Schottky, Graded Doping, Plural Junction Or Special Junction Geometry Patents (Class 136/255)
  • Patent number: 11362230
    Abstract: A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap and positioned for receiving an incoming light beam; a second solar subcell disposed below and adjacent to and lattice matched with said upper first solar subcell, and having a second band gap smaller than said first band gap; wherein at least one of the solar subcells has a graded band gap throughout the thickness of at least a portion of the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SOLAERO TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Daniel Derkacs, John Hart, Zachary Bittner, Andrew Colin Espenlaub
  • Patent number: 11355668
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are photonic materials. The photonic materials can comprise: a first layer comprising InxGa1-xN, wherein x is from 0 to 0.5; a second layer comprising ZnSnN2; and a third layer comprising InyGa1-yN, wherein y is from 0 to 0.5; wherein the second layer is disposed between and in contact with the first layer and the third layer, such that the second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the third layer. In some examples, the photonic materials can be sandwiched between two or more barrier layers to form a quantum well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation
    Inventors: Hongping Zhao, Md Rezaul Karim
  • Patent number: 11355657
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type region architectures, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example a solar cell includes a first emitter region of a first conductivity type disposed on a first dielectric region, the first dielectric region disposed on a surface of a substrate. A second dielectric region is disposed laterally adjacent to the first and second emitter region. The second emitter region of a second, different, conductivity type is disposed on a third dielectric region, the third dielectric region disposed on the surface of the substrate, over the second dielectric region, and partially over the first emitter region. A first metal foil is disposed over the first emitter region. A second metal foil is disposed over the second emitter region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Staffan Westerberg, Gabriel Harley
  • Patent number: 11329181
    Abstract: A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap and positioned for receiving an incoming light beam; a second solar subcell disposed directly below and adjacent to the upper first solar subcell, and having a second band gap smaller than said first band gap; wherein a light scattering layer is provided below the upper first solar subcell and adjacent to the upper first solar subcell for redirecting the incoming light to be scattered along longer path lengths into the second solar subcell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SolAero Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel Derkacs, Zachary Bittner, John Hart, Clayton Cozzan
  • Patent number: 11316056
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using self-aligned implant and cap, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a method of fabricating an emitter region of a solar cell involves forming a silicon layer above a substrate. The method also involves implanting, through a stencil mask, dopant impurity atoms in the silicon layer to form implanted regions of the silicon layer with adjacent non-implanted regions. The method also involves forming, through the stencil mask, a capping layer on and substantially in alignment with the implanted regions of the silicon layer. The method also involves removing the non-implanted regions of the silicon layer, wherein the capping layer protects the implanted regions of the silicon layer during the removing. The method also involves annealing the implanted regions of the silicon layer to form doped polycrystalline silicon emitter regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Weidman
  • Patent number: 11310637
    Abstract: A method is provided that integrates a unique set of structural features for concealing self-powered sensor and communication devices in aesthetically neutral, or camouflaged, packages that include energy harvesting systems that provide autonomous electrical power to sensors, data processing and wireless communication components in the portable, self-contained packages. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: FACE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Clark D Boyd, Bradbury R Face, Jeffrey D Shepard
  • Patent number: 11293862
    Abstract: Systems and method for analysing contaminants of a gas sample of natural gas are provided. An interrogation light beam propagates into a chamber of a multipass gas cell receiving the gas sample. The interrogation light beam has a wavelength controlled to alternately correspond to an absorption wavelength of H2S and an absorption wavelength of an additional gas contaminant. The additional gas contaminant may for example be CO2 or H2O. In some implementation, a single laser emitter may be used to generate the interrogation light beam at the H2S and CO2 wavelengths. In some implementations, two different laser emitters may be used to generate the interrogation light beam at the H2S and H2O wavelengths. A WMS detection scheme may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: GALVANIC APPLIED SCIENCES INC.
    Inventors: David D. Haydt, Michael B. Frish, Shin-Juh Chen, Nicholas F. Aubut
  • Patent number: 11271120
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell, including the steps of: forming unevenness on both of main surfaces of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; forming a base layer on a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a diffusion mask on the base layer; removing the diffusion mask in a pattern; forming an emitter layer on the portion of the first main surface where the diffusion mask have been removed; removing the remaining diffusion mask; forming a dielectric film on the first main surface; forming a base electrode on the base layer; and forming an emitter electrode on the emitter layer. This provides a method for manufacturing a solar cell that can bring high photoelectric conversion efficiency while decreasing the number of steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takenori Watabe, Ryo Mitta, Hiroshi Hashigami, Hiroyuki Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 11271122
    Abstract: Semiconductor optoelectronic devices having a dilute nitride active layer are disclosed. In particular, the semiconductor devices have a dilute nitride active layer with a bandgap within a range from 0.7 eV and 1 eV. Photodetectors comprising a dilute nitride active layer have a responsivity of greater than 0.6 A/W at a wavelength of 1.3 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ARRAY PHOTONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Radek Roucka, Sabeur Siala, Aymeric Maros, Ting Liu, Ferran Suarez, Evan Pickett
  • Patent number: 11245046
    Abstract: The present application discloses a multi-junction tandem laser photovoltaic cell, comprising a photovoltaic cell stack and a bottom electrode and a top electrode electrically connected to a bottom and a top of the photovoltaic cell stack, respectively, wherein the photovoltaic cell stack comprises stacked N AlGaAs PN-junction sub-cells, and adjacent sub-cells are connected in series via a tunneling junction, in which N?2. The AlGaAs PN-junction sub-cells use an AlGaAs absorbing layer. The present application further discloses a method of making the multi-junction tandem laser photovoltaic cell. The present application uses AlGaAs as the absorbing layer of the multi-junction tandem cell to convert laser energy, which can effectively increase the open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic cell, thereby significantly improving the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Jianrong Dong, Yongming Zhao, Yurun Sun, Jie Huang, Shuzhen Yu
  • Patent number: 11239353
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate, forming uneven portions in a region of the substrate in which an electrode is to be formed, forming a precursor film formed of a two-dimensional material on the substrate on which the uneven portions are formed, forming a metal chalcogen film by performing a chalcogenation process on the formed precursor film, and forming the electrode on the formed metal chalcogen film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sun Jin Yun, Kwang Hoon Jung, So Hyun Kim, Jung Wook Lim
  • Patent number: 11230499
    Abstract: A ceramic electronic component that includes a ceramic insulator and a terminal electrode on a surface of the ceramic insulator. The ceramic insulator contains a crystalline material and an amorphous material. The terminal electrode contains a metal and an oxide. The crystalline material and the oxide contain, in common, at least one type of a metal element. An adjacent region in the ceramic insulator which surrounds the terminal electrode and has a thickness of 5 ?m is higher in concentration of the metal element than a remote region which is distant from the terminal electrode by 100 ?m and has a thickness of 5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Oka, Tatsunori Kan
  • Patent number: 11227964
    Abstract: Luminescent solar concentrators in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be designed to minimize photon thermalization losses and incomplete light trapping using various components and techniques. Cadmium selenide core, cadmium sulfide shell (CdSe/CdS) quantum dot (“QD”) technology can be implemented in such devices to allow for near-unity QDs and sufficiently large Stokes shifts. Many embodiments of the invention include a luminescent solar concentrator that incorporates CdSe/CdS quantum dot luminophores. In further embodiments, anisotropic luminophore emission can be implemented through metasurface/plasmonic antenna coupling. In several embodiments, red-shifted luminophores are implemented. Additionally, top and bottom spectrally-selective filters, such as but not limited to selectively-reflective metasurface mirrors and polymeric stack filters, can be implemented to enhance the photon collection efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignees: California Institute of Technology, The Regents of the University of California, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: David R. Needell, Noah Bronstein, Armand P. Alivisatos, Harry A. Atwater, Ralph Nuzzo, Haley Bauser, Ognjen Ilic, Junwen He, Lu Xu, Colton Bukowsky, Sunita Darbe, Zach Nett, Brent Koscher
  • Patent number: 11222924
    Abstract: There is provided a photovoltaic device that comprises a photoactive region, the photoactive region comprising a perovskite material of general formula A1-xA?xBX3-yX?y, wherein A is a formamidinium cation (HC(NH)2)2+), A? is a caesium cation (Cs+) B is at least one divalent inorganic cation, X is iodide and X is bromide, and x is greater than 0 and equal to or less than 0.4 and y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 3. There is also provided a method of producing a photovoltaic device comprising a photoactive region comprising the perovskite material, and formulations for use in the formation of the perovskite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: OXFORD PHOTOVOLTAICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Brett Akira Kamino, Laura Miranda Perez
  • Patent number: 11211511
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multijunction solar cell having an upper first solar subcell composed of a semiconductor material having a first band gap; a second solar subcell adjacent to said first solar subcell and composed of a semiconductor material having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap and being lattice matched with the upper first solar subcell; a third solar subcell adjacent to said second solar subcell and composed of a semiconductor material having a third band gap smaller than the second band gap and being lattice matched with the second solar subcell; a graded interlayer adjacent to the third solar subcell; and a fourth solar subcell adjacent to said graded interlayer and composed of a semiconductor material having a fourth band gap smaller than the third band gap and being lattice mismatched with respect to the third solar subcell; wherein the fourth subcell has a direct bandgap of greater than 0.75 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: SolAero Technoogies Corp.
    Inventor: Daniel Derkacs
  • Patent number: 11205735
    Abstract: Optoelectronic devices having an improved architecture are disclosed, such as p-i-n hybrid solar cells. These solar cells are characterized by including an insulating mesoporous scaffold in between the hole transportation layer and the photoactive layer, in such a way that the photoactive layer infiltrates the insulating mesoporous scaffold and contacts the hole transportation layer. The infiltration of the photoactive layer in the mesoporous scaffold improves the performance of the hole transportation layer and increases the photovoltaic performance of the solar cell. Solar cells, according to the present invention are manufactured in their entirety below 150° C. and present advantages in terms of cost and ease of manufacture, performance, and energy efficiency, stability over time and reproducibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignees: Universidad de Antioquia, Anhidridos y Derivados de Colombia S.A.—Andercol, Suministros de Colombia S.A.S., SUMICOL, Empresas Publicas de Medellin
    Inventors: Franklin Jaramillo Isaza, Daniel Estiben Ramirez Zora, Juan Felipe Montoya Arango
  • Patent number: 11189740
    Abstract: The embodiment of the application discloses a photoelectric sensor and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the photoelectric sensor comprises: a light absorbing layer for absorbing incident light to generate a photocurrent, the light absorption layer comprises a first absorption layer and a second absorption layer stacked in the direction of incident light, the first absorption layer being an intrinsic semiconductor layer of the photoelectric sensor, the second absorption layer being made of a material having a higher photoelectric conversion efficiency than the first absorption layer, and the second absorption layer has a stripe structure arranged at intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianhua Du, Chao Li
  • Patent number: 11183655
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes an organic semiconductor and an inorganic semiconductor. The organic semiconductor includes a photoactive region that generates excitons. The inorganic semiconductor has piezoelectricity and includes a dissociation region for dissociating carriers included in the excitons. A relationship of energy levels between the photoactive region and the dissociation region satisfies at least one equation ELUMO>EC or equation EHOMO<EV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Saito, Tetsuya Hayashi, Shigeharu Yamagami, Yusuke Zushi, Yosuke Tomita, Keisuke Takemoto
  • Patent number: 11180668
    Abstract: An apparatus with integrated optical waveguides. The apparatus has: a plurality of layers, wherein a conductive pathway is patterned on a surface of at least one of the plurality of layers. The plurality of layers are laminated together. A plurality of nanocomposite-inks, each with a nanofiller dispersed in an organic matrix have optical dispersion different from the other plurality of nanocomposite-ink, form the optical waveguides. The optical waveguides are formed on the surface of, or within, at least one of the plurality of layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: VADIENT OPTICS, LLC
    Inventor: George Williams
  • Patent number: 11158748
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a crystal substrate which has a major surface on a light reception side provided with a first texture surface and a major surface on a non-light reception side provided with a second texture surface. The second texture surface occupies 20% or more of the area of the major surface on the non-light reception side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: KANEKA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Uto, Daisuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 11145834
    Abstract: High efficiency multi-junction small-molecule organic photovoltaic devices and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed herein. Design considerations for improving spectral coverage and light-harvesting efficiency using the multi-junction devices are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Xiaozhou Che, Xin Xiao
  • Patent number: 11127769
    Abstract: An elevated photosensor for image sensors and methods of forming the photosensor. The photosensor may have light sensors having indentation features including, but not limited to, v-shaped, u-shaped, or other shaped features. Light sensors having such an indentation feature can redirect incident light that is not absorbed by one portion of the photosensor to another portion of the photosensor for additional absorption. In addition, the elevated photosensors reduce the size of the pixel cells while reducing leakage, image lag, and barrier problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Salman Akram
  • Patent number: 11127535
    Abstract: A ferroelectric enhanced solar cell, including a conductive substrate, and a hole blocking layer, a mesoporous nanocrystalline layer, a mesoporous spacer layer and a mesoporous back electrode sequentially deposited in that order on the conductive substrate. The mesopores of at least one of the mesoporous nanocrystalline layer, the mesoporous spacer layer and the mesoporous back electrode are filled with a photoactive material. At least one of the hole blocking layer, the mesoporous nanocrystalline layer and the mesoporous spacer layer includes a ferroelectric material or a ferroelectric nanocomposite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: HUAZHONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hongwei Han, Anyi Mei, Shuang Liu, Xiaolei Li, Deyi Zhang
  • Patent number: 11127873
    Abstract: A monolithic multijunction solar cell having exactly four subcells, an uppermost first subcell having a layer made up of a component having the elements AlInP, and the lattice constant a1 of the layer being between 0.572 nm and 0.577 nm, and the indium content being between 64% and 75%, and the Al content being between 18% and 32%, and the third subcell having a layer made up of a compound having at least the elements GaInAs, and the lattice constant of the layer being between 0.572 and 0.577, and the indium content of the layer being greater than 17%, and the second subcell comprising a layer including a compound which has at least the elements GaInAsP, the layer having an arsenic content between 22% and 33% and an indium content between 52% and 65%. and the lattice constant a2 being between 0.572 and 0.577.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Meusel
  • Patent number: 11121269
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate; a conductive region on or at the semiconductor substrate; an electrode electrically connected to the conductive region; and a silicon oxynitride layer on a light incident surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the silicon oxynitride layer comprises a first phase region having a first oxygen content and a first nitrogen content; a second phase region having a second oxygen content higher than the first oxygen content and a second nitrogen content lower than the first nitrogen content; and a third phase region having a third oxygen content lower than the second oxygen content and a third nitrogen content lower than the second nitrogen content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaewoo Choi, Chungyi Kim, Joohyun Koh
  • Patent number: 11121272
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure, the structure including an absorber layer comprising gallium arsenide and an emitter layer. A bypass function is provided in a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure, where under reverse-bias conditions the p-n junction breaks down in a controlled manner by a Zener breakdown effect. The absorber or base layer has a grading in doping concentration from a first doping level closest to the emitter layer to a second doping level away from the emitter layer, the second doping level being greater than the first doping level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew J. Ritenour, Brendan M. Kayes, Hui Nie, Isik Kizilyalli
  • Patent number: 11114496
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes: a photoelectric conversion element 15; an electrode 14b provided with a first opening h1 and disposed on one surface of the photoelectric conversion element 15; an organic insulating film 106 provided with a second opening h2 and covering the photoelectric conversion element 15 and the electrode 14b; and a conductive film 16 for supplying a bias voltage to the electrode 14b. The first opening h1 and the second opening h2 overlap each other when viewed in plan view. The conductive film 16 is provided inside the first opening h1 and the second opening h2 so as to be in contact with the electrode 14b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 11107937
    Abstract: The n-type amorphous semiconductor layers 4 are on parts of that one of the faces of the semiconductor substrate 1, there being provided no p-type amorphous semiconductor layers 5 in the parts. The electrodes 6 are disposed on the n-type amorphous semiconductor layers 4. The electrodes 7 are disposed on the p-type amorphous semiconductor layers 5. The p-type amorphous semiconductor layers 5 between those n-type amorphous semiconductor layers 4 which are adjacent along an in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate 1 include, arranged along a first direction that points from the n-type amorphous semiconductor layers 4 toward the adjacent n-type amorphous semiconductor layers 4: first and second electrode-provided regions where the electrodes 7 are disposed; and a no-electrode-provided region, between the first and second electrode-provided regions, where there are provided no electrodes 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruaki Higo, Takeshi Mori, Makoto Higashikawa
  • Patent number: 11104695
    Abstract: Metal halide perovskite crystals, composite materials that include metal halide perovskite crystals and a polymeric matrix material, devices that include metal halide perovskite crystals, and methods of forming metal halide perovskite crystals, composite materials, and devices. The devices may include optoelectronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes. The light-emitting diodes may emit red light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Biwu Ma, Yu Tian
  • Patent number: 11094746
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: pixels arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, each of the pixels including an electrode that is electrically connected to the other pixels, a charge capturing unit that is separated from the other pixels, and a photoelectric conversion layer that is located between the electrode and the charge capturing unit, the photoelectric conversion layer being continuous among the pixels. The photoelectric conversion layer contains semiconductor carbon nanotubes, and one of a first substance and a second substance, the first substance having an electron affinity larger than that of the semiconducting carbon nanotubes, the second substance having a ionization energy smaller than that of the semiconductor carbon nanotubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Katsuya Nozawa
  • Patent number: 11088294
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a photovoltaic cell assembly, a photovoltaic cell array, and a solar cell assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Xiang Sun, Yunjiang Yao, Ye Tian, Bei Fan, Zhanfeng Jiang
  • Patent number: 11085111
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a structural part is disclosed. The method can include forming a plurality of layers on a base of a system having one or more application heads. Forming the plurality of layers can include forming alternating layers of a first material and a second material. Forming the alternating layers can include forming a first layer from the first material, and forming a second layer adjacent the first layer from the second material. The plurality of layers can form the structural part, and one or more dimensions of the structural part can be greater than or equal to about 0.05 cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul S. Nordman, Jiangtian Cheng
  • Patent number: 11075317
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to silicon solar cells and more particularly to a doped layer formed on a textured surface of a silicon solar cell, and methods of fabricating the same. In one aspect, a method of creating a doped layer at a rear side of a crystalline silicon bifacial solar cell is disclosed. The method can include texturing at least a rear side of a silicon substrate of the solar cell to create a pattern of pyramids, thereby creating a pyramidal topology of the rear side. The method can also include forming a doped layer at the rear side by, using epitaxial growth, growing at least one doped silicon epitaxial layer on the pyramids. Simultaneously with forming the doped layer and by using facet evolution, the pyramidal topology of the rear side can be smoothed by the growth of the at least one epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: IMEC vzw, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Yuandong Li, Filip Duerinckx, Maria Jesus Recaman Payo, Jef Poortmans
  • Patent number: 11069485
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion element including: a first electrode; a hole blocking layer; an electron transport layer; a hole transport layer; and a second electrode, wherein the hole blocking layer includes a metal oxide including a titanium atom and a niobium atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Naomichi Kanei, Yuuji Tanaka, Ryota Arai, Tamotsu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11063170
    Abstract: A two-step hole etching method including: providing a semiconductor wafer which has a plurality of solar cell stacks and performing a first and a second processing step. In the first processing step, a first resist layer is applied to a top surface of the semiconductor wafer, at least a first opening is produced in the first resist layer and, via a first etching process, a hole which extends beyond a p/n junction of the Ge sub-cell into the semiconductor wafer is produced in the area of the first opening. In the second process step a second resist layer is applied to the top surface of the semiconductor wafer, a second opening greater than the first opening and surrounding the hole is produced in the second resist layer, and, the hole is widened in an area which extends to the Ge sub-cell serving as an etch stop layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Koestler
  • Patent number: 11063222
    Abstract: A compound of a formula EWG1-(T1)a-(T2)b-(Z)c-(T3)d-(T4)e-EWG2 capable of use as a functional component in organic electronic devices, which enable improved absorption in organic solar cells or have an increased charge carrier mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: HELIATEK GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Hildebrandt, Olga Gerdes, Roland Fitzner, Daniel D'Souza, Gunter Mattersteig, Andre Weiss
  • Patent number: 11053132
    Abstract: A light valve containing ABX3 perovskite particles (200) suspended in a liquid suspension (300) that can control light transmittance is provided. The preferable ABX3 perovskite particles (200) are halide ABX3 perovskite particles wherein A is at least one of Cs+, CH3NH3+, and Rb+, B is at least one of Pb2+, Ge2+, and Sn2+, and X is at least one of Cl?, Br?, and I?. Use of the light valve in the manufacture of a light control device and a method of controlling light transmittance by using the light valve are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG JINGYI NEW MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD
    Inventors: Yanan Li, Dawei Zhang, Shiyong Zhao, Shuyong Xiao, Bin Liang, Yuzhe Zhang
  • Patent number: 11049851
    Abstract: Methods and systems for selectively illuminated integrated photodetectors with configured launching and adaptive junction profile for bandwidth improvement may include a photonic chip comprising an input waveguide and a photodiode. The photodiode comprises an absorbing region with a p-doped region on a first side of the absorbing region and an n-doped region on a second side of the absorbing region. An optical signal is received in the absorbing region via the input waveguide, which is offset to one side of a center axis of the absorbing region; an electrical signal is generated based on the received optical signal. The first side of the absorbing region may be p-doped. P-doped and n-doped regions may alternate on the first and second sides of the absorbing region along the length of the photodiode. The absorbing region may comprise germanium, silicon, silicon/germanium, or similar material that absorbs light of a desired wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Luxtera LLC
    Inventors: Kam-Yan Hon, Subal Sahni, Gianlorenzo Masini, Attila Mekis
  • Patent number: 11038071
    Abstract: A solar cell includes: a silicon substrate including a texture structure in a first principal surface; and a first non-crystalline silicon layer formed on the first principal surface of the silicon substrate and including recesses and protrusions reflecting the texture structure. At a valley portion in the recesses and protrusions, the first non-crystalline silicon layer includes, in the stated order: a first epitaxial layer including a crystalline region epitaxially grown on the silicon substrate; a first amorphous layer which is a non-crystalline silicon layer; and a second amorphous layer which is a non-crystalline silicon layer. The density of the first amorphous layer is less than the density of the second amorphous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minato Seno, Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11031241
    Abstract: Methods for forming films during semiconductor device fabrication by soaking a substrate in dopant are discussed herein. The dopant soak is performed in a process chamber using at least one dopant precursor for a predetermined period of time to form a dopant layer on the substrate. The process chamber is subsequently purged of the at least one dopant precursor. At least one film precursor is introduced into the process chamber after the process chamber is purged. A film is epitaxially formed on the substrate to have at least one of a target resistivity, dopant concentration, and/or thickness. Post-processing operations can include annealing or patterning the semiconductor film, or depositing additional layers thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Chiau Huang, Errol Antonio C Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11024760
    Abstract: A crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes, in the following order, a crystalline silicon substrate having a first principal surface, a non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film, and a transparent electroconductive layer. The non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film and the transparent electroconductive layer are disposed on the first principal surface. The non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film comprises, in the following order from the first principal surface, an intrinsic silicon-based thin-film and a conductive silicon-based thin-film. The first principal surface has a plurality of pyramidal projections, each having a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion. A thickness of the non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film disposed on the top portions is smaller than a thickness of the non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film disposed on the middle portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: KANEKA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Adachi
  • Patent number: 11011660
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell by providing a growth semiconductor substrate with a top surface having a doping in the range of 1×1018 to 1×1020 charge carriers/cm3; depositing a window layer for a top (light facing) subcell subsequently to be formed directly on the top surface of the growth substrate; depositing a sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a solar cell directly on the window layer; providing a surrogate substrate on the top surface of the sequence of layers of semiconductor material, and removing a portion of the semiconductor substrate so that only the high doped surface portion of the substrate, having a thickness in the range of 0.5 ?m to 10 ?m, remains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SolAero Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Daniel Derkacs, Christopher Kerestes, Steven Whipple
  • Patent number: 11004994
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell including a semiconductor substrate, a conductive area including a first conductive area and a second conductive area formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, a passivation film formed on the conductive area, the passivation film having a contact hole, a protective film formed on the conductive area inside the contact hole, the protective film being formed on at least one of at least a portion of an inner side surface of the contact hole and the passivation film, and an electrode electrically connected to the conductive area through the contact hole with the protective film interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Indo Chung, Juhong Yang, Eunjoo Lee, Mihee Heo
  • Patent number: 11004988
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, a first doped region positioned at a first surface of the substrate and contains impurities of a second conductive type different from the first conductive type, and a first electrode part electrically connected to the first doped region. The first electrode part includes a thermosetting resin, and first and second conductive particles distributed in the thermosetting resin. The second conductive particles have a work function greater than the first conductive particles and form silicide at an interface contacting the first doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jeongbeom Nam, Mihee Heo, Eunjoo Lee, Ilhyoung Jung
  • Patent number: 11004617
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an organic-inorganic hybrid solar cell, the method including forming a first electrode, forming a first common layer on the first electrode, forming a first light absorbing layer by applying a first perovskite precursor solution including a first organic halide and a first metal halide on the first common layer, forming a second light absorbing layer by applying a second perovskite precursor solution including a second organic halide on the first light absorbing layer, forming a second common layer on the second light absorbing layer; and forming a second electrode on the second common layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Seiyong Kim, Sang Jun Park, Jong Seok Kim, Jaein Lee, Yongnam Kim, Sang Kwon Lee
  • Patent number: 11004943
    Abstract: Methods for forming porous or nanoporous semiconductor materials are described. The methods allow for the formation of arrays pores or nanopores in semiconductor materials with advantageous pore size, spacing, pore volume, material thickness, and other aspects. Porous and nanoporous materials also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Brendan Derek Smith, Jeffrey C. Grossman
  • Patent number: 10994997
    Abstract: A device for producing black phosphorus which includes a reactor having one end connected to a feeding pipe and another end connected to a discharge pipe; a propeller blade unit including a rotating shaft mounted between the two ends of the reactor and a blade element mounted on the rotating shaft; a motor connected to the rotating shaft for controlling a rotation speed of the blade element; a heating device enclosing the reactor at an outer side and defines the reactor into a plurality of heating zones; and an inert gas input connected to the discharge pipe. The device is simple and safe in operation, can optimize the production process at low cost, and has high level of automation, thus facilitating a continuous production of black phosphorus under normal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventors: Ming Lin, Hejun Wang, Xinyue Lin, Xinyang Lin, Yifei Wang, Sam Zhang, Ruoyu Xu, Jizhou Yang, Yixiang Wang
  • Patent number: 10991835
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices having a dilute nitride active layer and at least one semiconductor material overlying the dilute nitride active layer are disclosed. Hybrid epitaxial growth and the use of hydrogen diffusion barrier layers to minimize hydrogen diffusion into the dilute nitride active layer are used to fabricate high-efficiency multijunction solar cells and photonic devices. Hydrogen diffusion barriers can be formed through the use of layer thickness, composition, doping and/or strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ARRAY PHOTONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Aymeric Maros, Ferran Suarez, Jacob Thorp, Michael Sheldon, Ting Liu
  • Patent number: 10985289
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a crystalline silicon substrate, a P-doped silicon oxide layer that is formed on a principal surface of the crystalline silicon substrate and that includes phosphorus as an impurity, and an amorphous silicon layer that includes an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer and a p-type amorphous silicon layer. The intrinsic amorphous silicon layer is formed on the P-doped silicon oxide layer. The p-type amorphous silicon layer is formed on the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer and includes a p-type dopant. The intrinsic amorphous silicon layer includes the p-type dopant. The concentration of the p-type dopant in the thickness direction of the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer has a profile higher than the concentration of the p-type dopant at the interface between the P-doped silicon oxide layer and the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomonori Ueyama
  • Patent number: 10971647
    Abstract: A method of forming a solar cell device that includes forming a porous layer in a monocrystalline donor substrate and forming an epitaxial semiconductor layer on the porous layer. A solar cell structure is formed on the epitaxial semiconductor layer. A carrier substrate is bonded to the solar cell structure through a bonding layer. The monocrystalline donor substrate is removed by cleaving the porous layer. A grid of metal contacts is formed on the epitaxial semiconductor layer. The exposed portions of the epitaxial semiconductor layer are removed. The exposed surface of the solar cell structure is textured. The textured surface may be passivated, in which the passivated surface can provide an anti-reflective coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: AmberWave, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Lochtefeld, Allen Barnett