Pyroelectric solar technology apparatus and method

• US 8,288,646 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultrasolar Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultrasolar Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumar, Santosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARDNER, SHANNON M
• Application Number:
  US13/160,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20110232734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 comprising:

depositing a resistive layer directly on top of a surface of a solar cell;

depositing a stack of transparent pyroelectric films directly on top of a surface of the resistive layer;

depositing a stack of opaque pyroelectric films directly on another surface of the solar cell such that the solar cell is bookended by the stack of opaque pyroelectric films and a combination of the stack of transparent pyroelectric films and the resistive layer;

depositing another resistive layer directly below a surface of the stack of opaque pyroelectric films;

channeling solar heat into the stack of transparent pyroelectric films and the stack of opaque pyroelectric films to generate an electromotive force;

depositing a first semiconductor diode layer in combination with the stack of opaque pyroelectric films and the another resistive layer and a second semiconductor diode layer in combination with the stack of transparent pyroelectric films and the resistive layer such that current flow through the first semiconductor diode layer and the second semiconductor diode layer due to heat produced in the another resistive layer and the resistive layer leads to an increased total current through the solar cell;

creating a sustained temperature variation in the solar cell in accordance with an increased current through the stack of transparent pyroelectric films and the stack of opaque pyroelectric films based on the channeling;

creating, through varying at least one of a specific heat and a conductivity across at least one of the stack of opaque pyroelectric films and the stack of transparent pyroelectric films, a constant temperature gradient in the at least one of the stack of opaque pyroelectric films and the stack of transparent pyroelectric films to increase the current therethrough with an increase in temperature; and

biasing a p-n junction of the solar cell with the electromotive force generated.