Patents by Inventor Reto Adrian FURLER

Reto Adrian FURLER 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).

  • Patent number: 11393938
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device and a method of making the photovoltaic device are disclosed. The photovoltaic device may include a semiconductor layer epitaxially grown using a compound semiconductor material, such as a group III-V semiconductor material, wherein a surface of the semiconductor layer is textured via one or more laser pulses of a laser. The photovoltaic device may also include a dielectric layer deposited over the textured surface of the semiconductor layer, and a back metal reflector provided on the dielectric layer. The textured surface extends a path of light traveling through the photovoltaic device to increase absorption of the light within the photovoltaic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala Semonin, Daniel Guilford Patterson, Reto Adrian Furler, Andrew James Ritenour
  • Publication number: 20220190172
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device and a method of making the photovoltaic device are disclosed. The photovoltaic device may include a semiconductor layer epitaxially grown using a compound semiconductor material, such as a group III-V semiconductor material, wherein a surface of the semiconductor layer is textured via one or more laser pulses of a laser. The photovoltaic device may also include a dielectric layer deposited over the textured surface of the semiconductor layer, and a back metal reflector provided on the dielectric layer. The textured surface extends a path of light traveling through the photovoltaic device to increase absorption of the light within the photovoltaic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala SEMONIN, Daniel Guilford PATTERSON, Reto Adrian FURLER, Andrew James RITENOUR
  • Patent number: 11271121
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device and a method of making the photovoltaic device are disclosed. The photovoltaic device may include a semiconductor layer epitaxially grown using a compound semiconductor material, such as a group III-V semiconductor material, wherein a surface of the semiconductor layer is textured via one or more laser pulses of a laser. The photovoltaic device may also include a dielectric layer deposited over the textured surface of the semiconductor layer, and a back metal reflector provided on the dielectric layer. The textured surface extends a path of light traveling through the photovoltaic device to increase absorption of the light within the photovoltaic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala Semonin, Daniel Guilford Patterson, Reto Adrian Furler, Andrew James Ritenour
  • Publication number: 20210391494
    Abstract: A method is described that includes sputtering multiple layers on a back surface of the photovoltaic structure, the photovoltaic structure being made of at least one group III-V semiconductor material, and evaporating, over the multiple layers, one or more additional layers including a metal layer, the back metal structure being formed by the multiple layers and the additional layers. A photovoltaic device is also described that includes a back metal structure disposed over a back surface of a photovoltaic structure made of a group III-V semiconductor material, the back metal structure including one or more evaporated layers disposed over multiple sputtered layers, the one or more evaporated layers including a metal layer. By allowing evaporation along with sputtering, tool size and costs can be reduced, including minimizing a number of vacuum breaks. Moreover, good yield and reliability, such as reducing dark line defects (DLDs), can also be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala SEMONIN, Reto Adrian FURLER, Hasti MAJIDI, Kristen Sydney HESSLER
  • Patent number: 11107942
    Abstract: A method is described that includes sputtering multiple layers on a back surface of the photovoltaic structure, the photovoltaic structure being made of at least one group III-V semiconductor material, and evaporating, over the multiple layers, one or more additional layers including a metal layer, the back metal structure being formed by the multiple layers and the additional layers. A photovoltaic device is also described that includes a back metal structure disposed over a back surface of a photovoltaic structure made of a group III-V semiconductor material, the back metal structure including one or more evaporated layers disposed over multiple sputtered layers, the one or more evaporated layers including a metal layer. By allowing evaporation along with sputtering, tool size and costs can be reduced, including minimizing a number of vacuum breaks. Moreover, good yield and reliability, such as reducing dark line defects (DLDs), can also be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: UTICA LEASECO, LLC
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala Semonin, Reto Adrian Furler, Hasti Majidi, Kirsten Sydney Hessler
  • Publication number: 20200350460
    Abstract: A method is described that includes sputtering multiple layers on a back surface of the photovoltaic structure, the photovoltaic structure being made of at least one group III-V semiconductor material, and evaporating, over the multiple layers, one or more additional layers including a metal layer, the back metal structure being formed by the multiple layers and the additional layers. A photovoltaic device is also described that includes a back metal structure disposed over a back surface of a photovoltaic structure made of a group III-V semiconductor material, the back metal structure including one or more evaporated layers disposed over multiple sputtered layers, the one or more evaporated layers including a metal layer. By allowing evaporation along with sputtering, tool size and costs can be reduced, including minimizing a number of vacuum breaks. Moreover, good yield and reliability, such as reducing dark line defects (DLDs), can also be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala SEMONIN, Reto Adrian FURLER, Hasti MAJIDI, Kirsten Sydney HESSLER
  • Publication number: 20200321480
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device and a method of making the photovoltaic device are disclosed. The photovoltaic device may include a semiconductor layer epitaxially grown using a compound semiconductor material, such as a group III-V semiconductor material, wherein a surface of the semiconductor layer is textured via one or more laser pulses of a laser. The photovoltaic device may also include a dielectric layer deposited over the textured surface of the semiconductor layer, and a back metal reflector provided on the dielectric layer. The textured surface extends a path of light traveling through the photovoltaic device to increase absorption of the light within the photovoltaic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Octavi Santiago Escala SEMONIN, Daniel Guilford PATTERSON, Reto Adrian FURLER, Andrew James RITENOUR