Devices, systems, and methods for harvesting energy and methods for forming such devices
First Claim
1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:
- a photovoltaic material;
a substrate coupled with the photovoltaic material; and
a plurality of resonance elements associated with the substrate and capacitively coupled with the photovoltaic material, wherein each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to collect energy in at least visible and infrared light spectra, wherein each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to resonate at a bandgap energy of the photovoltaic material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Energy harvesting devices include a substrate coupled with a photovoltaic material and a plurality of resonance elements associated with the substrate. The resonance elements are configured to collect energy in at least visible and infrared light spectra. Each resonance element is capacitively coupled with the photovoltaic material, and may be configured to resonate at a bandgap energy of the photovoltaic material. Systems include a photovoltaic material coupled with a feedpoint of a resonance element. Methods for harvesting energy include exposing a resonance element having a resonant electromagnetic radiation having a frequency between approximately 20 THz and approximately 1,000 THz, absorbing at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation with the resonance element, and resonating the resonance element at a bandgap energy of an underlying photovoltaic material. Methods for forming an energy harvesting device include forming resonance elements on a substrate and capacitively coupling the resonance elements with a photovoltaic material.
75 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An energy harvesting device, comprising:
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a photovoltaic material; a substrate coupled with the photovoltaic material; and a plurality of resonance elements associated with the substrate and capacitively coupled with the photovoltaic material, wherein each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to collect energy in at least visible and infrared light spectra, wherein each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to resonate at a bandgap energy of the photovoltaic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for harvesting energy, the method comprising:
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exposing at least one resonance element to electromagnetic radiation having a frequency between approximately 20 THz and approximately 1,000 THz; absorbing at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation with the at least one resonance element; and resonating the at least one resonance element at a bandgap energy of an underlying photovoltaic material responsive to the absorbed electromagnetic radiation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for forming an energy harvesting device, the method comprising:
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forming a plurality of resonance elements on a substrate such that each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements is configured to collect electromagnetic radiation in at least visible and infrared bands of light and to resonate at a bandgap energy of a photovoltaic material; and capacitively coupling the plurality of resonance elements with the photovoltaic material. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An energy conversion system, comprising:
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at least one resonance element having a feedpoint, wherein the at least one resonance element has a resonant frequency between about 20 THz and about 1,000 THz; and a photovoltaic material coupled with the feedpoint of the at least one resonance element, the photovoltaic material structured to generate electrical current responsive to resonance of the at least one resonance element. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification