Abstract: A method for manufacturing solar strips. The method includes providing a photovoltaic material including a back side region, a front side surface, and a plurality of photovoltaic strip regions separated by a plurality of scribe regions. A first portion of the photovoltaic material is supported while a second portion of the photovoltaic material including at least one of the photovoltaic strips is left unsupported. The method includes applying a predetermined force along a portion of the photovoltaic strip that remains unsupported to cause the photovoltaic strip to be separated from the supported photovoltaic material.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A solar cell device. The device has a first lead frame member including a first end and a second end and a second lead frame member coupled to the first lead frame member. In a specific embodiment, the second lead frame member includes a third end and a fourth end. The device also has a plurality of first bonding sites numbered from 1 through N between the first end and the second end of the first lead frame member, where N is an integer greater than 2. The device has a plurality of second bonding sites numbered from 1 through N between the third end and the fourth end, where N is an integer greater than 2. Depending upon the specific embodiment, the device has a plurality of photovoltaic regions numbered from 1 through N respectively bonded onto the plurality of first bonding sites numbered from 1 through N and second bonding sites numbered from 1 through N.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.25 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.15 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.25 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.15 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A photovoltaic strip is physically separated from a semiconductor wafer utilizing physical sawing or other techniques. In accordance with one embodiment, a type of semiconductor wafer is first determined by interrogating the wafer to identify one or more of its optical, thermal, or electrical characteristics. This information regarding substrate type is then communicated to a separation apparatus, which then accomplishes precise physical separation of the substrate into discrete strips. Electrical performance of the strips may be tested prior to their incorporation into an assembled solar cell, where they are coupled to a concentrating element utilizing an elastomer encapsulant.

Abstract: A photovoltaic strip is physically separated from a semiconductor wafer utilizing physical sawing or other techniques. In accordance with one embodiment, a type of semiconductor wafer is first determined by interrogating the wafer to identify one or more of its optical, thermal, or electrical characteristics. This information regarding substrate type is then communicated to a separation apparatus, which then accomplishes precise physical separation of the substrate into discrete strips. Electrical performance of the strips may be tested prior to their incorporation into an assembled solar cell, where they are coupled to a concentrating element utilizing an elastomer encapsulant.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device. The photovoltaic device includes a photovoltaic region including a surface region and characterized by a first thermal expansion constant. The surface region includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion includes a first edge region and a second edge region. The photovoltaic device includes a concentrator element comprising substantially of a polymer material and being characterized by a second thermal expansion constant. The concentrator element includes an aperture region and an exit region. The photovoltaic device includes an elastomer material to couple the first portion of the surface region of the photovoltaic region to the exit region of the concentrator element, while the first edge region and the second edge region remain exposed.

Abstract: A method and device of fabricating a photovoltaic strip. The method includes providing a photovoltaic cell having a front surface and a back surface and forming a first grid pattern on the front surface and second grid pattern on the back surface. The first grid pattern includes a first plurality of strip columns in parallel in a first direction and a plurality of grid lines in parallel in a second direction perpendicularly crossing the first plurality of strip columns. The second grid pattern includes a plurality of blocks separated by a plurality of streets parallel in the second direction and a second plurality of strip columns parallel in the first direction. The method further includes dicing the photovoltaic cell along the plurality of streets into a plurality of photovoltaic strips. Each of the plurality of photovoltaic strips includes at least one of the plurality of grid lines.

Abstract: A solar cell device. The device has a housing member. The device also has a lead frame member coupled to the housing member. In a preferred embodiment, the lead frame member has at least one photovoltaic strip thereon, which has a surface region and a back side region. The device has an optical elastomer material having a first thickness overlying the surface region of the photovoltaic surface. The device has a second substrate member comprising at least one optical concentrating element thereon. The optical concentrating element has a first side and a second side. The device has a first interface within a vicinity of the surface region and the first thickness of the optical elastomer material and a second interface within a vicinity of the second side and the optical elastomer material.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.25 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.15 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.25 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.15 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.25 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.15 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing an integrated concentrator photovoltaic device is disclosed. In an embodiment, the invention includes a one step process using a sheet of coupling material provided in a pre-arranged pattern to couple an array of photovoltaic members to an array of respective optical concentrating members.

Abstract: A solar cell device. The device has a housing member. The device also has a lead frame member coupled to the housing member. In a preferred embodiment, the lead frame member has at least one photovoltaic strip thereon, which has a surface region and a back side region. The device has an optical elastomer material having a first thickness overlying the surface region of the photovoltaic surface. The device has a second substrate member comprising at least one optical concentrating element thereon. The optical concentrating element has a first side and a second side. The device has a first interface within a vicinity of the surface region and the first thickness of the optical elastomer material and a second interface within a vicinity of the second side and the optical elastomer material.

Abstract: A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.25 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.15 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.