Patents by Inventor Martin Yi Zhang

Martin Yi Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • High speed laser crystallization of particles of photovoltaic solar cells
    Patent number: 8349713
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing the conversion efficiency of thin film photovoltaics. The thin film structure includes a photovoltaic absorbent layer covered by a confinement layer. A laser beam passes through the confinement layer and hits the photovoltaic absorbent layer. The laser can be pulsed to create localized rapid heating and cooling of the photovoltaic absorbent layer. The confinement layer confines the laser induced plasma plume creating a localized high-pressure condition for the photovoltaic absorbent layer. The laser beam can be scanned across specific regions of the thin film structure. The laser beam can be pulsed as a series of short pulses. The photovoltaic absorbent layer can be made of various materials including copper indium diselenide, gallium arsenide, and cadmium telluride. The photovoltaic absorbent layer can be sandwiched between a substrate and the confinement layer, and a molybdenum layer can be between the substrate and the photovoltaic absorbent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Gary J. Cheng, Martin Yi Zhang, Yingling Yang
  • HIGH SPEED LASER CRYSTALLIZATION OF PARTICLES OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR CELLS
    Publication number: 20120021559
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing the conversion efficiency of thin film photovoltaics. The thin film structure includes a photovoltaic absorbent layer covered by a confinement layer. A laser beam passes through the confinement layer and hits the photovoltaic absorbent layer. The laser can be pulsed to create localized rapid heating and cooling of the photovoltaic absorbent layer. The confinement layer confines the laser induced plasma plume creating a localized high-pressure condition for the photovoltaic absorbent layer. The laser beam can be scanned across specific regions of the thin film structure. The laser beam can be pulsed as a series of short pulses. The photovoltaic absorbent layer can be made of various materials including copper indium diselenide, gallium arsenide, and cadmium telluride. The photovoltaic absorbent layer can be sandwiched between a substrate and the confinement layer, and a molybdenum layer can be between the substrate and the photovoltaic absorbent layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Gary J. Cheng, Martin Yi Zhang, Yingling Yang