Abstract: Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

Abstract: Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

Abstract: Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

Abstract: Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

Abstract: Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

Abstract: A photonics-based planar solar concentrator designed for collecting and guiding insolate radiation from one side to solar cells for energy conversion on another side is described. The planar solar concentrator consists of two sections. The top section is a matrix of micro-size wide angle solar concentrators. The bottom section is a planar lightwave circuit, which may be multi-layered. Planar lightwave circuits are used within a relatively thin cross-sectional thickness to guide light from micro-concentrators to output apertures on the opposite surface, such that solar cells can be located directly underneath the concentrator. The planar concentrator can deliver multiple times the normal sunlight intensity to standard silicon solar cells, thereby decreasing the number of cells required in a typical solar module. This planar solar concentrator is designed for use as the top optical layer of a standard flat panel solar module.

Abstract: Colorization of a solar cell is achieved by modifying a layer proximate an active layer of the solar cell. The color attribute may be obtained by selecting one or more narrow bands of wavelengths in the visible color spectrum to be reflected from the surface of the solar cell unit that results in a specific color or combination of colors at various angles. The spectrum of light reflected from the active solar cell area is controlled through the use of filters that reflect only limited portions of the spectrum, thereby minimizing the effect of reflected light on the overall efficiency of the solar cell.

Abstract: A solar cell mesh includes multiple strips of flexible photovoltaic conversion cells disposed in a first direction. Multiple strips of flexible material are intertwined with the multiple strips of flexible photovoltaic material at least somewhat orthogonal to the first direction to form the mesh, such as in a fabric or net. The mesh may be applied to a curved surface of the device and encapsulated such that the mesh is conformal with the curved surface of the device.

Abstract: A multilayer brazeable metallization structure for diamond components and method for producing it are described. The brazeable metallization finds particular application for the attachment of diamond components such as heat spreaders in electronic packages that incorporate high power semiconductor devices. In the present invention, a diamond component is provided with a multilayer coating of metals including depositing a first layer of chromium for adhesion onto at least a portion of the diamond component, depositing a second barrier layer of a refractory metal for a barrier onto at least portion of the chromium layer, and a top layer of copper, silver or gold for wetting. This top layer is thick (greater than 5 microns), without sacrificing resistance to delamination, particularly at brazing conditions. It is obtained by depositing a layer of a first metal onto at least a portion of the refractory metal layer, and depositing a layer of a second metal onto at least a portion of the first metal layer.

Abstract: A multilayer brazeable metallization structure for diamond components and method for producing it are described. The brazeable metallization finds particular application for the attachment of diamond components such as heat spreaders in electronic packages that incorporate high power semiconductor devices. In the present invention, a diamond component is provided with a multilayer coating of metals including a first layer of chromium for adhesion, a second barrier layer of a refractory metal for a barrier that may be alloyed with chromium, and a top layer of copper, silver or gold for wetting. This top layer is thick (greater than 5 microns), without sacrificing resistance to delamination, particularly at brazing conditions. The refractory metals for the second layer include tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum and niobium, or tungsten-chromium alloy.