Patents by Inventor Valerie Pflumio Hill

Valerie Pflumio Hill 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).

  • Finger structures protruding from absorber layer for improved solar cell back contact
    Patent number: 9306105
    Abstract: Thin film photovoltaic devices that include a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive oxide layer on the transparent substrate; a n-type window layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer; a p-type absorber layer on the n-type window layer; and, a back contact on the p-type absorber layer are provided. The p-type absorber layer comprises cadmium telluride, and forms a photovoltaic junction with the n-type window layer. Generally, the p-type absorber layer defines a plurality of finger structures protruding from the p-type absorber layer into the back contact. The finger structures can have an aspect ratio of about 1 or greater and/or can have a height that is about 20% to about 200% of the thickness of the p-type absorber layer. Methods of forming such finger structures protruding from a back surface of the p-type absorber layer are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: First Solar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
    Inventors: Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Robert Dwayne Gossman, Bogdan Lita, Nathan John Kruse, John Milton Flood, III, Valerie Pflumio Hill
  • FINGER STRUCTURES PROTRUDING FROM ABSORBER LAYER FOR IMPROVED SOLAR CELL BACK CONTACT
    Publication number: 20150034154
    Abstract: Thin film photovoltaic devices that include a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive oxide layer on the transparent substrate; a n-type window layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer; a p-type absorber layer on the n-type window layer; and, a back contact on the p-type absorber layer are provided. The p-type absorber layer comprises cadmium telluride, and forms a photovoltaic junction with the n-type window layer. Generally, the p-type absorber layer defines a plurality of finger structures protruding from the p-type absorber layer into the back contact. The finger structures can have an aspect ratio of about 1 or greater and/or can have a height that is about 20% to about 200% of the thickness of the p-type absorber layer. Methods of forming such finger structures protruding from a back surface of the p-type absorber layer are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: PrimeStar Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Robert Dwayne Gossman, Bogdan Lita, Nathan John Kruse, John Milton Flood, III, Valerie Pflumio Hill