US2012160313A1PendingUtilityA1

Systems And Processes For Bifacial Collection And Tandem Junctions Using A Thin-Film Photovoltaic Device

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Assignee: WOODS LAWRENCE MPriority: Sep 19, 2006Filed: Feb 27, 2012Published: Jun 28, 2012
Est. expirySep 19, 2026(~0.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Lawrence M. WoodsRosine M. Ribelin
H10F 71/138H10F 10/167H10F 77/211H10F 10/16H10F 77/244Y02E10/50
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Claims

Abstract

A thin-film photovoltaic device includes a semi-transparent back contact layer. The semi-transparent back contact layer includes a semi-transparent contact layer and a semi-transparent contact interface layer. The thin-film photovoltaic device may be formed in a substrate or superstrate configuration. A tandem thin-film photovoltaic device includes a semi-transparent interconnect layer. The semi-transparent interconnect layer includes a semi-transparent contact layer and a semi-transparent contact interface layer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A thin-film photovoltaic device, comprising:
 a semi-transparent substrate for supporting the thin-film photovoltaic device;   a semi-transparent back contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent substrate, including:
 a semi-transparent contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent substrate, and 
 a semi-transparent contact interface layer including a Cu(X)Te 2  material disposed on the semi-transparent contact layer, wherein X is at least one of In, Ga, and Al; 
   a solar absorber layer disposed on the semi-transparent back contact layer, the solar absorber layer including one of a Group I-III-VI.sub.2 material and a Group II-VI material;   a heterojunction partner layer disposed on the solar absorber layer; and   a top contact layer disposed on the heterojunction partner layer.   
     
     
         2 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , the semi-transparent contact layer comprising at least one of a transparent conductive oxide, a stannate, and a transparent layer with carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         3 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising at least one of silicone, silicone resin, reinforced silicone, and reinforced silicone resin. 
     
     
         4 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising polyimide. 
     
     
         5 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising glass. 
     
     
         6 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , the solar absorber layer comprising at least one of a surface and a near surface region that is n-type. 
     
     
         7 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffer layer disposed between the heterojunction partner layer and the top contact layer. 
     
     
         8 . A thin-film photovoltaic device, comprising:
 a semi-transparent substrate for supporting the thin-film photovoltaic device;   a top contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent substrate;   a heterojunction partner layer disposed on the top contact layer;   a solar absorber layer disposed on the heterojunction partner layer, the solar absorber layer including one of a Group I-III-VI.sub.2 material and a Group II-VI material; and   a semi-transparent back contact layer disposed on the solar absorber layer, including:
 a semi-transparent contact interface layer including a Cu(X)Te 2  material disposed on the solar absorber layer, wherein X is at least one of In, Ga, and Al, and 
 a semi-transparent contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent contact interface layer. 
   
     
     
         9 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , the semi-transparent contact layer comprising at least one of a transparent conductive oxide, a stannate, and a transparent layer with carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         10 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising at least one of silicone, silicone resin, reinforced silicone, and reinforced silicone resin. 
     
     
         11 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising polyimide. 
     
     
         12 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising glass. 
     
     
         13 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , the solar absorber layer comprising at least one of a surface and a near surface region that is n-type. 
     
     
         14 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , further comprising a buffer layer disposed between the heterojunction partner layer and the top contact layer. 
     
     
         15 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 8 , further comprising a bottom photovoltaic device disposed on the semi-transparent contact layer of the semi-transparent back contact layer, the bottom photovoltaic device being operable to absorb sub-bandgap light passing through the semi-transparent back contact layer. 
     
     
         16 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 15 , the bottom photovoltaic device comprising:
 a bottom heterojunction partner layer disposed on the semi-transparent contact layer of the semi-transparent back contact layer;   a bottom solar absorber layer disposed on the bottom heterojunction partner layer; and   a bottom back contact layer disposed on the bottom solar absorber layer.   
     
     
         17 . A thin-film photovoltaic device, comprising:
 a semi-transparent substrate for supporting the thin-film photovoltaic device;   a semi-transparent back contact layer disposed on the substrate, including:
 a semi-transparent contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent substrate, and 
 a semi-transparent contact interface layer disposed on the semi-transparent contact layer, the semi-transparent contact interface layer including at least one of a semi-transparent metal layer having a thickness of less than 100 angstroms and a discontinuous metal layer; 
   a solar absorber layer disposed on the semi-transparent back contact layer;   a heterojunction partner layer disposed on the solar absorber layer; and   a top contact layer disposed on the heterojunction partner layer.   
     
     
         18 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 17 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising at least one of silicone, reinforced silicone, and reinforced silicone resin. 
     
     
         19 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 17 , the solar absorber layer comprising at least one of a group I-III-VI.sub.2 material and a group II-VI material. 
     
     
         20 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 17 , the semi-transparent metal layer having a thickness of less than 100 angstroms comprising Molybdenum. 
     
     
         21 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 17 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising polyimide. 
     
     
         22 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 17 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising glass. 
     
     
         23 . A thin-film photovoltaic device, comprising:
 a semi-transparent substrate for supporting the thin-film photovoltaic device;   a top contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent substrate;   a heterojunction partner layer disposed on the top contact layer;   a solar absorber layer disposed on the heterojunction partner layer; and   a semi-transparent back contact layer disposed on the solar absorber layer, including:
 a semi-transparent contact interface layer disposed on the solar absorber layer, the semi-transparent contact interface layer including at least one of a semi-transparent metal layer having a thickness of less than 100 angstroms and a discontinuous metal layer, and 
 a semi-transparent contact layer disposed on the semi-transparent contact interface layer. 
   
     
     
         24 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 23 , the solar absorber layer comprising at least one of a group I-III-VI.sub.2 material and a group II-VI material. 
     
     
         25 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 23 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising at least one of silicone, reinforced silicone, and reinforced silicone resin. 
     
     
         26 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 23 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising polyimide. 
     
     
         27 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 23 , the semi-transparent substrate comprising glass. 
     
     
         28 . The thin-film photovoltaic device of  claim 23 , the semi-transparent metal layer having a thickness of less than 100 angstroms comprising Molybdenum.

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