OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH BYPASS DIODE

• US 20110132431A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxeon Solar Pte Limited
• Original Assignee: Sunpower Corporation (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Johnston, Keith, DeGraaff, David B., Rose, Doug, Boitnott, Nicholas, Linderman, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 8,809,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/246
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1421 comprising bypass diodes integrated or directly associated with the device, e.g. bypass diode integrated or formed in or on the same substrate as the solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/052 Cooling means directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. integrated Peltier elements for active cooling or heat sinks directly associated with the PV cells cooling means in combination with the PV module H02S40/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/054 Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/22 Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H01L31/054
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/345 with cooling means associated with the electrical connection means, e.g. cooling means associated with or applied to the junction box cooling means for PV cells H01L31/052, for PV modules H02S40/42
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/42 Cooling means cooling means directly associated or integrated with the PV cell H01L31/052
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

Optoelectronic devices with bypass diodes are described. An optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. Another optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.

Claims

1. A solar cell, comprising:

a bypass diode;

a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, wherein the bypass diode is disposed in a recessed cavity under the heat spreader unit; and

a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.

2. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the bypass diode is coupled with a pair of interconnects, the heat spreader unit disposed above the pair of interconnects.

3. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein the bypass diode and the pair of interconnects are disposed above a transparent superstrate, wherein the bypass diode is coupled with the pair of interconnects by one or more bond pads, and wherein the bypass diode is separated from the transparent superstrate and the heat spreader unit by one or more encapsulant layers.

4. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a folded fin separated from the heat spreader unit by one or more thermal adhesive layers.

5. A solar system, comprising:

a plurality of pairs of solar cells;

a plurality of bypass diodes, one or more bypass diodes disposed between each of the pairs of solar cells;

a plurality of heat spreader units, one or more heat spreader units disposed above, and extending over, each of the bypass diodes, wherein each bypass diode is disposed in a recessed cavity under one of the heat spreader units; and

a plurality of heat sinks, one or more heat sinks disposed above each of the heat spreader units.

6. The solar system of claim 5, further comprising:

a solar concentrating element disposed above the plurality of pairs of solar cells, the solar concentrating element to concentrate insolation on light-receiving surfaces of the pairs of solar cells, wherein the plurality of bypass diodes is configured to bypass one or more of the pairs of the solar cells when insolation is not received by the one or more of the pairs of the solar cells.

7. The solar system of claim 6, wherein solar concentrating element is an element selected from the group consisting of a minor, a grouping of minors, a lens, a grouping of lenses, and a combination of one or more minors with one or more lenses.

8. The solar system of claim 5, wherein each bypass diode is coupled with a pair of interconnects, one of the heat spreader units disposed above the pair of interconnects.

9. The solar system of claim 8, wherein each bypass diode and the respective pair of interconnects are disposed above a transparent superstrate, wherein each bypass diode is coupled with the respective pair of interconnects by one or more bond pads, and wherein each bypass diode is separated from the transparent superstrate and the heat spreader unit by one or more encapsulant layers.

10. The solar system of claim 5, wherein each heat sink comprises a folded fin separated from the respective heat spreader unit by one or more thermal adhesive layers.

11. The solar system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of heat spreader units is provided to couple heat from plurality of pairs of solar cells with the plurality of heat sinks.

12. A solar cell, comprising:

a bypass diode;

a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode; and

a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit.

13. The solar cell of claim 12, wherein the bypass diode is disposed in a through-hole via disposed in the heat spreader unit.

14. The solar cell of claim 12, wherein the bypass diode is coupled with a pair of interconnects, the heat spreader unit disposed above the pair of interconnects.

15. The solar cell of claim 14, wherein the bypass diode and the pair of interconnects are disposed above a transparent superstrate, wherein the bypass diode is coupled with the pair of interconnects by one or more bond pads, and wherein the bypass diode is separated from the transparent superstrate and the heat spreader unit by one or more encapsulant layers.

16. The solar cell of claim 12, wherein the heat sink comprises a folded fin separated from the heat spreader unit by one or more thermal adhesive layers.

17. A solar system, comprising:

a plurality of pairs of solar cells;

a plurality of bypass diodes, one or more bypass diodes disposed between each of the pairs of solar cells;

a plurality of heat spreader units, one or more heat spreader units disposed above, but not extending over, each of the bypass diodes; and

a plurality of heat sinks, one or more heat sinks disposed above each of the heat spreader units.

18. The solar system of claim 17, further comprising:

a solar concentrating element disposed above the plurality of pairs of solar cells, the solar concentrating element to concentrate insolation on light-receiving surfaces of the pairs of solar cells, wherein the plurality of bypass diodes is configured to bypass one or more of the pairs of the solar cells when insolation is not received by the one or more of the pairs of the solar cells.

19. The solar system of claim 18, wherein solar concentrating element is an element selected from the group consisting of a mirror, a grouping of minors, a lens, a grouping of lenses, and a combination of one or more mirrors with one or more lenses.

20. The solar system of claim 17, wherein each bypass diode is disposed in a through-hole via disposed in one of the heat spreader units.

21. The solar system of claim 17, wherein each bypass diode is coupled with a pair of interconnects, one of the heat spreader units disposed above the pair of interconnects.

22. The solar system of claim 21, wherein each bypass diode and the respective pair of interconnects are disposed above a transparent superstrate, wherein each bypass diode is coupled with the respective pair of interconnects by one or more bond pads, and wherein each bypass diode is separated from the transparent superstrate and the heat spreader unit by one or more encapsulant layers.

23. The solar system of claim 17, wherein each heat sink comprises a folded fin separated from the respective heat spreader unit by one or more thermal adhesive layers.

24. The solar system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of heat spreader units is provided to couple heat from plurality of pairs of solar cells with the plurality of heat sinks.