Polycrystalline Or Amorphous Semiconductor Patents (Class 136/258)
  • Patent number: 11967662
    Abstract: A backside emitter solar cell structure having a heterojunction, and a method and a device for producing the same. A backside intrinsic layer is first formed on the back side of the substrate, then a frontside intrinsic layer and a frontside doping layer are formed on the front side of the substrate, and finally a backside doping layer is formed on the back side of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Meyer Burger (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Jun Zhao, Marcel Koenig
  • Patent number: 11955576
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing a perpetual energy harvester which harvests ambient near ultraviolet to infrared radiation and provides continual power regardless of the environment. The device seeks to harvest the largely overlooked blackbody radiation through use of a semiconductor thermal harvester, providing a continuous source of power. Additionally, increased power output is provided through a solar harvester. The solar and thermal harvesters are physically connected but electrically isolated. “Perpetual energy harvester” as mentioned in this invention is interpreted to mean an energy harvester which is configured to harvest energy during day and/or night and/or light and/or dark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Banpil Photonics, Inc.
    Inventor: Achyut Dutta
  • Patent number: 11942566
    Abstract: A method is provided for preparing at least one textured layer in an optoelectronic device. The method includes epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer of the optoelectronic device over a growth substrate; exposing the semiconductor layer to an etching process to create the at least one textured surface on the semiconductor layer; and lifting the optoelectronic device from the growth substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventors: Yan Zhu, Sean Sweetnam, Brendan M. Kayes, Melissa J. Archer, Gang He
  • Patent number: 11942237
    Abstract: A cable coater system for a downhole tool includes a cable coater. The cable coater may include a housing and one or more rollers that are coupled to the housing, wherein the one or more rollers are configured to rest on the downhole cable while guiding the cable through openings in the cable coater during wireline operations. The cable coater may remain on cable during all spooling (on and off) activities for the duration of operations and activated to coat the cable upon the final pull out of hole and prior to storage of the cable. The spooling in and out of the cable may further be automatically controlled by providing a positional indicator of the cable coater and thus where the cable is in three-dimensional space relative the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marc-Andre de Looz, Bendang Aomeren Imchen, Vassilis Varveropoulos
  • Patent number: 11932960
    Abstract: Methods for light-induced electroplating of aluminum are disclosed herein. Exemplary methods may comprise preparing an ionic liquid comprising aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and an organic halide, placing the silicon substrate into the ionic liquid, illuminating the silicon substrate, the illumination passing through the ionic liquid, and depositing aluminum onto the silicon substrate via a light-induced electroplating process, wherein the light-induced electroplating process utilizes an applied current that does not exceed a photo-generated current generated by the illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Meng Tao, Laidong Wang
  • Patent number: 11908773
    Abstract: An element module includes an element, a plurality of conductive members, and a spacer member. The plurality of conductive members are connected to the element and arranged in a predetermined direction. The spacer member is disposed between two conductive members of the plurality of conductive members adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction and is in contact with parts of the two conductive members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kento Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 11908926
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assembling molecules on the surface of a two-dimensional material formed on a substrate, the method comprises: forming a spacer layer comprising at least one of an electrically insulating compound or a semiconductor compound on the surface of the two-dimensional material, depositing molecules on the spacer layer, annealing the substrate with spacer layer and the molecules at an elevated temperature for an annealing time duration, wherein the temperature and annealing time are such that at least a portion of the molecules are allowed to diffuse through the spacer layer towards the surface of the two-dimensional material to assemble on the surface of the two-dimensional material. The invention also relates to an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: GRAPHENSIC AB
    Inventors: Samuel Lara-Avila, Hans He, Sergey Kubatkin
  • Patent number: 11908963
    Abstract: Photovoltaic device with band-stop filter. The photovoltaic device includes an amorphous photovoltaic material and a band-stop filter structure having a stopband extending from a lower limiting angular frequency ?min?0 to an upper limiting angular frequency ?max where ?max>?min. The band-stop filter structure is arranged in the photovoltaic device relative to the photovoltaic material in order to attenuate electromagnetic radiations reaching the photovoltaic material with angular frequencies of ?* in the stopband, so that ?min<?*<?max. The angular frequencies ?* correspond to electronic excitations ??* from valence band tail (VBT) states of the amorphous photovoltaic material to conduction band tail (CBT) states of the amorphous photovoltaic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: INTERNATIONA BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, EGYPT NANOTECHNOLOGY CENTER
    Inventors: Wanda Andreoni, Alessandro Curioni, Petr Khomyakov, Jeehwan Kim, Devendra K. Sadana, Nasser D. Afify
  • Patent number: 11901475
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for manufacturing a substrate for a solar cell composed of a single crystal silicon, including the steps of: producing a silicon single crystal ingot; slicing a silicon substrate from the silicon single crystal ingot; and subjecting the silicon substrate to low temperature thermal treatment at a temperature of 800° C. or more and less than 1200° C., wherein the silicon single crystal ingot or the silicon substrate is subjected to high temperature thermal treatment at a temperature of 1200° C. or more for 30 seconds or more before the low temperature thermal treatment. As a result, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a substrate for a solar cell that can prevent decrease in the minority carrier lifetime of the substrate even when the substrate has higher oxygen concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Otsuka, Shozo Shirai
  • Patent number: 11882711
    Abstract: A hybrid organic-inorganic solar cell is provided that includes a substrate, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer deposited on the substrate, an n-type electron transport material (ETM) layer, a p-type hole transport material (HTM) layer, an i-type perovskite layer, and an electrode layer, where the substrate layers are arranged in an n-i-p stack, or a p-i-n stack, where the passivating barrier layer is disposed between the layers of the (i) perovskite and HTM, (ii) perovskite and ETM, (iii) perovskite and HTM, and perovskite and ETM, or (iv) TCO and ETM, and ETM and perovskite, and perovskite and HTM, or (v) substrate and TCO, and TCO and ETM, and ETM and perovskite, and perovskite layer and HTM, or (vi) a pair of ETM layers, or (vii) a pair of HTM layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Yinghuan Kuang, Rudolf Emmanuel Isidore Schropp, Dibyashree Koushik, Mariadriana Creatore, Sjoerd Veenstra
  • Patent number: 11876599
    Abstract: In one implementation, a method for a solar cell array is provided, the method includes emitting a communication message from the solar cell array by reverse biasing the solar cell array so as to cause at least a portion of the solar array to emit a detectable amount of radiation corresponding to the communication message. In one embodiment a solar cell array circuit is provided including a solar string comprising a plurality of solar cells coupled together, a charge storage device coupled to a power bus, and a bidirectional boost-buck converter having a first and second pair of MOSFETs connected in series between positive and negative rails of the power bus with an inductor coupled from between the first and second paired MOSFETs to a charging output of the solar string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.
    Inventors: Nader Michael Lotfy, Eric James Aagaard
  • Patent number: 11864298
    Abstract: A device for treating a product with microwaves includes a treatment chamber, in which the product can be transported along a transport path in a transport direction through the treatment chamber, and a microwave radiation device arranged in the treatment chamber, by means of which microwaves coupled into the microwave radiation device can be radiated, which act on the product, wherein the microwave radiation device includes at least one coaxial conductor which protrudes into the treatment chamber, or is arranged therein, with an electrically-conductive internal conductor and an electrically-conductive external conductor, wherein the external conductor, arranged coaxially, surrounds the internal conductor in a spaced manner and includes at least one opening, which enables an emission of microwaves from the coaxial conductor through the opening on to the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MUEGGE GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel Baars, Markus Reichmann, Klaus-Martin Baumgärtner, Niko Voit
  • Patent number: 11855234
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell, includes forming a rounded uneven member having a rounded end portion at a second surface of a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and the second surface opposite to each other, forming conductive regions comprising forming a first conductive region at the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and forming a second conductive region on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second conductive region comprises a semiconductor layer different and separated from the semiconductor substrate and forming electrodes comprising forming a first electrode electrically connected to the first conductive region and forming a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO LTD
    Inventors: Juhwa Cheong, Yundeok Yoon, Jaesung Kim, Junyong Ahn
  • Patent number: 11795575
    Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), HzTe (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11784263
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the ohmic-contact behaviour between a contact grid and an emitter layer of a silicon solar cell. The object of the invention is to propose a method for improving the ohmic-contact behaviour between a contact grid and an emitter layer of a silicon solar cell, in which the effects on materials caused by irradiation of the sun-facing side are further minimized. In addition, the method should also be applicable to silicon solar cells in which the emitter layer has a high sheet resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: CE CELL ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventor: Hongming Zhao
  • Patent number: 11777045
    Abstract: A back contact structure includes: a silicon substrate including a back surface including a plurality of recesses disposed at intervals; a first dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the silicon substrate; a plurality of first doped regions disposed on the first dielectric layer and disposed inside the plurality of recesses; a plurality of second doped regions disposed on the first dielectric layer and disposed outside the plurality of recesses; a second dielectric layer disposed between the first doped regions and the second doped regions; and a conductive layer disposed on the first plurality of doped regions and the plurality of second doped regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SOLARLAB AIKO EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Kaifu Qiu, Yongqian Wang, Xinqiang Yang, Gang Chen
  • Patent number: 11770940
    Abstract: In an imaging element 28, a first light detecting layer 12 includes an organic photoelectric conversion film 38 that detects light of a predetermined wavelength band and carries out photoelectric conversion, and photoelectrically converts incident light on the imaging element and light reflected from a wire grid polarizer layer 14. The wire grid polarizer layer 14 includes polarizers 48 in which linear materials that do not allow transmission of light therethrough are arranged at intervals shorter than the wavelength of the incident light. A second light detecting layer 16 includes photoelectric conversion elements 54 that photoelectrically convert light transmitted through the polarizers 48.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Segawa, Hidehiko Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 11764316
    Abstract: A back contact structure includes: a silicon substrate including a back surface including a plurality of recesses disposed at intervals; a plurality of first conductive regions and a plurality of second conductive regions disposed alternately on the back surface of the silicon substrate; a second dielectric layer disposed between the plurality of first conductive regions and the plurality of second conductive regions; and a conductive layer disposed on the plurality of first conductive regions and the plurality of second conductive regions. One of the plurality of first conductive regions and the plurality of second conductive regions is disposed inside the plurality of recesses, respectively, and the other one is disposed outside the plurality of recesses; each first conductive region includes a first dielectric layer and a first doped region which are disposed successively, and each second conductive region includes a second doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SOLARLAB AIKO EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Kaifu Qiu, Yongqian Wang, Xinqiang Yang, Gang Chen
  • Patent number: 11749768
    Abstract: A solar cell, a method for producing a solar cell, and a solar module are provided. The solar cell includes: an N-type substrate and a P-type emitter formed on a front surface of the substrate; a first passivation layer, a second passivation layer and a third passivation layer sequentially formed over the front surface of the substrate and in a direction away from the P-type emitter, and a passivated contact structure disposed on a rear surface of the substrate. The first passivation layer includes a first Silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) material, where x>y. The second passivation layer includes a first silicon nitride (SimNn) material, where m>n. The third passivation layer includes a second silicon oxynitride (SiOiNj) material, where a ratio of i/j?[0.97, 7.58].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: ZHEJIANG JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD., JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenqi Li, Jie Yang, Xinyu Zhang, Hao Jin
  • Patent number: 11742442
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of processing a solar cell device. The method comprises detecting at least one inconsistency at a surface of a semiconductor substrate having a solar cell active region formed therein. A deposition pattern is determined based on the location of the at least one inconsistency. A material is selectively deposited on the substrate according to the deposition pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Eric Rehder
  • Patent number: 11728455
    Abstract: A method of producing photovoltaic cells with the ?-tandem architecture based on crystalline silicon substrates and quantum dots, ensuring both effective and stable operation of the entire tandem system as well as high absorption in the spectral range from UV to MIR and operation in scattered and incident light conditions at different angles, acting as an anti-reflective layer. A further purpose of the invention is to develop a new structure of a ?-tandem photovoltaic cell based on microcrystalline silicon (Si) layers and a layer of nanometric semiconductor structures with a core-shell architecture such that the resulting structures work as a tandem cell with the characteristics of micro-cells, connected together in its lower part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ML System Spolka Akcyjna
    Inventor: Pawel Kwasnicki
  • Patent number: 11728449
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to photovoltaic devices, CIGS containing films, and methods of manufacturing CIGS containing films and photovoltaic devices to improve quantum efficiency, reduce interface charges, electron losses, and electron re-combinations. The CIGS layers in the photovoltaic devices described herein may be deposited using physical vapor deposition, followed by in-situ oxygen annealing, and further followed by deposition of a cap layer over the CIGS layer without subjecting the CIGS layer to an air break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Hsin-hua Li, Seshadri Ramaswami
  • Patent number: 11721623
    Abstract: A semiconductor nanostructure and an epitaxial semiconductor material portion are formed on a front surface of a substrate, and a planarization dielectric layer is formed thereabove. A first recess cavity is formed over a gate electrode, and a second recess cavity is formed over the epitaxial semiconductor material portion. The second recess cavity is vertically recessed to form a connector via cavity. A metallic cap structure is formed on the gate electrode in the first recess cavity, and a connector via structure is formed in the connector via cavity. Front-side metal interconnect structures are formed on the connector via structure and the metallic cap structure, and a backside via structure is formed through the substrate on the connector via structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Li-Zhen Yu, Chia-Hao Chang, Lin-Yu Huang, Cheng-Chi Chuang, Chih-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 11695085
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell can include a nitrogen-containing metal layer in contact with a semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Upali Jayamaha, Michael T. Steele, Syed Zafar
  • Patent number: 11695084
    Abstract: An antenna electrode including a first electrode that includes a core and a first conductive surface; a second electrode that includes a second conductive surface; and an electrical tunnel junction between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the tunnel junction having a gap width greater than about 0.1 nm and less than about 10 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: University of Connecticut
    Inventor: Brian G. Willis
  • Patent number: 11670729
    Abstract: A solar cell apparatus 100 and a method for forming said solar cell apparatus 100, comprising a substrate 101, a n-type transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer 102 deposited atop said substrate 101, a p-i-n structure 200 that includes a p-type layer 103, an i-type layer 104, a n-type layer 105, a metal back layer 106 deposited atop said n-type layer 105 of the p-i-n structure 200. The n-type layer 105 comprises n-type donors 115 including phosphorus atoms. The n-type donors 115 include oxygen atoms at an atomic concentration comprised between 5% and 25% of the overall atomic composition of the n-type layer 105.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Sun S.R.L.
    Inventors: Anna Battaglia, Cosimo Gerardi, Giuseppe Condorelli, Andrea Canino
  • Patent number: 11670726
    Abstract: A method of generating electricity from light, that uses a photovoltaic array, that includes a junction between an inorganic electron-donating layer and an inorganic electron-accepting layer. The electron-donating layer includes moieties which after photon activation have unpaired electrons, and wherein some of the electrons are freed when light strikes the electron-donating layer, thereby transforming the moieties into free radicals or equivalents but many of the freed electrons recombine. Also, many of the free radicals or equivalents in the triplet state are optimally responsive to a selective magnetic field that has been determined to optimally increase the lifetime of the triplet state of the free radicals and thereby forestall recombination of the freed electrons into the free radicals. A magnetic field of substantially the optimal strength that is substantially unvarying over the electron donating layer is created as the array is being exposed to light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Robert E. Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 11652114
    Abstract: A CMOS sensor includes a silicon material having a surface periodic structure of silicon portions and non-silicon portions, formed by multiple supercells repeated in a 2-dimensional lattice pattern. Each image pixel of the sensor has at least 2×2 supercells. The lattice constants in both lateral directions are within a range defined by a wavelength of the light to be sensed. Within each supercell, the non-silicon portions create an effective refractive index for the light that changes gradually with depth. The non-silicon portions within the supercell have lateral feature sizes smaller the wavelength of the light to be sensed, and vertical feature sizes larger than the wavelength of the light to be sensed. In some examples, each supercell includes at least two inverted pyramids having different base sizes and/or different heights. A dielectric material fills the non-silicon portions of the periodic structure and covers the silicon material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Coherent AI (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventor: Xingze Wang
  • Patent number: 11631777
    Abstract: Thin-film solar cell modules and serial cell-to-cell interconnect structures and methods of fabrication are described. In an embodiment, a solar cell interconnect includes a bypass diode between adjacent solar cells to allow the flow of current around a single solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Swift Solar Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Alexander Bush
  • Patent number: 11605748
    Abstract: A solar cell, a method for producing a solar cell, and a solar module are provided. The solar cell includes: an N-type substrate and a P-type emitter formed on a front surface of the substrate; a first passivation layer, a second passivation layer and a third passivation layer sequentially formed over the front surface of the substrate and in a direction away from the P-type emitter, and a passivated contact structure disposed on a rear surface of the substrate. The first passivation layer includes a first Silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) material, where x>y. The second passivation layer includes a first silicon nitride (SimNn) material, where m>n. The third passivation layer includes a second silicon oxynitride (SiOiNj) material, where a ratio of i/j?[0.97, 7.58].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: ZHEJIANG JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD., JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenqi Li, Jie Yang, Xinyu Zhang, Hao Jin
  • Patent number: 11605749
    Abstract: A backside emitter solar cell structure having a heterojunction, and a method and a device for producing the same. A backside intrinsic layer is first formed on the back side of the substrate, then a frontside intrinsic layer and a frontside doping layer are formed on the front side of the substrate, and finally a backside doping layer is formed on the back side of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Meyer Burger (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Jun Zhao, Marcel Koenig
  • Patent number: 11594694
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic and/or photoelectrochemical device including a conductive support layer, n-type semiconductor, a sensitizer or light-absorber layer, a hole transporting layer, a spacer layer and a back contact, wherein the n-type semiconductor is in contact with the sensitizer or light-absorber layer, the sensitizer or light-absorber layer includes a perovskite or metal halide perovskite material, the hole transporting layer is in direct contact with the sensitizer or light-absorber layer and includes an inorganic hole transporting material or inorganic p-type semiconductor, the spacer layer is between the hole transporting layer and the back contact and includes a material being different from the inorganic hole transporting material and the material of the back contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)
    Inventors: Neha Arora, Mohammad Ibrahim Dar, Shaik Mohammed Zakeeruddin, Michael Graetzel
  • Patent number: 11575058
    Abstract: In a solar power generator, a plurality of first solar cell strings (51) are formed in a way that, in each first solar cell string (51), two or more first solar cells (41) are connected in series and disposed in descending order of potential, with an end narrower in width facing one end (E1) in a first direction (D1), from another end (E2) in the first direction (D1). A plurality of second solar cell strings (52) are formed in a way that, in each second solar cell string (52), two or more second solar cells (42) are connected in series and disposed in descending order of potential, with an end wider in width facing the one end (E1) in the first direction (D1), from the another end (E2) in the first direction (D1). Each of the plurality of first solar cell strings (51) and each of the plurality of second solar cell strings (52) are aligned alternately along the second direction (D2) that is orthogonal to the first direction (D1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Inoue
  • Patent number: 11563170
    Abstract: A laminated seed layer stack with a smooth top surface having a peak to peak roughness of 0.5 nm is formed by sequentially sputter depositing a first seed layer, a first amorphous layer, a second seed layer, and a second amorphous layer where each seed layer may be Mg and has a resputtering rate 2 to 30X that of the amorphous layers that are TaN, SiN, or a CoFeM alloy. A template layer that is NiCr or NiFeCr is formed on the second amorphous layer. As a result, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in an overlying magnetic layer that is a reference layer, free layer, or dipole layer is substantially maintained during high temperature processing up to 400° C. and is advantageous for magnetic tunnel junctions in embedded MRAMs, spintronic devices, or in read head sensors. The laminated seed layer stack may include a bottommost Ta or TaN buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jian Zhu, Guenole Jan, Yuan-Jen Lee, Huanlong Liu, Ru-Ying Tong, Po-Kang Wang
  • Patent number: 11562902
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region, and the substrate may be maintained at a temperature below or about 450° C. The methods may include striking a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a layer of amorphous silicon on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of amorphous silicon may be characterized by less than or about 3% hydrogen incorporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Rui Cheng, Diwakar Kedlaya, Karthik Janakiraman, Gautam K. Hemani, Krishna Nittala, Alicia J. Lustgraaf, Zubin Huang, Brett Spaulding, Shashank Sharma, Kelvin Chan
  • Patent number: 11563134
    Abstract: Systems and methods of three-terminal tandem solar cells are described. Three-terminal metal electrodes can be formed to contact subcells of the tandem solar cell. The three-terminal tandem cell can improve the device efficiency to at least 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harry A. Atwater, Phillip R. Jahelka
  • Patent number: 11557687
    Abstract: A solar cell device includes a light-transmissive substrate, a solar cell module, an optical composite film assembly, and a light-transmissive top plate. The solar cell module is disposed on the light-transmissive substrate and includes a solar cell unit. The optical composite film assembly is light-transmissive, and includes a light diffusion layer and a fiber layer. The optical composite film assembly and the solar cell module are disposed on each other. The light-transmissive top plate is disposed spaced apart from the light-transmissive substrate and cooperates with the light-transmissive substrate to sandwich the solar cell module and the optical composite film assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: SOUTHERN TAIWAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ruei-Tang Chen, Fong-Lang Wu
  • Patent number: 11545590
    Abstract: A solar cell, a method for producing a solar cell, and a solar module are provided. The solar cell includes: an N-type substrate and a P-type emitter formed on a front surface of the substrate; a first passivation layer, a second passivation layer and a third passivation layer sequentially formed over the front surface of the substrate and in a direction away from the P-type emitter, and a passivated contact structure disposed on a rear surface of the substrate. The first passivation layer includes a first Silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) material, where x>y. The second passivation layer includes a first silicon nitride (SimNn) material, where m>n. The third passivation layer includes a second silicon oxynitride (SiOiNj) material, where a ratio of i/j?[0.97, 7.58].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: ZHEJIANG JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD., JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenqi Li, Jie Yang, Xinyu Zhang, Hao Jin
  • Patent number: 11505866
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, film formation apparatus includes: a carrying unit that includes a rotation table which circulates and carries a workpiece; a film formation process unit which includes a target formed of a silicon material, and a plasma producer that produces plasma of a sputter gas introduced between the target and the rotation table, and which forms a silicon film on the workpiece by sputtering; and a hydrogenation process unit which includes a process gas introducing unit that introduces a process gas containing a hydrogen gas, and a plasma producer that produces plasma of the process gas, and which performs hydrogenation on the silicon film formed on the workpiece. The carrying unit carries the workpiece so as to alternately pass through the film formation process unit and through the hydrogenation process unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: Daisuke Ono, Akihiko Ito
  • Patent number: 11495452
    Abstract: A method for preparing a silicon nitride film with a high deposition rate and a reduced damage to the substrate and/or the underlying layer formed under the silicon nitride film. The method for preparing a silicon nitride film contains the steps of irradiating a nitride with an ultraviolet light, and contacting the nitride irradiated with the ultraviolet light and a hydrogenated cyclic silane represented by a general formula SinH2n, wherein n is 5, 6, or 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignees: TOHKU UNIVERSITY, NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Teramoto, Yoshinobu Shiba, Takashi Abe, Akira Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11482672
    Abstract: A solid junction-type photoelectric conversion element (10) including a first conductive layer (2), an electric power generation layer (4), and a second conductive layer (6), which are laminated in this order, wherein the electric power generation layer (4) comprises: a perovskite compound represented by a composition formula ABX3, formed of an organic cation A, a metal cation B and a halide anion X, and a compound Z having no perovskite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Fujinuma, Junichiro Anzai, Sachiko Satou
  • Patent number: 11482630
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the ohmic-contact behaviour between a contact grid and an emitter layer of a silicon solar cell. The object of the invention is to propose a method for improving the ohmic-contact behaviour between a contact grid and an emitter layer of a silicon solar cell, in which the effects on materials caused by irradiation of the sun-facing side are further minimized. In addition, the method should also be applicable to silicon solar cells in which the emitter layer has a high sheet resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: CE CELL ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventor: Hongming Zhao
  • Patent number: 11450775
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a solar cell and a method for producing same. The solar cell includes: a substrate; a first passivation film, an anti-reflection layer and at least one first electrode formed on a front surface of the substrate; and a tunneling layer, a field passivation layer and at least one second electrode formed on a rear surface. The field passivation layer includes a first field passivation sub-layer and a second field passivation sub-layer; a conductivity of the first field passivation sub-layer is greater than a conductivity of the second field passivation sub-layer, and a thickness of the second field passivation sub-layer is smaller than a thickness of the first field passivation sub-layer; either the at least one first electrode or the at least one second electrode includes a silver electrode, a conductive adhesive and an electrode film that are sequentially formed in a direction away from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignees: Jinko Green Energy (Shanghai) Management Co., LTD., ZHEJIANG JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jingsheng Jin, Xinyu Zhang
  • Patent number: 11437535
    Abstract: A voltage-matched solar module for converting incident solar radiation into electricity consisting of a plurality of wafer-sized multi-junction solar devices and wiring circuitry adjacent to a module-sized bottom substrate. Each solar device has at least two photovoltaic (PV) cells separated by electrically insulating transparent layers. The PV cells are aligned so as to overlap and are electrically connected to the wiring circuitry by conducting vias. The wiring circuitry includes a multiplicity of serial strings electrically connected in parallel and having substantially the same voltage. A method of producing the solar module is disclosed which utilizes an ALD/LPCVD tool for van der Waals epitaxy of 2D materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventor: Moshe Einav
  • Patent number: 11431280
    Abstract: One embodiment can provide a photovoltaic roof tile. The photovoltaic roof tile can include a transparent front cover, a transparent back cover, and a plurality of polycrystalline-Si-based photovoltaic structures positioned between the front cover and the back cover. A respective polycrystalline-Si-based photovoltaic structure has a front surface facing the front cover and a back surface facing the back cover. The photovoltaic roof tile can further include a paint layer positioned on a back surface of the back cover facing away from the front cover. A color of the paint layer substantially matches a color of the front surface of the respective polycrystalline-Si-based photovoltaic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: John Liu, Yangsen Kang, Anh N. Duong, Yongkee Chae, Milan Padilla, Chen Wang, Remy D. Labesque
  • Patent number: 11398567
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a negative capacitance structure, a ferroelectric dielectric layer is formed over a first conductive layer disposed over a substrate, and a second conductive layer is formed over the ferroelectric dielectric layer. The ferroelectric dielectric layer includes an amorphous layer and crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wilman Tsai, Ling-Yen Yeh
  • Patent number: 11393996
    Abstract: The present application relates to an organic electronic device comprising a first electrode; a second electrode provided opposite to the first electrode; a photoactive layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; and an electron transfer layer provided between the photoactive layer and the first electrode, wherein the electron transfer layer comprises a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle having one or more amine groups bonding to a surface thereof, and a method for manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Younshin Kim, Songrim Jang, Doowhan Choi, Jung Ha Park, Seung Jun Yoo
  • Patent number: 11335893
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of OLED microcavity structure is provided. The manufacturing method includes: forming a reflective anode on a substrate; forming a transparent conductive film layer having a thickness corresponding to a required pixel on the reflective anode; patterning the transparent conductive film layer and the reflective anode with a pixel mask corresponding to the required pixel to form a pattern of the required pixel; and repeating the above steps on a resultant structure surface according to display requirements until a pixel display structure required by a display device is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ying Han, Wei Liu, Jianye Zhang, Fengjuan Liu, Xing Zhang
  • Patent number: 11328876
    Abstract: A light-absorbing material contains a compound represented by the composition formula HC(NH2)2SnI3 and having a perovskite structure. A solid-state 1H-NMR spectrum, which is obtained by 1H-14N HMQC measurement in two-dimensional NMR at 25° C., of the compound includes a first peak at 6.9 ppm and a second peak at 7.0 ppm. A peak intensity of the first peak is equal to 80% or more of a peak intensity of the second peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyuki Sekimoto, Michio Suzuka, Tomoyasu Yokoyama, Yoshiko Miyamoto, Taisuke Matsui
  • Patent number: 11309441
    Abstract: Discussed is a solar cell including a semiconductor substrate, a first tunneling layer entirely formed over a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive type area disposed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an electrode including a first electrode connected to the first conductive type area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaewon Chang, Kyungjin Shim, Hyunjung Park, Junghoon Choi