Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080308148 | Photovoltaic Devices With Conductive Barrier Layers and Foil Substrates - Methods and devices are provided for absorber layers formed on foil substrate. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing photovoltaic devices may be comprised of providing a substrate comprising of at least one electrically conductive aluminum foil substrate, at least one electrically conductive diffusion barrier layer, and at least one electrically conductive electrode layer above the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer may prevent chemical interaction between the aluminum foil substrate and the electrode layer. An absorber layer may be formed on the substrate. In one embodiment, the absorber layer may be a non-silicon absorber layer. In another embodiment, the absorber layer may be an amorphous silicon (doped or undoped) absorber layer. Optionally, the absorber layer may be based on organic and/or inorganic materials. | 12-18-2008 |
20100003781 | ROLL-TO-ROLL NON-VACUUM DEPOSITION OF TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE ELECTRODES - Methods and devices are provided for improved photovoltaic devices. Non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive electrodes in a roll-to-roll manufacturing environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is provided for forming a photovoltaic device. The method comprises processing a precursor layer in one or more steps to form a photovoltaic absorber layer; depositing a smoothing layer to fill gaps and depression in the absorber layer to reduce a roughness of the absorber layer; adding an insulating layer over the smooth layer; and forming a web-like layer of conductive material over the insulating layer. By way of nonlimiting example, the web-like layer of conductive material comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In some embodiments, the absorber layer is a group IB-IIIA-VIA absorber layer. | 01-07-2010 |
20100243049 | FORMATION OF SOLAR CELLS WITH CONDUCTIVE BARRIER LAYERS AND FOIL SUBSTRATES - Methods and devices are provided for absorber layers formed on foil substrate. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing photovoltaic devices may be comprised of providing a substrate comprising of at least one electrically conductive aluminum foil substrate, at least one electrically conductive diffusion barrier layer, and at least one electrically conductive electrode layer above the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer may prevent chemical interaction between the aluminum foil substrate and the electrode layer. An absorber layer may be formed on the substrate. In one embodiment, the absorber layer may be a non-silicon absorber layer. In another embodiment, the absorber layer may be an amorphous silicon (doped or undoped) absorber layer. Optionally, the absorber layer may be based on organic and/or inorganic materials. | 09-30-2010 |
20100297798 | Individually Encapsulated Solar Cells and/or Solar Cell Strings - Methods and devices are provided for improved environmental protection for photovoltaic devices and assemblies. In one embodiment, the device comprises of an individually encapsulated solar cell, wherein the encapsulated solar cell includes at least one protective layer coupled to at least one surface of the solar cell and the protective layer may be formed from a substantially inorganic material. The protective layer has a chemical composition that prevents moisture from entering the solar cell and wherein light passes through the protective layer to reach an absorber layer in the solar cell. | 11-25-2010 |
20110019277 | ANTI-REFLECTIVE COATING - Methods and devices are provided for improved anti-reflective coatings. Non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive electrodes in a roll-to-roll manufacturing environment is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a device is provided comprising a multi-layer anti-reflective coating formed over a substantially transparent substrate; wherein the multi-layer anti-reflective coating comprises of a plurality of nanostructured layers, wherein each of the layers has a tuned porosity and at least some of the nanostructured layers have different porosities to create a different index of refraction for those layers. In some embodiments, the absorber layer for use with this anti-reflective layer is a group IB-IIIA-VIA absorber layer. | 01-27-2011 |
20110094576 | STRUCTURE AND PROCESS FOR SOLAR CELL ELECTRODES - Methods and devices are described for thin film solar cell manufacturing. In one embodiment, the method includes displacing the residual insulator in vias with the pins of the present invention, which may greatly reduce the amount of material to be removed and hence make the laser more cost-effective. It is still desirable to use a laser or other device to completely clear the bottom of the via of residual material (to prepare for making a good electrical connection) but the film remaining under the pins would be microns in thickness, compared to the hundreds of microns of via depth. | 04-28-2011 |
20110121353 | OPTOELECTRONIC ARCHITECTURE HAVING COMPOUND CONDUCTING SUBSTRATE - Optoelectronic device modules, arrays optoelectronic device modules and methods for fabricating optoelectronic device modules are disclosed. The device modules are made using a starting substrate having an insulator layer sandwiched between a bottom electrode made of a flexible bulk conductor and a conductive back plane. An active layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and a transparent conducting layer. One or more electrical contacts between the transparent conducting layer and the back plane are formed through the transparent conducting layer, the active layer, the flexible bulk conductor and the insulating layer. The electrical contacts are electrically isolated from the active layer, the bottom electrode and the insulating layer. | 05-26-2011 |
20120090661 | INDIVIDUALLY ENCAPSULATED SOLAR CELLS AND SOLAR CELL STRINGS - Methods and devices are provided for improved environmental protection for photovoltaic devices and assemblies. In one embodiment, the device comprises of an individually encapsulated solar cell, wherein the encapsulated solar cell includes at least one protective layer coupled to at least one surface of the solar cell. The protective layer has a chemical composition that prevents moisture from entering the solar cell and wherein light passes through the protective layer to reach an absorber layer in the solar cell. | 04-19-2012 |
20120291856 | BARRIER FILMS AND HIGH THROUGHPUT MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES - Methods and devices are provided for improved roofing devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photovoltaic roofing assembly is provided that comprises of a roofing membrane and a plurality of photovoltaic cells supported by the roofing membrane. The photovoltaic cells may be lightweight, flexible cells formed on a lightweight foil and disposed as a layer on top of the roofing membrane. The roofing assembly may include at least one flexible encapsulant film that protects the plurality of photovoltaic cells from environmental exposure damage, wherein the encapsulant film is formed using a non-vacuum process. Optionally, the process may be a lamination process. In other embodiments, the process is a non-vacuum, non-lamination process. The resulting roofing membrane and the photovoltaic cells are constructed to be rolled up in lengths suitable for being transported to a building site for unrolling and being affixed to a roof structure. | 11-22-2012 |
20130032851 | OPTOELECTRONIC ARCHITECTURE HAVING COMPOUND CONDUCTING SUBSTRATE - Optoelectronic device modules, arrays optoelectronic device modules and methods for fabricating optoelectronic device modules are disclosed. The device modules are made using a starting substrate having an insulator layer sandwiched between a bottom electrode made of a flexible bulk conductor and a conductive back plane. An active layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and a transparent conducting layer. One or more electrical contacts between the transparent conducting layer and the back plane are formed through the transparent conducting layer, the active layer, the flexible bulk conductor and the insulating layer. The electrical contacts are electrically isolated from the active layer, the bottom electrode and the insulating layer. | 02-07-2013 |
20140106500 | ROLL-TO-ROLL NON-VACUUM DEPOSITION OF TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE ELECTRODES - Methods and devices are provided for improved photovoltaic devices. Non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive electrodes in a roll-to-roll manufacturing environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is provided for forming a photovoltaic device. The method comprises processing a precursor layer in one or more steps to form a photovoltaic absorber layer; depositing a smoothing layer to fill gaps and depression in the absorber layer to reduce a roughness of the absorber layer; adding an insulating layer over the smooth layer; and forming a web-like layer of conductive material over the insulating layer. By way of nonlimiting example, the web-like layer of conductive material comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In some embodiments, the absorber layer is a group IB-IIIA-VIA absorber layer. | 04-17-2014 |