Patents by Inventor Thomas Knoth

Thomas Knoth 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: 8669463
    Abstract: A method is provided for depositing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer on a substrate, in which contaminations of the layers of the layer system is reduced through the diffusion of material from the substrate, and whose layer properties in respect to coupling and transmission of light are optimized. For that purpose, a barrier layer, a seed layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer are directly successively deposited on the substrate. Also, a thin-film solar cell is described which comprises such a transparent conductive oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Dimer, Tina Schoessler, Thomas Knoth, Ralf Sturm, Uwe Graupner, Martin Thumsch, Hans-Christian Hecht
  • Patent number: 8259294
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for measurement of various transmission and reflection values of transparent measurement objects having transparent layers in an inline coating system, and particularly the turbidity of the measurement object during a relative movement between the measurement object and measuring device. Transmission fractions are measured in two different radiation directions of a lighting source emitting diffuse light by two photodetectors, by which a fraction of diffuse light of the lighting source is suppressed in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Von Ardenne Anlagentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Proehl, Thomas Knoth, Tina Schoessler, Martin Dimer
  • Publication number: 20120182545
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for measurement of various transmission and reflection values of transparent measurement objects having transparent layers in an inline coating system, and particularly the turbidity of the measurement object during a relative movement between the measurement object and measuring device. Transmission fractions are measured in two different radiation directions of a lighting source emitting diffuse light by two photodetectors, by which a fraction of diffuse light of the lighting source is suppressed in one direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Von Ardenne Anlagentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Proehl, Thomas Knoth, Tina Schoessler, Martin Dimer
  • Publication number: 20120024363
    Abstract: A thin-film solar cell includes a front-side glass substrate, a front contact arranged above the glass substrate, an absorber arranged above the front contact, and a rear contact arranged above the absorber. A TCO layer system composed of an intrinsic TCO layer deposited above the substrate and a doped TCO layer arranged thereabove is provided, as well as a method for producing such a thin-film solar cell. Improved transmission, reflection and absorption properties of the TCO layer is achieved by composing the TCO layer of a first doped TCO sublayer deposited directly on the intrinsic TCO layer, and a second doped TCO sublayer deposited directly on the first doped TCO sublayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: VON ARDENNE ANLAGENTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Martin DIMER, Tina SCHÖSSLER, Thomas KNOTH, Ralf STURM, Uwe GRAUPNER, Martin THUMSCH, Hans-Christian HECHT
  • Publication number: 20110108105
    Abstract: A method is provided for depositing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer on a substrate, in which contaminations of the layers of the layer system is reduced through the diffusion of material from the substrate, and whose layer properties in respect to coupling and transmission of light are optimized. For that purpose, a barrier layer, a seed layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer are directly successively deposited on the substrate. Also, a thin-film solar cell is described which comprises such a transparent conductive oxide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: VON ARDENNE ANLAGENTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Martin DIMER, Tina SCHOESSLER, Thomas KNOTH, Ralf STURM, Uwe GRAUPNER, Martin THUMSCH, Hans-Christian HECHT