Lateral Series Connected Array Patents (Class 438/80)
  • Publication number: 20140246070
    Abstract: A thin film solar module having a series connection is described. The thin film solar module has a back electrode layer that is divided into regions by a first set of structuring lines, a photoactive semiconductor layer that is arranged on the back electrode layer and divided by a second set of structuring lines, and a front electrode layer that is arranged on the side of the photoactive semiconductor layer opposite the back electrode layer and divided into regions by a third set of structuring lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventor: Franz Karg
  • Patent number: 8822255
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell, which includes an edge deletion step using a laser beam, and a manufacturing apparatus which is used in such a method, the method and the apparatus being capable of preventing a shunt and cracks from being generated are provided. By radiating a first laser beam to a multilayer body, which includes a transparent electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a back electrode layer sequentially formed on a transparent substrate, from a side of the transparent substrate, the photoelectric conversion layer and the back electrode layer in a first region are removed, and by radiating a second laser beam into the region such that the second laser beam is spaced from a peripheral rim of the region, the transparent electrode layer in a second region is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ulvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Yamamoto, Hitoshi Ikeda, Tomoki Ohnishi, Kouichi Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 8822813
    Abstract: An improved submicron gap thermophotovoltaic structure and method comprising an emitter substrate with a first surface for receiving heat energy and a second surface for emitting infrared radiation across an evacuated submicron gap to a juxtaposed first surface of an infrared radiation-transparent window substrate having a high refractive index. A second surface of the infrared radiation-transparent substrate opposite the first surface is affixed to a photovoltaic cell substrate by an infrared-transparent compliant adhesive layer. Relying on the high refractive index of the infrared radiation-transparent window substrate, the low refractive index of the submicron gap and Snell's law, the infrared radiation received by the first surface of the infrared radiation-transparent window substrate is focused onto a more perpendicular path to the surface of the photovoltaic cell substrate. This results in increased electrical power output and improved efficiency by the thermophotovoltaic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: MTPV Power Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Greiff, Robert Dimatteo, Eric Brown, Christopher Leitz
  • Publication number: 20140231950
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming a first circuit substrate having a first interconnection; forming a second circuit substrate having a second interconnection; bonding the first circuit substrate to the top surface of the second circuit substrate so as to be stacked facing each other; and performing an etching process of simultaneously removing parts formed on the first interconnection and the second interconnection in a stacked body of the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate so as to form a first opening in the top surface of the first interconnection and to form a second opening in the top surface of the second interconnection. The forming of the first circuit substrate includes forming an etching stopper layer on the surface of the first interconnection out of a material having an etching rate lower than that of the first interconnection in the etching process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ikue Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 8809102
    Abstract: A method of connecting solar battery cells, each provided with a front-face and a back-face electrode, comprises: preparing a wiring member including a strip-like conductive substrate and an adhesive layer provided on one face of the substrate, and bonding the adhesive layer on one end portion of the wiring member with the front-face electrode or the back-face electrode of one cell; turning an other end portion of the wiring member having completed the above preparation, around a central axis along a longitudinal direction so an adhesive layer surface of the other end portion is opposite in orientation to an adhesive layer surface of the one end portion; and then bonding the adhesive layer of the other end portion of the wiring member with an electrode of another solar battery cell having an opposite polarity to the electrode of the one cell previously bonded in the aforementioned preparation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiro Shimizu, Kaoru Okaniwa, Naoki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8809109
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thin-film photovoltaic device includes providing a glass substrate contained sodium species. The glass substrate comprising a surface region and a peripheral edge region surround the surface region. The method further includes forming a barrier material overlying the surface region and partially overlying the peripheral edge region and forming a conductor material overlying the barrier material. Additionally, the method includes forming at least a first trench in a vicinity of the peripheral edge region to remove substantially the conductor material therein and forming precursor materials overlying the patterned conductor material. Furthermore, the method includes thermally treating the precursor materials to transform the precursor materials into a film of photovoltaic absorber. The first trench is configured to maintain the film of photovoltaic absorber substantially free from peeling off the conductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Stion Corporation
    Inventors: Laila Dounas, Robert D. Wieting, Chester A. Farris, III
  • Patent number: 8796064
    Abstract: A method for producing thin-film solar modules, comprising the following steps: providing flexible thin-film solar cells as separate segments in a container or on a web wound up to a roll, the flexible thin-film solar cells bearing with a first side against the web, wherein each of the flexible thin-film solar cells is designed to have a first electric pole and a second electric pole; transferring the flexible thin-film solar cells from the web to a first film web such that the first pole of a first flexible thin-film solar cell is positioned next to the second pole of a second thin-film solar cell; and applying electrically conductive contact strips to the first and second poles of the flexible thin-film solar cells in longitudinal and/or transverse direction relative to the conveying direction of the first film web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Muehlbauer AG
    Inventor: Volker Brod
  • Publication number: 20140213013
    Abstract: Photovoltaic modules may include multiple flexible thin film photovoltaic cells electrically connected in series by a substantially transparent top sheet having an embedded conductive wire grid pattern. Methods of manufacturing photovoltaic modules including integrated multi-cell interconnections are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicants: Global Solar Energy, Inc., Hanergy Hi-Tech Power (HK) Limited
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. BRITT, Scott WIEDEMAN
  • Publication number: 20140197513
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor image sensor device. The image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate that includes an array region and a black level correction region. The array region contains a plurality of radiation-sensitive pixels. The black level correction region contains one or more reference pixels. The substrate has a front side and a back side. The image sensor device includes a first compressively-stressed layer formed on the back side of the substrate. The first compressively-stressed layer contains silicon nitride. The image sensor device includes a metal shield formed on the compressively-stressed layer. The metal shield is formed over at least a portion of the black level correction region. The image sensor device includes a second compressively-stressed layer formed on the metal shield and the first compressively-stressed layer. The second compressively-stressed layer contains silicon oxide. A sidewall of the metal shield is protected by the second compressively-stressed layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Wei-Chih Weng, Hsun-Ying Huang, Yung-Cheng Chang, Jin-Hong Cho
  • Patent number: 8779281
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a semi-conductive substrate, a doping layer, an anti-reflection layer, an electrode, a passivation stacked layer and a contact layer. The semi-conductive substrate has a front and a back surface. The doping layer is disposed on the front surface. The anti-reflection layer is disposed on the doping layer. The electrode is disposed on the anti-reflection layer and electrically connected to the doping layer. The passivation stacked layer is disposed on the back surface and has a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a middle dielectric layer sandwiched between the first and the second dielectric layer. The dielectric constant of the middle dielectric layer is substantially lower than the dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer and the dielectric constant of the second dielectric layer. The contact layer covers the passivation stacked layer and electrically contacts with the back surface of the semi-conductive substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng Hu, Peng Chen, Tsung-Pao Chen, Shuo-Wei Liang, Zhen-Cheng Wu, Chien-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 8778723
    Abstract: The invention relates to a serial connection of thin layer solar cells. The invention provides a structuring method for creating a reliable and effective connections, preventing short-circuits and enlarging usable solar cell surfaces. The solar cells comprise a substrate, a back contact layer, an absorber layer, a buffer layer, and a transparent front contact layer. Each solar cell is subdivided by three trenches A, B, C to create a plurality of adjacent cell segments. Trenches A and B extend down to the back contact layer, trench C extends down to the substrate. Trench C is filled with electrically insulating paste and trench B is filled with electrically conducting paste. The electrically conducting paste also covers trench C. The adjacent cell segments are electrically connected. Trench A is then created and filled with electrically insulating paste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Solarion AG Photovoltaik
    Inventors: Karsten Otte, Alexander Braun, Steffen Ragnow, Andreas Rahm, Christian Scheit
  • Publication number: 20140174520
    Abstract: A thin film photovoltaic cell has an insulating substrate divided into a plurality of unit cells by alternately forming patterning lines in layers stacked on two faces of the insulating substrate; a rear face electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a transparent electrode layer stacked in order on one face of the insulating substrate accordingly; and a back face electrode layer deposited on the other face of the insulating substrate. The photovoltaic cell further has a first penetrating hole penetrating the insulating substrate to electrically connect the transparent electrode layer and the back face electrode layer; a second penetrating hole penetrating the insulating substrate to electrically connect the rear face electrode layer and the back face electrode layer; and a transparent electrode layer removal portion in which the transparent electrode layer at least in a region surrounding the second penetrating hole is removed by an ultraviolet pulsed laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Satoshi Sawayanagi, Takehito Wada, Hiroaki Nakahara, Masaaki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8759663
    Abstract: An object is to provide a method of manufacturing a solar battery, in which residues such as a flux and organic matters remaining on cell surfaces are preferably removed and in which an energy conversion efficiency is largely enhanced, and the method comprises: a flux applying step of applying a flux to the surfaces of cells; a tab disposing step of disposing the tabs over the adjacent cells to which the flux has been applied; a tab string step of connecting the tabs to the cells by soldering; and a cell heating step of heating the cells connected to the tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Okamoto, Masao Turi
  • Patent number: 8754495
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a photodiode array having different photodiode structures includes providing a semiconductor substrate having first and second diode areas including a bottom substrate portion doped with a first doping type, an intrinsic layer, and a top silicon layer doped with a second doping type. The second diode areas are implanted with the second doping type. A dopant concentration in the surface of the second diode areas is at least three times higher than in the first diode areas. The top silicon layer is thermally oxidized to form a thermal silicon oxide layer to provide a bottom Anti-Reflective Coating (ARC) layer. The second diode areas grow thermal silicon oxide thicker as compared to the first diode areas. A top ARC layer is deposited on the bottom ARC layer. First PDs are provided in the first diode areas and second PDs provided in the second diode areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tomomatsu, Motoaki Kusamaki, Kohichi Kubota, Yuta Masuda, Akihiro Sugihara, Hiroshi Sera Kitada, Takeshi Konno
  • Publication number: 20140154833
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a detection apparatus is provided. The method includes depositing a first impurity semiconductor layer and a first intrinsic semiconductor layer in this order on a plurality of first electrodes arranged in an array above a substrate. The method also includes patterning the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and the first impurity semiconductor layer and thereby dividing the first intrinsic semiconductor layer and the first impurity semiconductor layer so as to cover each of the plurality of first electrodes separately. The method further includes depositing a second intrinsic semiconductor layer on the patterned first intrinsic semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Wayama, Minoru Watanabe, Keigo Yokoyama, Masato Ofuji, Jun Kawanabe, Kentaro Fujiyoshi
  • Publication number: 20140150843
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system comprises one or more shingle-like photovoltaic (PV) modules, each having a layer of optically transparent material adjacent to a layer of photoactive material configured to generate electricity upon exposure to light from the layer of optically transparent material. In some cases the layer of optically transparent material of each of the one or more shingle-like PV modules has a pattern of depressions in a shingle-like configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: NUVOSUN, INC.
    Inventors: David B. Pearce, Dennis R. Hollars, Robert J. Cleereman
  • Patent number: 8741681
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes an element isolation insulating film electrically isolating pixels on the surface of a well region; a first isolation diffusion layer electrically isolating the pixels under the element isolation insulating film; and a second isolation diffusion layer electrically isolating the pixels under the first isolation diffusion layer, wherein a charge accumulation region is disposed in the well region surrounded by the first and second isolation diffusion layers, the inner peripheral part of the first isolation diffusion layer forms a projecting region, an impurity having a conductivity type of the first isolation diffusion layer and an impurity having a conductivity type of the charge accumulation region are mixed in the projecting region, and a part of the charge accumulation region between the charge accumulation region and the second isolation diffusion layer is abutted or close to the second isolation diffusion layer under the projecting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Tatani, Hideshi Abe, Masanori Ohashi, Atsushi Masagaki, Atsuhiko Yamamoto, Masakazu Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20140145288
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including: a laminated semiconductor chip configured to be obtained by bonding two or more semiconductor chip sections to each other and be obtained by bonding at least a first semiconductor chip section in which a pixel array and a multilayer wiring layer are formed and a second semiconductor chip section in which a logic circuit and a multilayer wiring layer are formed to each other in such a manner that the multilayer wiring layers are opposed to each other and are electrically connected to each other; and a light blocking layer configured to be formed by an electrically-conductive film of the same layer as a layer of a connected interconnect of one or both of the first and second semiconductor chip sections near bonding between the first and second semiconductor chip sections. The solid-state imaging device is a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8735212
    Abstract: A silicon solar cell is manufactured by providing a carrier plate, and by applying a first contact pattern to the carrier plate. The first contact pattern includes a set of first laminar contacts. The silicon solar cell is further manufactured by applying a multitude of silicon slices to the first contact pattern, and by applying a second contact pattern to the multitude of silicon slices. Each first laminar contact of the set of first laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices. The second contact pattern includes a set of second laminar contacts. Each second laminar contact of the set of second laminar contacts is in spatial laminar contact with maximally two silicon slices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rainer Klaus Krause, Gerd Pfeiffer, Hans-Juergen Eickelmann, Thorsten Muehge
  • Publication number: 20140116493
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a solar cell module and a manufacturing method thereof. In the solar cell module according to the present invention, disposition structure of charge transport layers of individual cells configuring the solar cell is different, but the charge transport layers are disposed so as to be alternated with neighboring cells and the individual cells are connected in series to each other using an electrode as a connecting part between cells, such that a current may be decreased and a voltage may be increased, and an additional space for connecting the individual cells in series to each other is not required, such that high photovoltaic conversion efficiency and low power loss may be obtained at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Kwanghee Lee, Jongjin Lee, Hyungcheol Back
  • Publication number: 20140109949
    Abstract: A method for improving a nominal output of a thin-film solar module with a laminated composite of two substrates which are connected to each other by at least one adhesive layer and between which there are solar cells connected in series is described. The method relates to solar cells being illuminated with an artificial light with an irradiance of at least 5 kW/m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Alejandro Avellan, Manfred Gruenerbel
  • Patent number: 8703525
    Abstract: A solar cell includes; a substrate; a first electrode disposed on the substrate, and including a first groove formed therein, a semiconductor layer disposed on the first electrode, and including a second groove formed therein, and a second electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer and connected to the first electrode via the second groove, wherein a third groove passing through the first electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the second electrode is formed in a first region, a fourth groove passing through only the semiconductor layer and the second electrode is formed in a second region, and the first region and the second region are alternately disposed along a direction of extension of the third groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joong-Hyun Park
  • Patent number: 8691615
    Abstract: An image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same. The image sensor includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that are horizontally arranged and selectively emit electric signals by absorbing color beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyu-sik Kim
  • Publication number: 20140090686
    Abstract: Provided in one embodiment is an article, comprising: a substrate comprising silicon; and a plurality of solar cells disposed over the substrate, wherein at least one of the plurality of the solar cells comprises one of: (i) a first semiconductor layer disposed over the substrate, the first layer comprising at least one semiconductor material; and (ii) a first Ge-containing layer disposed over the substrate, the first layer comprising a Ge-containing material, and a second layer disposed over the first layer, the second layer comprising at least one semiconductor material. At least some of the solar cells may comprise semiconductor materials of different bandgap values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Patent number: 8686281
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor circuit on an insulated metal substrate, which includes an anodized film formed on at least one side of an Al substrate, wherein the Al substrate has a potential higher than an average potential of the semiconductor circuit when the semiconductor circuit is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenori Yuuya
  • Patent number: 8679933
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating semiconductor devices, such as complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imagers, include fabricating transistors and other low-elevation features on an active surface of a fabrication substrate, and fabricating contact plugs, conductive lines, external contacts, and other higher-elevation features on the back side of the fabrication substrate. Semiconductor devices with transistors on the active surface and contact plugs that extend through the substrate are also disclosed, as are electronic devices including such semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle K. Kirby, Steve Oliver
  • Publication number: 20140060613
    Abstract: Embodiments of the subject invention relate to solar panels, methods of fabricating solar panels, and methods of using solar panels to capture and store solar energy. An embodiment of a solar panel can include a photovoltaic cell that is sensitive to visible light and an infrared photovoltaic cell that is sensitive to light having a wavelength of greater than 0.70 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicants: NANOHOLDINGS, LLC, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Franky SO, Do Young Kim, Bhabendra K. Pradhan
  • Publication number: 20140053888
    Abstract: A solar cell includes negative metal contact fingers and positive metal contact fingers. The negative metal contact fingers are interdigitated with the positive metal contact fingers. The metal contact fingers, both positive and negative, have a radial design where they radially extend to surround at least 25% of a perimeter of a corresponding contact pad. The metal contact fingers have bend points, which collectively form a radial pattern with a center point within the contact pad. Exactly two metal contact pads merge into a single leading metal contact pad that is wider than either of the exactly two metal contact pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Staffan WESTERBERG, Peter J. COUSINS
  • Patent number: 8652864
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes an element isolation insulating film electrically isolating pixels on the surface of a well region; a first isolation diffusion layer electrically isolating the pixels under the element isolation insulating film; and a second isolation diffusion layer electrically isolating the pixels under the first isolation diffusion layer, wherein a charge accumulation region is disposed in the well region surrounded by the first and second isolation diffusion layers, the inner peripheral part of the first isolation diffusion layer forms a projecting region, an impurity having a conductivity type of the first isolation diffusion layer and an impurity having a conductivity type of the charge accumulation region are mixed in the projecting region, and a part of the charge accumulation region between the charge accumulation region and the second isolation diffusion layer is abutted or close to the second isolation diffusion layer under the projecting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Tatani, Hideshi Abe, Masanori Ohashi, Atsushi Masagaki, Atsuhiko Yamamoto, Masakazu Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20140038343
    Abstract: The solar cell module having a preferable edge space that prevents characteristics of a solar cell such as conversion efficiency from being deteriorated without making processes complicated is provided. In a method for manufacturing a solar cell module including a substrate glass, a first layer formed on the substrate glass and a second layer formed on the first layer, the method includes a step of forming a first edge space having a first width by removing the first layer and the second layer by the first width from an end part of the glass substrate and a step of forming a second edge space by removing only the second layer by a second width from the end part of the glass substrate, and the width of the second edge space is larger than the width of the first edge space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    Inventors: Hirofumi NISHI, Hirohisa SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8643064
    Abstract: A photodetector is described along with corresponding materials, systems, and methods. The photodetector comprises an integrated circuit and at least two optically sensitive layers. A first optically sensitive layer is over at least a portion of the integrated circuit, and a second optically sensitive layer is over the first optically sensitive layer. Each optically sensitive layer is interposed between two electrodes. The two electrodes include a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode. The integrated circuit selectively applies a bias to the electrodes and reads signals from the optically sensitive layers. The signal is related to the number of photons received by the respective optically sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Tian, Edward Sargent
  • Patent number: 8633373
    Abstract: An MTPV thermophotovoltaic chip comprising a photovoltaic cell substrate, micron/sub-micron gap-spaced from a juxtaposed heat or infrared radiation-emitting substrate, with a radiation-transparent intermediate window substrate preferably compliantly adhered to the photovoltaic cell substrate and bounding the gap space therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: MTPV Power Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Greiff, Robert DiMatteo, Eric Brown, Christopher Leitz
  • Patent number: 8628995
    Abstract: A tandem thin-film silicon solar cell comprises a transparent substrate, a first unit cell positioned on the transparent substrate, the first unit cell comprising a p-type window layer, an i-type absorber layer and an n-type layer, an intermediate reflection layer positioned on the first unit cell, the intermediate reflection layer including a hydrogenated n-type microcrystalline silicon oxide of which the oxygen concentration is profiled to be gradually increased and a second unit cell positioned on the intermediate reflection layer, the second unit cell comprising a p-type window layer, an i-type absorber layer and an n-type layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Yeop Myong
  • Publication number: 20140008653
    Abstract: Provided is a multi-wave band light sensor combined with a function of infrared ray (IR) sensing including a substrate, an IR sensing structure, a dielectric layer, and a multi-wave band light sensing structure. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. The IR sensing structure is in the substrate for sensing IR. The dielectric layer is on the IR sensing structure. The multi-wave band light sensing structure includes a first wave band light sensor, a second wave band light sensor, and a third wave band light sensor. The second wave band light sensor and the first wave band light sensor are overlapped and disposed on the IR sensing structure on the first region of the substrate from the bottom up. The third wave band light sensor is in the dielectric layer of the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Maxchip Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Jin-Wei Chang, Hung-Lung Wang, Jung-Kai Hung
  • Publication number: 20140000677
    Abstract: A method for producing a dye-sensitized solar cell includes: preparing a first electrode comprising a transparent substrate and a transparent conductive film, and a second electrode comprising a metal substrate that is formed of a metal capable of forming a passivation film; forming an oxide semiconductor layer on the first electrode; supporting a photosensitized dye on the oxide semiconductor layer; disposing an electrolyte on the oxide semiconductor layer; facing the first electrode and the second electrode, and sealing the electrolyte by a sealing section; and fixing a connection member formed of a metal having lower resistance than the metal substrate, onto the surface of the metal substrate, with the surface being on the opposite side of the first electrode, in which method in fixing the connection member, the connection member is bonded to the metal substrate by resistance welding, and thereby the connection member is fixed onto the metal substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu ISOBE, Hiroshi MATSUI, Kenichi OKADA, Kazuhiro YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20130341491
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a matrix above the substrate, and electrically isolated from each other; an insulator layer covering the first electrodes, having a planarized upper surface, and comprising an insulator; a photoelectric conversion film which is formed above the insulator layer, and converts light into signal charges; a second electrode formed above the photoelectric conversion film; and a signal readout circuit which is formed on the substrate, and generates a readout signal by detecting an amount of current change or voltage change caused by the signal charges at each of the first electrodes, in which the insulator layer allows conduction of at least electrons or holes by quantum mechanical tunneling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka HIROSE, Ryohei MIYAGAWA, Tetsuya UEDA, Yoshihisa KATO
  • Patent number: 8603853
    Abstract: The solar cell module having a preferable edge space that prevents characteristics of a solar cell such as conversion efficiency from being deteriorated without making processes complicated is provided. In a method for manufacturing a solar cell module including a substrate glass, a first layer formed on the substrate glass and a second layer formed on the first layer, the method includes a step of forming a first edge space having a first width by removing the first layer and the second layer by the first width from an end part of the glass substrate and a step of forming a second edge space by removing only the second layer by a second width from the end part of the glass substrate, and the width of the second edge space is larger than the width of the first edge space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Nishi, Hirohisa Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8604334
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a simple process to manufacture a wiring connecting photoelectric cells in a photoelectric conversion device. Another object of this invention is to prevent defective rupture from occurring in the said wiring. The photoelectric conversion device comprises a first and a second photoelectric conversion cells comprising respectively a first and a second single crystal semiconductor layers. First electrodes are provided on the downwards surfaces of the first and second photoelectric conversion cells, and second electrodes are provided on their upwards surfaces. The first and second photoelectric conversion cells are fixed onto a support substrate side by side. The second single crystal semiconductor layer has a through hole which reaches the first electrode. The second electrode of the first photoelectric conversion cell is extended to the through hole to be electrically connected to the first electrode of the second photoelectric conversion cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Arai
  • Publication number: 20130312808
    Abstract: A thin film solar module including at least one first sub module including a plurality of first thin film solar cells connected with one another in series; and a second sub module connected with the first sub module in parallel, the second sub module including a plurality of second thin film solar cells connected with one another in series. The sub modules are formed on a shared substrate in a monolithic manner, wherein a first connecting cell including the first thin film solar cells and a second connecting cell including the second thin film solar cells are arranged adjacent to one another, spaced apart from each other through an insulation trench and electrically connected with one another through a shared contact. The invention further relates to a method for producing a thin film solar module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Bauer, Jochen Fritsche, Frank Becker, Matthias Huchel
  • Patent number: 8592248
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical etching method to electrically isolate the edge from the interior of a thin-film photovoltaic panel comprising a substrate and a photovoltaic laminate. The method comprises a step to dispense an etching paste comprising two or more acids on the laminate periphery; an optional step to apply heat to the laminate; and a step to remove the etching paste. The method is further characterized by the chemical removal of at least two chemically distinctive layers of the laminate at the periphery where the etching paste is applied. The method may be used to produce a thin-film photovoltaic panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Lap-Tak Andrew Cheng, Meijun Lu
  • Publication number: 20130307041
    Abstract: Before transmitting a print job to a printing apparatus, a CPU of a print processing apparatus determines whether paper information designated in the print job has been registered in a paper information database of the print processing apparatus. If the paper information has not been registered, the CPU extracts paper information similar to the paper information designated in the print job from those stored in the paper information database of the print processing apparatus. Furthermore, the CPU copies information about the dependency on the printing apparatus, which is included in the extracted paper information (printer dependency information) to the paper information designated in the print job. Then, the CPU registers the paper information designated in the print job, to which the printer dependency information has been copied, in a paper information database of the printing apparatus and transmits the print job to the printing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Publication number: 20130299935
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an image sensor may include at least one of the following steps. Forming at least one device isolation layer that passes through an epitaxial layer in a semiconductor substrate to isolate pixel regions. Forming a light-receiving element in each pixel region. The method may include forming a transistor in the active region of the semiconductor substrate partitioned by the device isolation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Youn CHO
  • Publication number: 20130299887
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion section, and a conversion section that converts an electric charge generated by photoelectric conversion into a pixel signal. In the solid-state imaging device, substantially only a gate insulation film is formed on a substrate corresponding to an area under a gate electrode of at least one transistor in the pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventor: Kazuichiro ITONAGA
  • Publication number: 20130280853
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods of forming different types of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells and Copper Indium Gallium DiSelenide (CIGS) solar cells that can be combinatorially varied and evaluated. These methodologies all incorporate the formation of site-isolated regions using a combinatorial processing tool and the use of these site-isolated regions to form the solar cell area. Therefore, multiple solar cells may be rapidly formed on a single substrate for use in combinatorial methodologies. Any of the individual processes of the methods described may be varied combinatorially to test varied process conditions or materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: INTERMOLECULAR, INC.
    Inventors: Upendra Avachat, Tony Chiang, Craig Hunter, Jian Li, Guizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 8563846
    Abstract: A thin film type solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed, the thin film type solar cell comprising a substrate; a plurality of front electrodes on the substrate at fixed intervals by each first separating part interposed in-between; a plurality of semiconductor layers on the front electrodes at fixed intervals by each contact part interposed in-between; and a plurality of rear electrodes connected with the front electrodes through the contact part, provided at fixed intervals by each second separating part interposed in-between, wherein a main isolating part is formed in the outermost front electrode, the outermost semiconductor layer, and the outermost rear electrode, wherein an auxiliary isolating part is formed in at least one of the outermost front electrode and the outermost rear electrode, wherein the auxiliary isolating part is positioned on the inside of the main isolating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won Seok Park, Yong Woo Shin, Seong Ryong Hwang
  • Publication number: 20130270667
    Abstract: A method includes forming a plurality of image sensors on a front side of a semiconductor substrate, and forming a dielectric layer on a backside of the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer is over the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layer is patterned into a plurality of grid-filling regions, wherein each of the plurality of grid-filling regions overlaps one of the plurality of image sensors. A metal layer is formed on top surfaces and sidewalls of the plurality of grid-filling regions. The metal layer is etched to remove horizontal portions of the metal layer, wherein vertical portions of the metal layer remain after the step of etching to form a metal grid. A transparent material is filled into grid openings of the metal grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Chien Wang, Chu-Wei Chang, Wang-Pen Mo, Hung-Chang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8558286
    Abstract: A photodetector is described along with corresponding materials, systems, and methods. The photodetector comprises an integrated circuit and at least two optically sensitive layers. A first optically sensitive layer is over at least a portion of the integrated circuit, and a second optically sensitive layer is over the first optically sensitive layer. Each optically sensitive layer is interposed between two electrodes. The two electrodes include a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode. The integrated circuit selectively applies a bias to the electrodes and reads signals from the optically sensitive layers. The signal is related to the number of photons received by the respective optically sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Tian, Edward Sargent
  • Publication number: 20130255745
    Abstract: A thin layered solar module having a plurality of serially connected thin layer solar cells for producing photovoltaic energy is described. The module has two substrates which are interconnected by an adhesive layer. Each solar cell has a layer structure arranged between the two substrates, having a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and a semi-conductor layer which is arranged between both electrode layers. The semi-conductor layer forms a pn-junction and is doped with a doping material. The adhesive layer has a certain amount of doping material such that the doping material from the semi-conductor layer is prevented from diffusing into the adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Matthias Doech, Walter Stetter
  • Patent number: 8546853
    Abstract: A photodetector is described along with corresponding materials, systems, and methods. The photodetector comprises an integrated circuit and at least two optically sensitive layers. A first optically sensitive layer is over at least a portion of the integrated circuit, and a second optically sensitive layer is over the first optically sensitive layer. Each optically sensitive layer is interposed between two electrodes. The two electrodes include a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode. The integrated circuit selectively applies a bias to the electrodes and reads signals from the optically sensitive layers. The signal is related to the number of photons received by the respective optically sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Tian, Edward Sargent
  • Patent number: 8530991
    Abstract: A photodetector is described along with corresponding materials, systems, and methods. The photodetector comprises an integrated circuit and at least two optically sensitive layers. A first optically sensitive layer is over at least a portion of the integrated circuit, and a second optically sensitive layer is over the first optically sensitive layer. Each optically sensitive layer is interposed between two electrodes. The two electrodes include a respective first electrode and a respective second electrode. The integrated circuit selectively applies a bias to the electrodes and reads signals from the optically sensitive layers. The signal is related to the number of photons received by the respective optically sensitive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: InVisage Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui Tian, Edward Sargent