Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system, the apparatus including a receiving member dimensioned to receive an array of microelectronic devices; and a linkage member coupled to the receiving member, the linkage member configured to move the receiving member in at least two dimensions so as to modify a spacing between the electronic devices within the array of microelectronic devices received by the receiving member. The method including coupling an array of microelectronic devices to an expansion assembly; and expanding the expansion assembly so as to expand the array of microelectronic devices in at least two directions within a single plane. The system including a support member; an expansion assembly coupled to the support member, the expansion assembly having a plurality of receiving members configured to move in at least two dimensions within a single plane; and a plurality of microelectronic devices coupled to each of the plurality of receiving members.

Abstract: A solar cell has a condenser lens and a solar cell element, the solar cell element including an n-type InGaAs layer, an n-type GaAs layer, an n-type InGaP layer, the first InGaAs peripheral part having a thickness (d2), and a width (w2), the second InGaAs peripheral part having a thickness (d3), and a width (w3), the first GaAs peripheral part having a thickness (d5), and a width (w4), the second GaAs peripheral part a thickness (d6), and a width (w5), the first InGaP peripheral part having a thickness (d8), and a width (w6), the second InGaP peripheral part having a thickness (d9), and a width (w7), the following inequation set being satisfied: 1 nm?(d2, d3, d5, and d6)?4 nm, 1 nm?(d8 and d9)?5 nm, 100 nm?(w2, w3, w4, w5, w6, and w7), the InGaAs center part having a thickness (w1), a window layer has a range S irradiated by sunlight having a width (w8); w8?w1.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module is disclosed. The photovoltaic module has a first side directed toward the sun during normal operation and a second, lower side. The photovoltaic module comprises a perimeter frame and a photovoltaic laminate at least partially enclosed by and supported by the perimeter frame.

Abstract: A method of high reverse current burn-in of solar cells and a solar cell with a burned-in bypass diode are described herein. In one embodiment, high reverse current burn-in of a solar cell with a tunnel oxide layer induces low breakdown voltage in the solar cell. Soaking a solar cell at high current can also reduce the difference in voltage of defective and non-defective areas of the cell.

Abstract: A solar cell, having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a back side opposite the front side can include a silicon substrate having doped regions and a polysilicon layer disposed over the doped regions. The solar cell can include a conductive filling formed between a first metal layer and doped regions and through or at least partially through the polysilicon layer, where the conductive filling electrically couples the first metal layer and the doped region. In an embodiment, a second metal layer is formed on the first metal layer, where the first metal layer and the conductive filling electrically couple the doped regions and the second metal layer. In some embodiments, the solar cell can be a front contact solar cell or a back contact solar cell.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material is provided. The material can be a grain boundary modified nanocomposite that has a plurality of bismuth antimony telluride matrix grains and a plurality of zinc oxide nanoparticles within the plurality of bismuth antimony telluride matrix grains. In addition, the material has zinc antimony modified grain boundaries between the plurality of bismuth antimony telluride matrix grains.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thick-film paste for printing the front side of a solar cell device having one or more insulating layers. The thick film paste comprises an electrically conductive metal, and a lead-tellurium-lithium-oxide dispersed in an organic medium.

Abstract: A method and resulting structure of patterning a metal film pattern over a substrate, including forming a metal film pattern over the substrate; depositing a coating over the substrate surface and the metal film pattern; and removing the coating over the metal film pattern by laser irradiation. The substrate and coating do not significantly interact with the laser irradiation, and the laser irradiation interacts with the metal film pattern and the coating, resulting in the removal of the coating over the metal film pattern. The invention offers a technique for the formation of a metal pattern surrounded by a dielectric coating for solar cells, where the dielectric coating may function as an antireflection coating on the front surface, internal reflector on the rear surface, and may further may function as a dielectric barrier for subsequent electroplating of metal patterns on either surface.

Abstract: A solar concentrator comprises a pair of concentric reflectors having a spindle toroid geometry for focusing the collected solar radiation into a ring-shaped focal area, as opposed to the “point” or “line” focus of prior art configurations. In a preferred embodiment, each reflector is formed of a plurality of curved petals that are disposed in a contiguous, keystone arrangement that requires no additional fixturing to hold the petals in place. Such an arrangement reduces the weight, complexity and cost of the final solar concentrator structure.

Abstract: A solar concentrator comprising: a light-transmissive sheet including: a plurality of luminescent particles capable of becoming excited by absorbing light within at least a first spectrum of absorption frequencies and, once excited, capable of being stimulated to emit light having a spectrum within at least a first spectrum of emission frequencies; and a first light-guide; and a light source for generating a pulsed probe light having a spectrum, at least a portion of which is within at least the first spectrum of emission frequencies, for stimulating at least one of the excited luminescent particles having absorbed light within the first spectrum of absorption frequencies such that when the probe light traveling in a first direction of travel stimulates the excited luminescent, the excited luminescent particles emit emitted light having a spectrum within the first spectrum of emission frequencies in the first direction of travel of the probe light.

Abstract: A solar concentrator comprising: A luminescent layer having luminescent particles capable of becoming excited by absorbing solar light of a first absorption frequency and, once excited, being capable of being stimulated to emit luminescent light at a first emission frequency. A light source for generating a pump light of the first emission frequency for stimulating the excited luminescent particles having absorbed solar light such that when the pump light traveling in a direction of travel stimulates the luminescent particles having absorbed solar light at the first absorption frequency the luminescent particles emit luminescent light at the first emission frequency in the direction of travel of the pump light, intensifying the pump light. A light guide adjacent to and optically coupled with the luminescent layer, the light-guide for assisting in guiding the intensified pump light via total internal reflection to a light collection area.

Abstract: A lattice-matched solar cell having a dilute nitride-based sub-cell has exponential doping to thereby control current-carrying capacity of the solar cell. Specifically a solar cell with at least one dilute nitride sub-cell that has a variably doped base or emitter is disclosed. In one embodiment, a lattice matched multi junction solar cell has an upper sub-cell, a middle sub-cell and a lower dilute nitride sub-cell, the lower dilute nitride sub-cell having doping in the base and/or the emitter that is at least partially exponentially doped so as to improve its solar cell performance characteristics. In construction, the dilute nitride sub-cell may have the lowest bandgap and be lattice matched to a substrate, the middle cell typically has a higher bandgap than the dilute nitride sub-cell while it is lattice matched to the dilute nitride sub-cell. The upper sub-cell typically has the highest bandgap and is lattice matched to the adjacent sub-cell.

Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) device, comprising a PV interband cascade (IC) stage, wherein the IC PV stage comprises an absorption region with a band gap, the absorption region configured to absorb photons, an intraband transport region configured to act as a hole barrier, and an interband tunneling region configured to act as an electron barrier. An IC PV architecture for a photovoltaic device, the IC PV architecture comprising an absorption region, an intraband transport region coupled to the absorption region, and an interband tunneling region coupled to the intraband transport region and to the adjacent absorption region, wherein the absorption region, the intraband transport region, and the interband tunneling region are positioned such that electrons will flow from the absorption region to the intraband transport region to the interband tunneling region.

Abstract: A sealed monolithic electrochemical system is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the sealed monolithic electrochemical system includes an electrically insulating substrate; an electrically conducting pattern arranged to support a plurality of blocks of porous structures arranged on the substrate, wherein each porous structure includes a working electrode, an insulating layer and a counter electrode, and wherein an electrolyte is at least partially filled in the blocks of porous structures for forming a plurality of electrochemical cells; and an encapsulation covering the plurality of blocks of porous structures. In at least one embodiment, each block includes at least one porous structure, where the blocks may be individually disconnected and a method individually disconnecting such a system.

Abstract: A solar power unit having the following features: It can rotate on an axle to face the sun The solar collectors are arranged in a stepped shape. It has mirrors that can fold out to increase the area over which sunlight is collected. There is a protective bonnet that can cover the solar collectors during inclement weather. The invention has a semi-cylindrical main body that rests on a stand, supported by an axle on which it can pivot to track the sun. The stepped solar collectors are on the upper half of the main body and are covered by the mirrors when they fold in. A first embodiment has a battery that stores electricity generated by sunlight and an inverter for converting direct current from the battery to alternating current. A second embodiment has parabolic collectors that heat water to create high pressure steam that is used to generate electricity.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device and method include a doped germanium-containing substrate, an emitter contact coupled to the substrate on a first side and a back contact coupled to the substrate on a side opposite the first side. The emitter includes at least one doped layer of an opposite conductivity type as that of the substrate and the back contact includes at least one doped layer of the same conductivity type as that of the substrate. The at least one doped layer of the emitter contact or the at least one doped layer of the back contact is in direct contact with the substrate, and the at least one doped layer of the emitter contact or the back contact includes an n-type material having an electron affinity smaller than that of the substrate, or a p-type material having a hole affinity larger than that of the substrate.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a rear surface electrode layer a semiconductor layer formed on a surface of rear surface electrode layer a front surface electrode layer formed on a surface of semiconductor layer and a support layer on a surface of rear surface electrode layer at a side opposite the side where semiconductor layer is formed. Semiconductor layer includes at least one p-n junction. A plurality of through holes are provided, which through holes are cavities connecting support layer openings provided on a surface of support layer at a side opposite the side where rear surface electrode layer is formed with semiconductor layer openings provided on a surface of semiconductor layer at a side opposite the side where rear surface electrode layer is formed. Front surface electrode layer is formed in a region where semiconductor layer openings are not provided. A method of manufacturing the solar cell is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multijunction solar cell comprising an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap; a middle second solar subcell adjacent to the first solar subcell and having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; a graded interlayer adjacent to the second solar subcell; the graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; a third solar subcell adjacent to the interlayer, the third subcell having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell; and a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) layer adjacent to the upper first subcell.

Abstract: An organic solar cell including a cathode and an anode, a photoactive layer disposed between the cathode and the anode, and a buffer layer between the photoactive layer and the cathode, wherein the cathode includes a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 Zn(1-x)MxO(1-y)Wy,??[Chemical Formula 1] and the buffer layer includes ZnO, and wherein in Chemical Formula 1, M is aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, or a combination thereof, W is fluorine, bromine, or a combination thereof, and x and y are each independently greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, provided that x and y are not simultaneously 0.

Abstract: A method of readily forming a dye-sensitized solar cell having a porous layer of increased thickness. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes a translucent substrate, and a plurality of collecting electrode traces formed on the translucent substrate. The solar cell also includes a trench that is trapezoidal in cross-section and is formed on the translucent substrate between the collecting electrode traces. The solar cell also includes a porous layer upon which a sensitizing dye is adsorbed. The porous layer covers the translucent substrate within the trench and the collecting electrode traces.