Patents by Inventor Mengjin Yang

Mengjin Yang 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).

  • Publication number: 20240138163
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for forming perovskite hole transport layers for use in manufacturing photovoltaic devices are described. Embodiments include using a plurality of hole transport materials to produce high-performance HTL contacts to improve performance and stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicants: First Solar, Inc., Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Jonathan Berry, Le Chen, Axel Finn Palmstrom, Tze-Bin Song, Vera Steinmann, Natasha Teran, Aravamuthan Varadarajan, Mengjin Yang, Xueping Yi, Zhibo Zhao, Kai Zhu
  • Patent number: 11616158
    Abstract: Methods are described that include contacting an alkyl ammonium metal halide film with an alkyl ammonium halide, where the alkyl ammonium metal halide film includes a first halogen and a metal, the alkyl ammonium halide includes a second halogen, such that the contacting forms an alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film that interfaces with the alkyl ammonium metal halide film, where the alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film includes the first halogen, the second halogen, and the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Yixin Zhao, Mengjin Yang, Taiyang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11387420
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes exchanging at least a portion of a first cation of a perovskite solid with a second cation, where the exchanging is performed by exposing the perovskite solid to a precursor of the second cation, such that the precursor of the second cation oxidizes to form the second cation and the first cation reduces to form a precursor of the first cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Brown University
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Nitin P. Padture
  • Patent number: 11174276
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method that includes treating a liquid that includes a first precursor at a concentration C1, a second precursor at a concentration C2, a third precursor at a concentration C3, and an additive at a concentration C4, where the treating results in a perovskite, each of C1, C2, and C3 are between 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Donghoe Kim
  • Patent number: 10910569
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes applying a solution that includes a first solvent, a halogen-containing precursor, and a metal halide to a substrate to form a coating of the solution on the substrate, contacting the coating with a second solvent to form a first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals on the substrate, and thermally treating the first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals, such that at least a portion of the first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals is converted to a second plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals on the substrate. The halogen-containing precursor and the metal halide are present in the solution at a molar ratio of the halogen-containing precursor to the metal halide between about 1.01:1.0 and about 2.0:1.0, and a property of the second plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals is improved relative to a property of the first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Nitin Prabhakar Padture
  • Publication number: 20200294728
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a perovskite-containing solar cell module that includes a glass substrate; a first cell; and a second cell, where each cell includes, in order, a first contact layer that includes fluorine-doped tin oxide, positioned on the substrate, and having an outside surface and a first thickness; an electron transfer layer that includes TiO2 and having a second thickness between 1 nm and 10 ?m; an active layer that includes the perovskite and having a third thickness; a hole transfer layer that includes spiro-OMeTAD and having a fourth thickness; and a second contact layer that includes copper and having a fifth thickness. In addition, the first cell and the second cell are electrically connected by a first gap filled with the copper, and the first gap passes through the third thickness, the fourth thickness, and substantially through the second thickness to terminate at the outside surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Kai ZHU, Mengjin YANG, Talysa Renae KLEIN, Marinus Franciscus Antonius Maria van HEST, Zhen LI
  • Publication number: 20200279964
    Abstract: Methods are described that include contacting an alkyl ammonium metal halide film with an alkyl ammonium halide, where the alkyl ammonium metal halide film includes a first halogen and a metal, the alkyl ammonium halide includes a second halogen, such that the contacting forms an alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film that interfaces with the alkyl ammonium metal halide film, where the alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film includes the first halogen, the second halogen, and the metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Kai ZHU, Yixin ZHAO, Mengjin YANG, Taiyang ZHANG
  • Publication number: 20200239499
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method that includes treating a liquid that includes a first precursor at a concentration C1, a second precursor at a concentration C2, a third precursor at a concentration C3, and an additive at a concentration C4, where the treating results in a perovskite, each of C1, C2, and C3 are between 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Kai ZHU, Mengjin YANG, Donghoe KIM
  • Patent number: 10700229
    Abstract: Methods are described that include contacting an alkyl ammonium metal halide film with an alkyl ammonium halide, where the alkyl ammonium metal halide film includes a first halogen and a metal, the alkyl ammonium halide includes a second halogen, such that the contacting forms an alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film that interfaces with the alkyl ammonium metal halide film, where the alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film includes the first halogen, the second halogen, and the metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Yixin Zhao, Mengjin Yang, Taiyang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10586657
    Abstract: Described herein is a device that includes an alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer, and a nanostructured semiconductor layer in physical contact with the alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer. The alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer may include methyl ammonium cations. The alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer may include anions of at least one of chlorine, bromine, astatine, and/or iodine. The alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer may include cations of a metal in a 2+ valence state. The metal may include at least one of lead, tin, and/or germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Blackburn, Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Anne-Marie Dowgiallo, Rachelle Rosemarie Ihly
  • Publication number: 20190393437
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes exchanging at least a portion of a first cation of a perovskite solid with a second cation, where the exchanging is performed by exposing the perovskite solid to a precursor of the second cation, such that the precursor of the second cation oxidizes to form the second cation and the first cation reduces to form a precursor of the first cation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Nitin P. Padture
  • Publication number: 20190386232
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes exchanging at least a portion of a first cation of a perovskite solid with a second cation, where the exchanging is performed by exposing the perovskite solid to a precursor of the second cation, such that the precursor of the second cation oxidizes to form the second cation and the first cation reduces to form a precursor of the first cation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Nitin P. Padture
  • Patent number: 10411209
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes exchanging at least a portion of a first cation of a perovskite solid with a second cation, where the exchanging is performed by exposing the perovskite solid to a precursor of the second cation, such that the precursor of the second cation oxidizes to form the second cation and the first cation reduces to form a precursor of the first cation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Nitin P. Padture
  • Publication number: 20180374651
    Abstract: Described herein is a device that includes an alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer, and a nanostructured semiconductor layer in physical contact with the alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer. The alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer may include methyl ammonium cations. The alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer may include anions of at least one of chlorine, bromine, astatine, and/or iodine. The alkyl ammonium metal halide perovskite layer may include cations of a metal in a 2+ valence state. The metal may include at least one of lead, tin, and/or germanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Blackburn, Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Anne-Marie Dowgiallo, Rachelle Rosemarie Ihly
  • Publication number: 20180351019
    Abstract: Methods are described that include contacting an alkyl ammonium metal halide film with an alkyl ammonium halide, where the alkyl ammonium metal halide film includes a first halogen and a metal, the alkyl ammonium halide includes a second halogen, such that the contacting forms an alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film that interfaces with the alkyl ammonium metal halide film, where the alkyl ammonium metal mixed-halide film includes the first halogen, the second halogen, and the metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Yixin ZHAO, Mengjin Yang, Taiyang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180151813
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes applying a solution that includes a first solvent, a halogen-containing precursor, and a metal halide to a substrate to form a coating of the solution on the substrate, contacting the coating with a second solvent to form a first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals on the substrate, and thermally treating the first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals, such that at least a portion of the first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals is converted to a second plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals on the substrate. The halogen-containing precursor and the metal halide are present in the solution at a molar ratio of the halogen-containing precursor to the metal halide between about 1.01:1.0 and about 2.0:1.0, and a property of the second plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals is improved relative to a property of the first plurality of organo-metal halide perovskite crystals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Kai ZHU, Mengjin YANG, Yuanyuan ZHOU, Nitin Prabhakar PADTURE
  • Publication number: 20170244057
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes exchanging at least a portion of a first cation of a perovskite solid with a second cation, where the exchanging is performed by exposing the perovskite solid to a precursor of the second cation, such that the precursor of the second cation oxidizes to form the second cation and the first cation reduces to form a precursor of the first cation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Kai Zhu, Mengjin Yang, Yuanyuan Zhou, Nitin P. Padture