Power generating optical filter

• US 4,713,493 A
• Filed: 12/06/1985
• Issued: 12/15/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Solar Systems Corp.
• Original Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices
• Inventors: Ovshinsky, Stanford R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kyle, Deborah L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEINBERGER, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US06/806,232
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 52/173 R, 136/255, 136/249, 136/256, 136/251, 136/257, 136/258, 136/259, 136/260, 136/261, 136/262, 136/263, 136/264, 136/265, 136/290, 136/291, 296/84 R, 296/85, 350/311, 180/65.3
• US Class Current: 136/249
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10678 comprising UV absorbers or stabilizers, e.g. antioxidants
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022475 composed of indium tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0547 comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/076 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

A power generating optical filter specially tuned to (1) transmit at least portions of selected wavelengths of incident light and (2) generate electrical power from absorbed portions of selected wavelengths of incident light.

Claims

1. A power generating optical filter including a transparent substrate;

a first substantially transparent electrode disposed atop at least a portion of the substrate;

a body of photovoltaic material adapted to generate electron hole pairs in response to the absorption of incident radiation, said body disposed atop at least a portion of the first electrode; and

a second substantially transparent electrode disposed atop at least a portion of the body of photovoltaic material;

the first and second electrodes and the body of photovoltaic material each fabricated to preselected thicknesses and from materials characterized by preselected indices of refraction for cooperatively establishing optical interference effects, whereby said filter transmits at least a portion of selected wavelengths of radiation incident thereupon substantially differing from wavelengths transmitted by that body of photovoltaic material alone; and

optical tuning layer means for modifying the optical transmission of the filter.

2. A filter as in claim 1, wherein said optical tuning layer is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of magnesium fluoride, calcium fluoride, and silicon dioxide.

3. A filter as in claim 1, wherein said optical tuning layer is operatively disposed on said second transparent electrode.

4. A filter as in claim 1, wherein first and second electrodes are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, zinc oxide, and cadmium stanate.

5. A filter as in claim 1, wherein said photovoltaic body includes at least one layer of a silicon alloy material.

6. A filter as in claim 1, where said photovoltaic body includes at least one triad of layers, said triad comprising two layers of oppositively doped semiconductor alloy material having said layer of substantially intrinsic semiconductor alloy material interposed therebetween.

7. A filter as in claim 6, wherein said photovoltaic body includes a plurality of said triads of layers of semiconductor alloy material.