SOLAR CELL WITH THREE LAYERS AND FORWARD BIASING VOLTAGE

• US 20200135954A1
• Filed: 10/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vandette B. Carter
• Original Assignee: Vandette B. Carter
• Inventors: CARTER, Vandette B.
• Granted Patent: US 11,302,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02008 for solar cells or solar cell modules
• 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 31/028 including, apart from doping material or other impurities, only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/053 Energy storage means directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. a capacitor integrated with a PV cell energy storage means associated with the PV module H02S40/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/077 the devices comprising monocrystalline or polycrystalline materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

Solar cells efficiency is improved, in a first approach, wherein the anode'"'"'s “top contact” is relocated to the middle of a three-layer solar cell wafer, permitting maximum sunlight photons to excite free electrons in the anode and p-n junction, without causing obstruction or reflection of sunlight therein. In another embodiment, a rechargeable battery of at least 0.1v is used, to create forward biasing of electrons in a solar cell, having an impurity level that is less than 99.999999%. The anode and cathode of a silicon base solar cell is doped with more than one element, other than phosphorous and boron, to increase its performance and decrease its manufacturing cost.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic cell comprising layers of a “

p”

type, “

n”

type and “

z”

type layers, whereby the “

z”

type layer is a non-doped layer, having no electrical charge.

2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, further comprising a top contact situated below the anode and above the “

Z”

layer.

3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein either the ‘

p’

doped layer or ‘

n’

doped layer is extended to the middle layer, in such a matter as to form a p-n junction.

4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, having a surface area ‘

Z’

, which is less than the surface area of the ‘

p’

doped layer or ‘

n’

doped layer forming the cathode and anode, respectively.

5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1, wherein at least one of the p″

type and, “

n”

type layers is doped with an additional element.

6. In combination, a photovoltaic cell and a rechargeable battery in a circuit, the battery having a voltage selected so as to promote forward biasing of excited electrons in a p-n junction of the photovoltaic cell.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the battery has a voltage of at least 0.1 volt, but is below the voltage of the p-n junction of the photovoltaic cell.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein the photovoltaic cell is doped with an additional element.

9. The combination of claim 6, wherein the additional element is selected from the group consisting of gold and iodine.

10. The combination of claim 6, wherein the photovoltaic cell comprises two layers.

11. The combination of claim 6, wherein the photovoltaic cell comprises three layers.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein the photovoltaic cell comprising layers of a “

p”

type, “

n”

type and “

z”

type layers, whereby the “

z”

type layer is a non-doped layer, having no electrical charge.

13. The combination of claim 12, further comprising a top contact situated below the anode and above the “

Z”

layer.

14. The photovoltaic cell of claim 12, wherein either the ‘

p’

doped layer or ‘

n’

doped layer is extended to the middle layer, in such a matter as to form a p-n junction.

15. The photovoltaic cell of claim 12, having a surface area ‘

Z’

, which is less than the surface area of the ‘

p’

doped layer or ‘

n’

doped layer forming the cathode and anode, respectively.