Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090038678 | THIN FILM III-V COMPOUND SOLAR CELL - The present invention utilizes epitaxial lift-off in which a sacrificial layer is included in the epitaxial growth between the substrate and a thin film III-V compound solar cell. To provide support for the thin film III-V compound solar cell in absence of the substrate, a backing layer is applied to a surface of the thin film III-V compound solar cell before it is separated from the substrate. To separate the thin film III-V compound solar cell from the substrate, the sacrificial layer is removed as part of the epitaxial lift-off. Once the substrate is separated from the thin film III-V compound solar cell, the substrate may then be reused in the formation of another thin film III-V compound solar cell. | 02-12-2009 |
20090044860 | METHODS FOR FABRICATING THIN FILM III-V COMPOUND SOLAR CELL - The present invention utilizes epitaxial lift-off in which a sacrificial layer is included in the epitaxial growth between the substrate and a thin film III-V compound solar cell. To provide support for the thin film III-V compound solar cell in absence of the substrate, a backing layer is applied to a surface of the thin film III-V compound solar cell before it is separated from the substrate. To separate the thin film III-V compound solar cell from the substrate, the sacrificial layer is removed as part of the epitaxial lift-off. Once the substrate is separated from the thin film III-V compound solar cell, the substrate may then be reused in the formation of another thin film III-V compound solar cell. | 02-19-2009 |
20100126573 | SOLAR CELL WITH A BACKSIDE VIA TO CONTACT THE EMITTER LAYER - A solar cell structure is provided for reducing shadow losses without increasing series resistance in the solar cell device. The solar cell device may form an electrical contact to a solar cell emitter layer from the backside of the solar cell device. With this structure, the emitter contact shadow losses may be reduced significantly while simultaneously decreasing device series resistance. | 05-27-2010 |
20100186822 | HIGH EFFICIENCY GROUP III-V COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTOR SOLAR CELL WITH OXIDIZED WINDOW LAYER - The present application utilizes an oxidation process to fabricating a Group III-V compound semiconductor solar cell device. By the oxidation process, a window layer disposed on a cell unit is oxidized to enhance the efficiency of the solar cell device. The oxidized window has an increased band gap to minimize the surface recombination of electrons and holes. The oxidized window also improves transparency at the wavelengths that were absorbed in the conventional window layer. | 07-29-2010 |
20100275969 | ASSEMBLY TECHNIQUES FOR SOLAR CELL ARRAYS AND SOLAR CELLS FORMED THEREFROM - An assembly technique for assembling solar cell arrays is provided. During the fabrication of a solar cell, openings through the semiconductor layer are etched through to a top surface of the backmetal layer. The solar cells include an exposed top surface of the backmetal layer. A plurality of solar cells are assembled into a solar cell array where adjacent cells are interconnected in an electrically serial or parallel fashion solely from the top surface of the solar cells. | 11-04-2010 |
20110318866 | METHODS FOR FABRICATING THIN FILM III-V COMPOUND SOLAR CELL - The present invention utilizes epitaxial lift-off in which a sacrificial layer is included in the epitaxial growth between the substrate and a thin film III-V compound solar cell. To provide support for the thin film III-V compound solar cell in absence of the substrate, a backing layer is applied to a surface of the thin film compound solar cell before it is separated from the substrate. To separate the thin film compound solar cell from the substrate, the sacrificial layer is removed as part of the epitaxial lift-off. Once the substrate is separated from the thin film III-V compound solar cell, the substrate may then be reused in the formation of another thin film compound solar cell. | 12-29-2011 |
20120227798 | HIGH EFFICIENCY GROUP III-V COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTOR SOLAR CELL WITH OXIDIZED WINDOW LAYER - The present application utilizes an oxidation process to fabricating a Group III-V compound semiconductor solar cell device. By the oxidation process, a window layer disposed on a cell unit is oxidized to enhance the efficiency of the solar cell device. The oxidized window has an increased band gap to minimize the surface recombination of electrons and holes. The oxidized window also improves transparency at the wavelengths that were absorbed in the conventional window layer. | 09-13-2012 |
20130034926 | ASSEMBLY TECHNIQUES FOR SOLAR CELL ARRAYS AND SOLAR CELLS FORMED THEREFROM - An assembly technique for assembling solar cell arrays is provided. During the fabrication of a solar cell, openings through the semiconductor layer are etched through to a top surface of the backmetal layer. The solar cells include an exposed top surface of the backmetal layer. A plurality of solar cells are assembled into a solar cell array where adjacent cells are interconnected in an electrically serial or parallel fashion solely from the top surface of the solar cells. | 02-07-2013 |
20130037078 | ASSEMBLY TECHNIQUES FOR SOLAR CELL ARRAYS AND SOLAR CELLS FORMED THEREFROM - An assembly technique for assembling solar cell arrays is provided. During the fabrication of a solar cell, openings through the semiconductor layer are etched through to a top surface of the backmetal layer. The solar cells include an exposed top surface of the backmetal layer. A plurality of solar cells are assembled into a solar cell array where adjacent cells are interconnected in an electrically serial or parallel fashion solely from the top surface of the solar cells. | 02-14-2013 |
20130082239 | LIGHT EMITTING DIODE FABRICATED BY EPITAXIAL LIFT-OFF - A method of fabricating a light emitting diode using an epitaxial lift-off process includes forming a sacrificial layer on a substrate, forming a light emitting diode structure on the sacrificial layer with an epitaxial material, forming a light reflecting layer on the light emitting diode structure, and removing the sacrificial layer using an etching process to separate the substrate from the light emitting diode structure. | 04-04-2013 |
20130133730 | THIN FILM INP-BASED SOLAR CELLS USING EPITAXIAL LIFT-OFF - Methods of producing single-junction or multi-junction InP-based solar cells grown latticed-matched on a InP substrate or grown on metamorphic layers on a GaAs substrate, with the substrate subsequently removed in a nondestructive manner via the epitaxial lift-off (ELO) technique, and devices produced using the methods are described herein. | 05-30-2013 |
20130285440 | INTEGRATION OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY, LIGHTWEIGHT SOLAR SHEETS ONTO UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE FOR INCREASED ENDURANCE - Some embodiments include a kit for increasing endurance of a battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by incorporating flexible solar cells or applying flexible solar cells on a surface of a UAV or on a surface of a component of a UAV. The kit further include a power conditioning system configured to operate the solar cells within a desired power range and configured to provide power having a voltage compatible with an electrical system of the UAV. | 10-31-2013 |