Abstract: The present disclosure provides a photovoltaic module, which comprises a photon absorbing material comprising a solar cell; The photovoltaic module also comprises a glass material positioned within a plane and being positioned over the photon absorbing material such that in use light is incident on the glass material and the glass material transmits light towards the photon absorbing material, the glass material having a front surface facing away from the photon absorbing material. The front surface of the glass material has a shape which is profiled such that the emittance of infrared light from the front surface of the glass material is increased compared to that of a flat front surface, the emittance of the infrared light being associated with absorbance of infrared light that is incident upon the front surface. A rear backing sheet of the photovoltaic module may have a shape that is profiled in a corresponding manner.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a photovoltaic module comprising a photon absorbing material for absorbing electromagnetic radiation. The photon absorbing material comprises solar cells and a glass material. The photovoltaic module also comprises an anti-reflective coating that has anti-reflective properties in a first wavelength range and reflective properties in a second wavelength range. The anti-reflective coating is positioned over the glass material. The anti-reflective coating comprises a layered structure that has layers that together have an out-of-sequence or non-graded refractive index profile.

Abstract: A photovoltaic diode comprising an emitter layer of doped Group III-V semiconductor material, having a first conductivity type and a first bandgap in at least part of the layer, an intrinsic layer of dilute nitride Group III-V semiconductor material having a composition given by the formula Ga1-zInzNxAsySb1-x-y, where 0<z<0.20, 0.01<x<0.05, and y>0.80 having a second bandgap, a base layer of semiconductor material having a third bandgap and a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. The emitter, intrinsic and base layers form a diode junction. The first bandgap is greater than the second bandgap.

Abstract: A multijunction (MJ) solar cell grown on an InP substrate using materials that are lattice-matched to InP. In an exemplary three-junction embodiment, the top cell is formed from In1-xAlxAs1-ySby (with x and y adjusted so as to achieve lattice-matching with InP, hereafter referred to as InAlAsSb), the middle cell from In1-a-bGaaAlbAs (with a and b adjusted so as to achieve lattice-matching with InP, hereafter referred to as InGaAlAs), and the bottom cell also from InGaAlAs, but with a much lower Al composition, which in some embodiments can be zero so that the material is InGaAs. Tunnel junctions (TJs) connect the junctions and allow photo-generated current to flow. In an exemplary embodiment, an InAlAsSb TJ connects the first and second junctions, while an InGaAlAs TJ connects the second and third junctions.

Abstract: A light-absorbing device and method employ a series of photon-absorbing semiconductor substructures. A first semiconductor substructure provides first and second energy states. A difference between the first and second states being such as to cause an electron to be promoted from the first state to the second state upon absorption of a photon of a first energy. A second semiconductor substructure provides third and fourth energy states. The third state is arranged to receive the electron from the second state. A difference between the third and fourth states being such as to cause the electron to be promoted from the third state to the fourth state upon absorption of a subsequent photon of a second energy. The third state has a lower energy than the second state, such as to cause the electron to dissipate energy as it passes from the second state to the third state.

Abstract: A multijunction (MJ) solar cell grown on an InP substrate using materials that are lattice-matched to InP. In an exemplary three-junction embodiment, the top cell is formed from In1-xAlxAs1-ySby (with x and y adjusted so as to achieve lattice-matching with InP, hereafter referred to as InAlAsSb), the middle cell from In1-a-bGaaAlbAs (with a and b adjusted so as to achieve lattice-matching with InP, hereafter referred to as InGaAlAs), and the bottom cell also from InGaAlAs, but with a much lower Al composition, which in some embodiments can be zero so that the material is InGaAs. Tunnel junctions (TJs) connect the junctions and allow photo-generated current to flow. In an exemplary embodiment, an InAlAsSb TJ connects the first and second junctions, while an InGaAlAs TJ connects the second and third junctions.

Abstract: A method of forming a photovoltaic device includes a plurality of quantum wells and a plurality of barriers. The quantum wells and barriers are disposed on an underlying layer. The barriers alternate with the quantum wells. One of the plurality of quantum wells and the plurality of barriers is comprised of tensile strained layers and the other of the plurality of quantum wells and the plurality of barriers is comprised of compressively strained layers. The tensile and compressively strained layers have elastic properties. The method includes selecting compositions and thicknesses of the barriers and quantum wells taking into account the elastic properties such that each period of one tensile strained layer and one compressively strained layer exerts substantially no shear force on a neighboring structure; providing the underlying layer; and forming the quantum sells and barriers on the underlying layer according to the derived compositions and thicknesses.

Abstract: A method of forming a photovoltaic device includes a plurality of quantum wells and a plurality of barriers. The quantum wells and barriers are disposed on an underlying layer. The barriers alternate with the quantum wells. One of the plurality of quantum wells and the plurality of barriers is comprised of tensile strained layers and the other of the plurality of quantum wells and the plurality of barriers is comprised of compressively strained layers. The tensile and compressively strained layers have elastic properties. The method includes selecting compositions and thicknesses of the barriers and quantum wells taking into account the elastic properties such that each period of one tensile strained layer and one compressively strained layer exerts substantially no shear force on a neighboring structure; providing the underlying layer; and forming the quantum sells and barriers on the underlying layer according to the derived compositions and thicknesses.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell to convert low energy photons is described, consisting of a p-i-n diode with a strain-balanced multi-quantum-well system incorporated in the intrinsic region. The bandgap of the quantum wells is lower than that of the lattice-matched material, while the barriers have a much higher bandgap. Hence the absorption can be extended to longer wavelengths, while maintaining a low dark current as a result of the higher barriers. This leads to greatly improved conversion efficiencies, particularly for low energy photons from low temperature sources. This can be achieved by strain-balancing the quantum wells and barriers, where each individual layer is below the critical thickness and the strain is compensated by quantum wells and barriers being strained in opposite directions minimizing the stress. The absorption can be further extended to longer wavelengths by introducing a strain-relaxed layer (virtual substrate) between the substrate and the active cell.