PHOTOVOLTAICS WITH INTERFEROMETRIC MASKS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A photovoltaic device defining a front side on which light is incident and a back side opposite the front side, the photovoltaic device comprising:
- a photovoltaic active layer;
a conductor on the front side of the photovoltaic active layer; and
an interferometric mask patterned to cover the front side of the conductor.
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Abstract
An interferometric mask covering the front electrodes of a photovoltaic device is disclosed. Such an interferometric mask may reduce reflections of incident light from the electrodes. In various embodiments, the mask reduces reflections so that a front electrode pattern appears similar in color to adjacent regions of visible photovoltaic active material.
160 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic device defining a front side on which light is incident and a back side opposite the front side, the photovoltaic device comprising:
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a photovoltaic active layer; a conductor on the front side of the photovoltaic active layer; and an interferometric mask patterned to cover the front side of the conductor. - 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)
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25. A photovoltaic device defining a front side on which light is incident and a back side opposite the front side, the photovoltaic device comprising:
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a photovoltaic material; a conductor in front of the photovoltaic material; and an optical interferometric mask in front of the photovoltaic material and the conductor, wherein the mask comprises a reflective surface in front of the photovoltaic material; an optical resonant cavity in front of the reflective surface; and an absorber in front of the optical resonant cavity, wherein a visible color across the front side of the photovoltaic device, including portions of the photovoltaic material and the metallic conductor, is substantially uniform. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A photovoltaic device comprising:
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means for generating an electrical current from incident light on an incident side of said means; means for conducting the generated electrical current; and means for interferometrically masking said conducting means from the incident side of the photovoltaic device. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device, comprising
providing a photovoltaic generator with a photovoltaic active layer, a patterned front side conductor and a backside conductor; -
forming a plurality of layers over a front side of the photovoltaic generator; and patterning one or more of the plurality of layers to define an interferometric modulator covering the patterned front side conductor. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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- 46. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device having a front side on which light is incident and a back side opposite the front side, the method comprising forming an interferometric modulator configured to appear black over the front side of the photovoltaic device.
Specification