Patents Examined by Miriam Berdichevsky
  • Patent number: 8093489
    Abstract: Photovoltaic devices, such as solar cells, and methods for their manufacture are disclosed. A device may be characterized by an architecture having a nanostructured template made from an n-type first charge transfer material with template elements between about 1 nm and about 500 nm in diameter with about 1012 to 1016 elements/m2. A p-type second charge-transfer material optionally coats the walls of the template elements leaving behind additional space. A p-type third charge-transfer material fills the additional space volumetrically interdigitating with the second charge transfer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nanosolar, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Sager, Martin R. Roscheisen, Karl Pichler
  • Patent number: 8093488
    Abstract: A photovoltaic apparatus includes an absorber including a p-layer having a bandgap greater than about 2 eV, an n-layer having a bandgap greater than about 2 eV, and an amorphous SiGe intrinsic layer between the p-layer and the n-layer; a first electrode adjacent to a first side of the absorber; a second electrode adjacent to a second side of the absorber; and an up-converter layer positioned adjacent to the second electrode on an opposite side of the second electrode from the absorber, wherein the up-converter layer includes a plurality of quantum dots of a first material in a matrix of a second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hans Jürgen Richter, Samuel Dacke Harkness, IV
  • Patent number: 8093490
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film-forming method by which, even when a thin film containing a crystalline metal oxide as the main component is formed over a wide area within a short time utilizing a thermal decomposition method, the thickness of the thin film becomes relatively uniform. A thin film-forming method of the present invention includes forming a thin film using a raw material containing a chloride of a metal, and prior to the forming of the thin film, 1) disposing metal-containing particles on the substrate, or 2) forming, at a film deposition rate slower than a film deposition rate for the thin film, a metal-containing thin film on the substrate, and wherein, in the case of the step 2), the thin film containing the metal oxide as the main component is directly formed on the metal-containing thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Akira Fujisawa, Yukio Sueyoshi, Masahiro Hirata, Toru Yamamoto, Koichiro Kiyohara, Kiyotaka Ichiki
  • Patent number: 8088990
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a photovoltaic panel includes a substrate, a reflective layer formed on the substrate, a first conductive layer formed on the reflective layer, an active layer formed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed on the active layer. The reflective layer has an index of refraction and a thickness such that the reflectance spectrum of the photovoltaic device for light incident on the substrate has a maximum in a selected wavelength range in the visible spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Auria Solar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Yao Tsai, Yi-Kai Lin, I-Heng Tseng, Chih-Hsiung Chang, Kun-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 8053664
    Abstract: A transparent electrode having thermal stability, composed of a transparent conductive material containing a pentavalent element, a method of fabricating the same, and a dye-sensitized solar cell including the electrode. The transparent electrode having thermal stability does not substantially deteriorate even when it is exposed to high temperatures and its conductivity is not reduced. Thus, the dye-sensitized solar cell including the electrode can have improved performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-Soon Ahn, Ji-Won Lee, Wha Sup Lee, Jae-Man Choi, Byong-Cheol Shin, Joung-Won Park
  • Patent number: 8049097
    Abstract: The solar cell comprises a front side comprising a first doped layer, a backside comprising formations defining channels therebetween, the backside further comprising a second doped layer situated on at least some of the surfaces of the channels facing the front side, and an electrically conductive layer situated on at least some surfaces of the channels facing the front side. The first and second doped layers comprise opposite polarity types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Charles Steven Korman
  • Patent number: 8049102
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type; an emitter part of a second conductive type positioned at a front surface of the substrate; a first silicon thin film layer positioned on the emitter part and including amorphous silicon containing impurities of the second type that are doped therein; a first transparent conductive layer positioned on the first silicon thin film layer and electrically connected with the emitter part; a first electrode positioned on the first transparent conductive layer and electrically connected with the first transparent conductive layer; and a second electrode positioned on a back surface of the substrate. For example, the first silicon thin film layer includes N+-a-Si:H or N+-a-SiC:H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoungsoo Lee, Jonghwan Kim, Juwan Kang, Manhyo Ha, Daehee Jang
  • Patent number: 8044293
    Abstract: A thermoelectric device includes a nanocomposite material with nanowires of at least one thermoelectric material having a predetermined figure of merit, the nanowires being formed in a porous substrate having a low thermal conductivity and having an average pore diameter ranging from about 4 nm to about 300 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jihui Yang, Dexter D. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8039730
    Abstract: A solar cell having an open loop voltage that approaches a critical voltage range when exposed to light. A circuit, connected to the solar cell, is configured to load the solar cell when the open loop voltage of the solar cell reaches a threshold within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Hadar, Shmuel Arditi, Dan Kikinis
  • Patent number: 8035026
    Abstract: T provide an N type thermoelectric material having figure of the merit improved to be comparable to or higher than that of P type thermoelectric material, the N type thermoelectric material of the present invention contains at least one kind of Bi and Sb and at least one kind of Te and Se as main components, and contains bromine (Br) and iodine (I) to have carrier in such a concentration that corresponds to the contents of bromine (Br) and iodine (I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Tajima
  • Patent number: 8017863
    Abstract: A photoactive device includes a photoactive region disposed between and electrically connected to two electrodes where the photoactive region includes a first organic photoactive layer comprising a first donor material and a second organic photoactive layer comprising a first acceptor material. The first donor material contains photoactive polymer-wrapped carbon nanotubes and the photoactive region includes one or more additional organic photoactive material layers disposed between the first donor material layer and the acceptor material layer. The photoactive region creates excitons upon absorption of light in the range of about 400 nm to 1450 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Michael S. Arnold, Jeramy D. Zimmerman, Richard Lunt
  • Patent number: 8013240
    Abstract: A photosensitive device includes a plurality of organic photoconductive materials disposed in a stack between a first electrode and a second electrode, including a first continuous layer of donor host material, a second continuous layer of acceptor host material, and at least one other organic photoconductive material disposed as a plurality of discontinuous islands between the first continuous layer and the second continuous layer. Each of these other photoconductive materials has an absorption spectra different from the donor host material and the acceptor host material. Preferably, each of the discontinuous islands consists essentially of a crystallite of the respective organic photoconductive material, and more preferably, the crystallites are nanocrystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Fan Yang, Barry P. Rand
  • Patent number: 7982130
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a photoactive region disposed between and electrically connected to two electrodes where the photoactive region includes photoactive polymer-wrapped carbon nanotubes that create excitons upon absorption of light in the range of about 400 nm to 1400 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Michael S. Arnold, Jeramy D. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 7964789
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for passivating and contacting a surface of a germanium substrate. A passivation layer of amorphous silicon material is formed on the germanium surface. A contact layer of metal is then formed on the passivation. The structure is heated so that the germanium surface makes contact with the contact layer. Thus, a passivated germanium surface is disclosed, as well as a solar cell comprising such a structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignees: IMEC, Umicore NV
    Inventors: Niels Posthuma, Giovanni Flamand, Jef Poortmans
  • Patent number: 7960645
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for passivating and contacting a surface of a germanium substrate. A passivation layer of amorphous silicon material is formed on the germanium surface. A contact layer of metal is then formed on the passivation. The structure is heated so that the germanium surface makes contact with the contact layer. Thus, a passivated germanium surface is disclosed, as well as a solar cell comprising such a structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: IMEC, Umicore NV
    Inventors: Niels Posthuma, Giovanni Flamand, Jef Poortmans
  • Patent number: 7947897
    Abstract: A photosensitive device includes a series of organic photoactive layers disposed between two electrodes. Each layer in the series is in direct contact with a next layer in the series. The series is arranged to form at least one donor-acceptor heterojunction, and includes a first organic photoactive layer comprising a first host material serving as a donor, a thin second organic photoactive layer comprising a second host material disposed between the first and a third organic photoactive layer, and the third organic photoactive layer comprising a third host material serving as an acceptor. The first, second, and third host materials are different. The thin second layer serves as an acceptor relative to the first layer or as a donor relative to the third layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Barry P. Rand, Stephen R. Forrest
  • Patent number: 7943844
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module and method of manufacture thereof, capable of preventing short-circuits between electrodes due to solder without causing increases in size or cost. A thermoelectric module is configured with lower electrodes formed on the inside surface of a lower substrate, placed in opposition to an upper substrate, on the inside surface of which are formed upper electrodes; the end faces of thermoelectric elements are soldered to the lower electrodes and upper electrodes. Each of the electrodes is configured from three layers, which are a copper layer, a nickel layer formed on one face of the copper layer, and a gold layer formed on one face of the nickel layer; a visor portion, protruding outward, is formed in the nickel layer, so that when positioning the thermoelectric elements above the electrodes and soldering the electrodes to the thermoelectric elements, the flowing of solder 18a from the side portions of electrodes to the insulating substrate is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Yasutake
  • Patent number: 7932462
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement having at least one solar cell, which is formed by a first sequence of differently doped layers (1, 2, 11, 12) on a substrate (6, 16), and at least one bypass diode, which is connected to the solar cell, particularly in a monolithic, series-connected solar module. The arrangement is characterized in that the bypass diode is formed by a second sequence of layers (4, 5, 13, 14), which is arranged between the substrate (6, 16) and the first layer sequence (1, 2, 11, 12). With the proposed arrangement monolithic, series-connected solar modules can be formed at a very low loss of active receiving surface, the solar cells of which are protected by bypass diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten e.V., Albert-Ludwigs-Universtät, AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Sascha Van Riesen, Rüdiger Löckenhoff, Gerhard Strobl, Ron Dietrich, Wolfgang Koestler
  • Patent number: 7910825
    Abstract: A photosensitive device includes a series of organic photoactive layers disposed between two electrodes. Each layer in the series is in direct contact with a next layer in the series. The series is arranged to form at least one donor-acceptor heterojunction, and includes a first organic photoactive layer comprising a first host material serving as a donor, a thin second organic photoactive layer comprising a second host material disposed between the first and a third organic photoactive layer, and the third organic photoactive layer comprising a third host material serving as an acceptor. The first, second, and third host materials are different. The thin second layer serves as an acceptor relative to the first layer or as a donor relative to the third layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Princeton University
    Inventors: Barry P. Rand, Stephen R. Forrest
  • Patent number: 7906722
    Abstract: A Cassegrain-type concentrating solar collector cell includes primary and secondary mirrors disposed on opposing convex and concave surfaces of a light-transparent (e.g., glass) optical element. Light enters an aperture surrounding the secondary mirror, and is reflected by the primary mirror toward the secondary mirror, which re-reflects the light onto a photovoltaic cell mounted on a central region surrounded by the convex surface. The primary and secondary mirrors are preferably formed as mirror films that are deposited or plated directly onto the optical element. A concentrating solar collector array includes a sheet-like optical panel including multiple optical elements arranged in rows. The photovoltaic cells are mounted directly onto the optical panel, and the primary mirrors of the individual collector cells include metal film segments that are coupled by the photovoltaic cells to facilitate transmission of the generated electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: David K. Fork, Patrick Y. Maeda