Photovoltaics with interferometric ribbon masks
First Claim
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1. A method of interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic cells, comprising:
- aligning a ribbon conductor along a plurality of photovoltaic cells, wherein the ribbon conductor includes a conductive layer, an optical resonant cavity over the conductive layer, and an absorber layer over the optical resonant cavity, wherein the absorber layer includes a semitransparent thickness of a metallic or semiconductor layer, and wherein the optical resonant cavity and the absorber layers are configured to reduce a percentage of reflectivity of the conductive layer to less than about 10 percent; and
attaching the ribbon conductor along the plurality of photovoltaic cells such that the ribbon conductor is operatively coupled to the photovoltaic cells and the photovoltaic cells are electrically interconnected.
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Abstract
An interferometric mask covering a reflective conductive ribbon that electrically interconnects a plurality of photovoltaic cells is disclosed. Such an interferometric mask may reduce reflections of incident light from the conductors. In various embodiments, the mask reduces reflections, so that a front and back electrode pattern appears black or similar in color to surrounding features of the device. In other embodiments, the mask may modulate reflections of light such that the electrode pattern matches a color in the visible spectrum.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic cells, comprising:
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aligning a ribbon conductor along a plurality of photovoltaic cells, wherein the ribbon conductor includes a conductive layer, an optical resonant cavity over the conductive layer, and an absorber layer over the optical resonant cavity, wherein the absorber layer includes a semitransparent thickness of a metallic or semiconductor layer, and wherein the optical resonant cavity and the absorber layers are configured to reduce a percentage of reflectivity of the conductive layer to less than about 10 percent; and attaching the ribbon conductor along the plurality of photovoltaic cells such that the ribbon conductor is operatively coupled to the photovoltaic cells and the photovoltaic cells are electrically interconnected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for converting optical energy to electrical energy comprising:
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a plurality of photovoltaic cells; a conductor electrically connecting the plurality of photovoltaic cells; the conductor including a conductor layer and an optical interferometric modulator mask over the conductor layer, wherein the mask includes an optical resonant cavity over the conductor layer, and an absorber layer over the optical resonant cavity, wherein the absorber layer includes a semitransparent thickness of a metallic or semiconductor layer; and wherein the mask is configured to mask reflections from the conductor layer to less than about 10 percent. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification