Patents by Inventor Leonard L. Boyer
Leonard L. Boyer 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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Publication number: 20130133693Abstract: Methods for cleaning a side edge of a thin film photovoltaic substrate are provided. A cleaning solution can be applied to a cleaning wheel that has a cleaning surface and is rotatable about an axis. The substrate can then be transported in a machine direction to move the substrate past the cleaning wheel such that the cleaning surface of the cleaning wheel contacts the side edge of the substrate allowing the cleaning solution to remove any thin film present on the side edge of the substrate. Apparatus is also generally provided for cleaning a side edge of a thin film photovoltaic substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: May 30, 2013Applicant: PRIMESTAR SOLAR, INC.Inventors: Joe Hunter, Leonard L. Boyer, Robert A. Garber, Donald F. Foust
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Patent number: 8415194Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the rear electrode includes a metallic based reflective film that is oxidation graded, so as to be more oxided closer to a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate) supporting the electrode than at a location further from the rear substrate. In other words, the rear electrode is oxidation graded so as to be less oxided closer to a semiconductor absorber of the photovoltaic device than at a location further from the semiconductor absorber in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface of the rear substrate may optionally be textured so that the rear electrode deposited thereon is also textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode may be of or include Mo and/or MoOx, and may be sputter-deposited using a combination of MoOx and Mo sputtering targets.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Willem den Boer, Scott V. Thomsen, Leonard L. Boyer, Jr.
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Patent number: 8133747Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode comprises a reflective film (e.g., of Mo or the like) including one or more layers provided on an interior surface of a rear glass substrate of the photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface(s) of the rear glass substrate and/or reflective film is/are textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. The rear glass substrate and textured rear electrode/reflector are used in a photovoltaic device (e.g., CIS or CIGS solar cell) where an active semiconductor film is provided between the rear electrode/reflector and a front electrode(s).Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventor: Leonard L. Boyer, Jr.
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Publication number: 20110097841Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the rear electrode includes a metallic based reflective film that is oxidation graded, so as to be more oxided closer to a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate) supporting the electrode than at a location further from the rear substrate. In other words, the rear electrode is oxidation graded so as to be less oxided closer to a semiconductor absorber of the photovoltaic device than at a location further from the semiconductor absorber in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface of the rear substrate may optionally be textured so that the rear electrode deposited thereon is also textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode may be of or include Mo and/or MoOx, and may be sputter-deposited using a combination of MoOx and Mo sputtering targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2010Publication date: April 28, 2011Applicant: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Willem den Boer, Scott V. Thomsen, Leonard L. Boyer, JR.
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Publication number: 20110061730Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode comprises a reflective film (e.g., of Mo or the like) including one or more layers provided on an interior surface of a rear glass substrate of the photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface(s) of the rear glass substrate and/or reflective film is/are textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. The rear glass substrate and textured rear electrode/reflector are used in a photovoltaic device (e.g., CIS or CIGS solar cell) where an active semiconductor film is provided between the rear electrode/reflector and a front electrode(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: March 17, 2011Applicant: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventor: Leonard L. Boyer, JR.
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Patent number: 7875945Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the rear electrode includes a metallic based reflective film that is oxidation graded, so as to be more oxided closer to a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate) supporting the electrode than at a location further from the rear substrate. In other words, the rear electrode is oxidation graded so as to be less oxided closer to a semiconductor absorber of the photovoltaic device than at a location further from the semiconductor absorber in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface of the rear substrate may optionally be textured so that the rear electrode deposited thereon is also textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode may be of or include Mo and/or MoOx, and may be sputter-deposited using a combination of MoOx and Mo sputtering targets.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2008Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Willem den Boer, Scott V. Thomsen, Leonard L. Boyer, Jr.
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Patent number: 7846750Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode comprises a reflective film (e.g., of Mo or the like) including one or more layers provided on an interior surface of a rear glass substrate of the photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface(s) of the rear glass substrate and/or reflective film is/are textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. The rear glass substrate and textured rear electrode/reflector are used in a photovoltaic device (e.g., CIS or CIGS solar cell) where an active semiconductor film is provided between the rear electrode/reflector and a front electrode(s).Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2007Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventor: Leonard L. Boyer, Jr.
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Patent number: 7678459Abstract: A first surface mirror includes a reflective layer and one or more dielectric layers. In certain example embodiments, a silicon metal oxide (e.g., silicon aluminum oxide) inclusive nucleation layer(s) is provided above and/or below the reflective layer in order to improve durability of the first surface mirror.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2007Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventors: Gregory Scott, Yiwei Lu, Leonard L. Boyer, Jr., Brent Boyce, Donald V. Jacobson, Francis Wuillaume
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Publication number: 20090020157Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the rear electrode includes a metallic based reflective film that is oxidation graded, so as to be more oxided closer to a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate) supporting the electrode than at a location further from the rear substrate. In other words, the rear electrode is oxidation graded so as to be less oxided closer to a semiconductor absorber of the photovoltaic device than at a location further from the semiconductor absorber in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface of the rear substrate may optionally be textured so that the rear electrode deposited thereon is also textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode may be of or include Mo and/or MoOx, and may be sputter-deposited using a combination of MoOx and Mo sputtering targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2008Publication date: January 22, 2009Applicant: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Willem den Boer, Scott V. Thomsen, Leonard L. Boyer, JR.
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Publication number: 20080308147Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the rear electrode includes a metallic based reflective film that is oxidation graded, so as to be more oxided closer to a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate) supporting the electrode than at a location further from the rear substrate. In other words, the rear electrode is oxidation graded so as to be less oxided closer to a semiconductor absorber of the photovoltaic device than at a location further from the semiconductor absorber in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface of the rear substrate may optionally be textured so that the rear electrode deposited thereon is also textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode may be of or include Mo and/or MoOx, and may be sputter-deposited using a combination of MoOx and Mo sputtering targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2007Publication date: December 18, 2008Inventors: Yiwei Lu, Leonard L. Boyer, JR., Scott V. Thomsen
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Publication number: 20080308156Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode comprises a reflective film (e.g., of Mo or the like) including one or more layers provided on an interior surface of a rear glass substrate of the photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface(s) of the rear glass substrate and/or reflective film is/are textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. The rear glass substrate and textured rear electrode/reflector are used in a photovoltaic device (e.g., CIS or CIGS solar cell) where an active semiconductor film is provided between the rear electrode/reflector and a front electrode(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2007Publication date: December 18, 2008Applicant: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventor: Leonard L. Boyer, JR.
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Patent number: 6417110Abstract: A method for constructing an electrode on a silicon substrate in which the electrode will be subjected to high temperatures during subsequent processing steps. A titanium oxide layer is deposited on the silicon substrate and annealed at a temperature higher than any subsequent temperature to which the titanium oxide layer will be subjected. The electrode is then deposited on the titanium oxide layer. The electrode is preferably platinum or a titanium/platinum composition. The platinum is also annealed to a temperature higher than any subsequent temperature to which the electrode will be subjected. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electrode is constructed in a trench that is etched in a layer of metallic titanium that is deposited over the titanium oxide layer.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1997Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Radiant Technologies INCInventor: Leonard L. Boyer
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Patent number: 6074885Abstract: A method for constructing a device having a bottom electrode in contact with a layer of a ferroelectric dielectric material. In the method of the present invention, a layer of a field ferroelectric material is deposited on a substrate and etched to form a trench in which the bottom electrode is constructed. The bottom electrode is then deposited and a layer of the ferroelectric dielectric material is deposited over the bottom electrode and at least a portion of the field ferroelectric material. The ferroelectric layers are deposited in a perovskite state. These layers are etched back to the substrate in those areas that are outside of the device.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1997Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Radiant Technologies, IncInventors: Leonard L. Boyer, Joseph T. Evans, Jr., Naomi B. Velasquez