Patents by Inventor Denis De Ceuster
Denis De Ceuster has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11107935Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell has base and emitter diffusion regions formed on the back side. The emitter diffusion region is configured to collect minority charge carriers in the solar cell, while the base diffusion region is configured to collect majority charge carriers. The emitter diffusion region may be a continuous region separating the base diffusion regions. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a reduced area to decrease minority charge carrier recombination losses without substantially increasing series resistance losses due to lateral flow of majority charge carriers. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a dot shape, for example.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2020Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Denis De Ceuster, Peter John Cousins
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Patent number: 10903786Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2018Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. Swanson, Denis De Ceuster, Vikas Desai, Douglas H. Rose, David D. Smith, Neil Kaminar
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Publication number: 20200382054Abstract: A shingled solar cell of High Density Module (HDM) design, exhibits reduced finger pitch (and hence increased finger count) relative to a corresponding non-HDM solar cell. A shingled HDM solar cell bearing a sole front side bus bar, may be fabricated by singulation from a larger non-HDM workpiece bearing a plurality of front side bus bars. Embodiments recognize that according to such a singulation-based HDM fabrication process, the resulting effective finger length (LEFF) of the shingled HDM design will be longer than that for the non-HDM design. In order to compensate for increased resistance attributable to this longer HDM LEFF, embodiments decrease the pitch between conductive fingers, thereby increasing the number of fingers actually occupying a given area of photovoltaic material. For purposes of collection efficiency, the reduction in finger pitch afforded by embodiments outweighs any shading penalty incurred by the larger finger count.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Denis DE CEUSTER, Kevin GIBSON
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Publication number: 20200212234Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell has base and emitter diffusion regions formed on the back side. The emitter diffusion region is configured to collect minority charge carriers in the solar cell, while the base diffusion region is configured to collect majority charge carriers. The emitter diffusion region may be a continuous region separating the base diffusion regions. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a reduced area to decrease minority charge carrier recombination losses without substantially increasing series resistance losses due to lateral flow of majority charge carriers. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a dot shape, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2020Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Denis DE CEUSTER, Peter John COUSINS
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Patent number: 10573764Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell has base and emitter diffusion regions formed on the back side. The emitter diffusion region is configured to collect minority charge carriers in the solar cell, while the base diffusion region is configured to collect majority charge carriers. The emitter diffusion region may be a continuous region separating the base diffusion regions. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a reduced area to decrease minority charge carrier recombination losses without substantially increasing series resistance losses due to lateral flow of majority charge carriers. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a dot shape, for example.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2014Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Denis De Ceuster, Peter John Cousins
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Publication number: 20190109560Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. SWANSON, Denis DE CEUSTER, Vikas DESAI, Douglas H. ROSE, David D. SMITH, Neil KAMINAR
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Patent number: 10164567Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2016Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. Swanson, Denis De Ceuster, Vikas Desai, Douglas H. Rose, David D. Smith, Neil Kaminar
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Patent number: 9774294Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. Swanson, Denis De Ceuster, Vikas Desai, Douglas H. Rose, David D. Smith, Neil Kaminar
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Patent number: 9577120Abstract: A multilayer anti-reflection structure for a backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may be formed on a front side of the backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may include a passivation level, a high optical absorption layer over the passivation level, and a low optical absorption layer over the high optical absorption layer. The passivation level may include silicon dioxide thermally grown on a textured surface of the solar cell substrate, which may be an N-type silicon substrate. The high optical absorption layer may be configured to block at least 10% of UV radiation coming into the substrate. The high optical absorption layer may comprise high-k silicon nitride and the low optical absorption layer may comprise low-k silicon nitride.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Hsin-Chiao Luan, Denis De Ceuster
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Publication number: 20170047888Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2016Publication date: February 16, 2017Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. SWANSON, Denis DE CEUSTER, Vikas DESAI, Douglas H. ROSE, David D. SMITH, Neil KAMINAR
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Patent number: 9564542Abstract: A solar cell formation method, and resulting structure, having a first film and a barrier film over a surface of a doped semiconductor, wherein the optical and/or electrical properties of the first film are transformed in-situ such that a resulting transformed film is better suited to the efficient functioning of the solar cell; wherein portions of the barrier film partially cover the first film and substantially prevent transformation of first film areas beneath the portions of the barrier film.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2010Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: TETRASUN, INC.Inventors: Adrian Bruce Turner, Oliver Schultz-Wittmann, Denis De Ceuster, Douglas E. Crafts
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Publication number: 20170033248Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. SWANSON, Denis DE CEUSTER, Vikas DESAI, Douglas H. ROSE, David D. SMITH, Neil KAMINAR
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Publication number: 20150288328Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. SWANSON, Denis DE CEUSTER, Vikas DESAI, Douglas H. ROSE, David D. SMITH, Neil KAMINAR
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Patent number: 9035167Abstract: In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer, a conductive anti-reflective coating, or layers of conductive material formed on the top or bottom surface of an anti-reflective coating, for example. Harmful solar cell polarization may also be prevented by biasing a region of a solar cell module on the front side of the solar cell.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2010Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Richard M. Swanson, Denis De Ceuster, Vikas Desai, Douglas H. Rose, David D. Smith, Neil Kaminar
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Publication number: 20140373910Abstract: A multilayer anti-reflection structure for a backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may be formed on a front side of the backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may include a passivation level, a high optical absorption layer over the passivation level, and a low optical absorption layer over the high optical absorption layer. The passivation level may include silicon dioxide thermally grown on a textured surface of the solar cell substrate, which may be an N-type silicon substrate. The high optical absorption layer may be configured to block at least 10% of UV radiation coming into the substrate. The high optical absorption layer may comprise high-k silicon nitride and the low optical absorption layer may comprise low-k silicon nitride.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: SUNPOWER CORPORATIONInventors: Hsin-Chiao LUAN, Denis DE CEUSTER
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Publication number: 20140190561Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell has base and emitter diffusion regions formed on the back side. The emitter diffusion region is configured to collect minority charge carriers in the solar cell, while the base diffusion region is configured to collect majority charge carriers. The emitter diffusion region may be a continuous region separating the base diffusion regions. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a reduced area to decrease minority charge carrier recombination losses without substantially increasing series resistance losses due to lateral flow of majority charge carriers. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a dot shape, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2014Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: Sunpower CorporationInventors: Denis DE CEUSTER, Peter John COUSINS
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Patent number: 8748736Abstract: A multilayer anti-reflection structure for a backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may be formed on a front side of the backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may include a passivation level, a high optical absorption layer over the passivation level, and a low optical absorption layer over the high optical absorption layer. The passivation level may include silicon dioxide thermally grown on a textured surface of the solar cell substrate, which may be an N-type silicon substrate. The high optical absorption layer may be configured to block at least 10% of UV radiation coming into the substrate. The high optical absorption layer may comprise high-k silicon nitride and the low optical absorption layer may comprise low-k silicon nitride.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2012Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Hsin-Chiao Luan, Denis De Ceuster
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Patent number: 8673673Abstract: A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. An interrupted trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region in some locations but allows the P-type doped region and the N-type doped region to touch in other locations. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over a thin dielectric layer. Among other advantages, the resulting solar cell structure allows for increased efficiency while having a relatively low reverse breakdown voltage.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2013Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Denis De Ceuster, Peter John Cousins, David D. Smith
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Patent number: 8664519Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell has base and emitter diffusion regions formed on the back side. The emitter diffusion region is configured to collect minority charge carriers in the solar cell, while the base diffusion region is configured to collect majority charge carriers. The emitter diffusion region may be a continuous region separating the base diffusion regions. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a reduced area to decrease minority charge carrier recombination losses without substantially increasing series resistance losses due to lateral flow of majority charge carriers. Each of the base diffusion regions may have a dot shape, for example.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: SunPower CorporationInventors: Denis De Ceuster, Peter John Cousins
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Publication number: 20130237007Abstract: A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. An interrupted trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region in some locations but allows the P-type doped region and the N-type doped region to touch in other locations. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over a thin dielectric layer. Among other advantages, the resulting solar cell structure allows for increased efficiency while having a relatively low reverse breakdown voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Inventors: Denis DE CEUSTER, Peter John COUSINS, David D. SMITH