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
- a first active layer configured to produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a first wavelength absorbed by the first active layer;
a second active layer configured to produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a second wavelength absorbed by the second active layer; and
a first optical filter disposed between the first and second active layers, wherein the first optical filter is configured to reflect more light having the first wavelength than light having the second wavelength and to transmit more light having the second wavelength than light having the first wavelength.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of dichroic filters are included in multifunction photovoltaic cells to increase efficiency. For example, in a multi-junction photovoltaic cell comprising blue, green, and red active layers, blue, green, and red dichroic filters that reflect blue, green, and red light, respectively, may be disposed proximal to the blue, green, and red active layers to reflect back light not absorbed on the first past. The dichroic filters may be used to demultiplex white light incident on the PV cell and deliver suitable wavelengths to the appropriate active layer, e.g., blue wavelengths to the blue active layer, green wavelengths to the green active layer, red wavelengths to the red active layer. The PV cell may additionally be interferometrically tuned to increase absorption efficiency. Accordingly, optical resonant layers and cavities may be employed in certain embodiments.
162 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
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a first active layer configured to produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a first wavelength absorbed by the first active layer; a second active layer configured to produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a second wavelength absorbed by the second active layer; and a first optical filter disposed between the first and second active layers, wherein the first optical filter is configured to reflect more light having the first wavelength than light having the second wavelength and to transmit more light having the second wavelength than light having the first wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A photovoltaic device comprising:
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a first means for producing an electrical signal as a result of light having a first wavelength absorbed by the first electrical signal producing means; a second means for produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a second wavelength absorbed by the second electrical signal producing means; and a first means for filtering light disposed between the first and second electrical signal producing means, wherein the first light filtering means is configured to reflect more light having the first wavelength than light having the second wavelength and to transmit more light having the second wavelength than light having the first wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device comprising:
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providing a first active layer configured to produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a first wavelength absorbed by the first active layer; providing a second active layer configured to produce an electrical signal as a result of light having a second wavelength absorbed by the second active layer; and disposing a first optical filter between the first and second active layers, wherein the first optical filter is configured to reflect more light having the first wavelength than light having the second wavelength and to transmit more light having the second wavelength than light having the first wavelength.
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Specification