PYROELECTRIC SOLAR TECHNOLOGY APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20110232734A1
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultrasolar Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultrasolar Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: KUMAR, SANTOSH
• Granted Patent: US 8,288,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/255
• 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 31/068 the potential barriers being only of the PN homojunction type, e.g. bulk silicon PN homojunction solar cells or thin film polycrystalline silicon PN homojunction solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/30 Thermophotovoltaic systems photovoltaic cells specially adapted for conversion or sensing of infrared [IR] radiation H01L31/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 15/10 Thermoelectric devices using thermal change of the dielectric constant, e.g. working above and below the Curie point
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Abstract

A method to increase the efficiency of a solar cell comprises depositing a pyroelectric film on a surface of the solar cell and generating an electromotive force to bias the solar cell. The method also includes creation of an open circuit voltage. Further, the method includes increasing a short circuit current through the pyroelectric film and creating a sustained temperature variation in the solar cell. A constant temporal temperate gradient is created in the pyroelectric film to increase the short circuit current with a temperature. Further, a p-n junction is biased with the electromotive force produced from the pyroelectric film.

Claims

1. A method to increase the efficiency of a solar cell comprising:

depositing a pyroelectric film on a surface of the solar cell;

generating an electromotive force to bias the solar cell wherein an open circuit voltage is created;

increasing a short circuit current through the pyroelectric film;

creating a sustained temperature variation in the solar cell;

creating a constant temporal temperate gradient in the pyroelectric film to increase the short circuit current with a temperature; and

biasing a p-n junction of the solar cell with the electromotive force produced from the pyroelectric film.

2. A solar cell comprising:

a pyroelectric film;

a semiconductor device provided directly on a surface of the solar cell; and

the pyroelectric film deposited on the surface of the solar cell comprising the semiconductor device.

3. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein the pyroelectric film comprises at least one of a polyvinylidene fluoride, a tri-glycerin sulphate, a lead zirconate titanate, a stannic titanate, and a lithium tantalate.

4. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein the semiconductor diode provided directly on the surface of the solar cell comprises at least one of a Schottky diode, a Zener diode, and a PIN diode.

5. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein a current source represented by the pyroelectric film is in parallel to a current source represented by the solar cell.

6. The solar cell of claim 2, wherein the pyroelectric film deposited directly below the surface of the solar cell comprising the semiconductor device is deposited utilizing at least one of a sputtering and a screen printing.

7. A photovoltaic power generation apparatus comprising:

a solar cell;

a current collecting wiring provided on at least one of a transparent pyroelectric film and an opaque pyroelectric film;

a semiconductor device provided directly on the current collecting wiring;

the transparent pyroelectric film deposited on a first side of the solar cell; and

the opaque pyroelectric film deposited on a second side of the solar cell.