DUAL LAYER PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE
First Claim
1. A hybrid photovoltaic device comprisinga thin film solar cell disposed in a first layer comprising an array of vertically aligned nanowires, said nanowires having a junction with a first band gap corresponding to a first spectral range, wherein said nanowires form absorbing regions, and non-absorbing regions are formed between the nanowires, wherein the nanowires are connected on one side of the junction to a top transparent electrode, and on the other side to the bottom transparent electrode;
- a bulk solar cell disposed in a second layer, positioned below the first layer, having a junction with a second band gap, which is smaller than said first band gap and corresponding to a second spectral range;
a transparent cover disposed above the thin film solar cell;
wherein the nanowires are provided in the first layer with a lateral density selected a such that a predetermined portion of an incident photonic wave-front will pass through the non-absorbing regions without absorption in the first spectral range, into the bulk solar cell for absorption in both the first spectral range and the second spectral range.
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Abstract
A hybrid photovoltaic device (1) comprising a thin film solar cell (2) disposed in a first layer (21) comprising an array of vertically aligned nanowires (25), said nanowires having a junction with a first band gap corresponding to a first spectral range. The nanowires (25) form absorbing regions, and non-absorbing regions are formed between the nanowires. A bulk solar cell (3) s disposed in a second layer (31), positioned below the first layer (21), having a junction with a second band gap, which is smaller than said first band gap and corresponding to a second spectral range. The nanowires are provided in the first layer with a lateral density selected a such that a predetermined portion of an incident photonic wave-front will pass through the non-absorbing regions without absorption in the first spectral range, into the bulk solar cell for absorption in both the first spectral range and the second spectral range.
4 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A hybrid photovoltaic device comprising
a thin film solar cell disposed in a first layer comprising an array of vertically aligned nanowires, said nanowires having a junction with a first band gap corresponding to a first spectral range, wherein said nanowires form absorbing regions, and non-absorbing regions are formed between the nanowires, wherein the nanowires are connected on one side of the junction to a top transparent electrode, and on the other side to the bottom transparent electrode; -
a bulk solar cell disposed in a second layer, positioned below the first layer, having a junction with a second band gap, which is smaller than said first band gap and corresponding to a second spectral range; a transparent cover disposed above the thin film solar cell; wherein the nanowires are provided in the first layer with a lateral density selected a such that a predetermined portion of an incident photonic wave-front will pass through the non-absorbing regions without absorption in the first spectral range, into the bulk solar cell for absorption in both the first spectral range and the second spectral range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for increasing energy conversion of a bulk solar cell disposed in a layer, comprising the step of
providing a thin film solar cell disposed in a first layer comprising an array of vertically aligned nanowires, said nanowires having a junction with a first band gap which is larger than a band gap of the bulk solar cell, wherein said nanowires form absorbing regions with non-absorbing regions between the nanowires; - wherein the nanowires are connected on one side of the junction to a top transparent electrode, and on the other side to the bottom transparent electrode;
arranging the thin film solar cell layer on top of the bulk solar cell to form a hybrid photovoltaic device, wherein the nanowires in the first layer are provided with a lateral density selected such that a predetermined portion of an incident photonic wave-front will pass through the non-absorbing regions without absorption in the first spectral range, into the bulk solar cell for absorption in both the first spectral range and the second spectral range; and providing a transparent cover above the thin film solar cell. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- wherein the nanowires are connected on one side of the junction to a top transparent electrode, and on the other side to the bottom transparent electrode;
Specification