US4638110A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Methods and apparatus relating to photovoltaic semiconductor devices
Assignee: ILLUMINATED DATA Inc A NEW MEXICO CORP
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Filing: 1985-06-13
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Granted: 1987-01-20
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Expires: 2005-06-13
Abstract
Abstract A solar concentrator-photovoltaic module having a matrix of miniaturized photovoltaic cells is formed by using a laser beam to form the miniaturized photovoltaic cell sites in situ. A laminated sheet is formed by a light-transmissive lens sheet having a matrix of lenses, and a substrate including a conductor layer formed onto the bottom side of the lens sheet. The laminated sheet is then irradiated using laser beams directed normal to and through each lens of the lens sheet, to perforate the substrate including the conductor layer forming cell sites. Cells can be formed in situ by applying an amorphous or multi-crystalline semi-conductor material to the cell sites from the bottom of the laminated sheet. The laminated sheet is then irradiated further with laser beams directed through each of the lenses, to thereby convert the amorphous material to a properly doped and fully crystalline photovoltaic junction. The bottom of the laminated sheet is then coated with final lower conductive and sealing layers to protect the laminated sheet from environmental effects.
Inventors
- 👤 Virgil Erbert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:05
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2923; G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0037; G02B3/005; G02B3/0056; H10F; H10F19/00; H10F19/20; H10F71/00; H10F77/00; H10F77/40; H10F77/42; H10F77/484; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3238; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3421; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3808; H10P14/3818; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/52; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24273; Y10T428/24322; Y10T428/24331; Y10T428/24355; Y10T428/24364
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of forming a laminate for holding photovoltaic material at cell sites and concentrating incident radiation at such cell sites, comprising: forming a light-transmissive lens sheet having a first side in which a pattern of lenses is formed and an opposing second side which is generally planar; laminating a substrate including a layer of electrically conductive material onto the second side of the lens, sheet; and perforating the laminated substrate to form a plurality of cell sites by irradiation focused by the lenses of the lens sheeet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
88 words
A method of forming a laminate for holding photovoltaic material at cell sites and concentrating incident radiation at such cell sites, comprising: forming a light-transmissive lens sheet having a first side in which a pattern of lenses is formed and an opposing second side which is generally planar; laminating a substrate including a layer of electrically conductive material onto the second side of the lens, sheet; and perforating the laminated substrate to form a plurality of cell sites by irradiation focused by the lenses of the lens sheeet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lenses are optically spherical.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of laminating said substrate comprises: depositing a layer of electrically conductive material onto the second side of the lens sheet to form a first conductor; depositing a layer of electrically insulating material onto the first conductor to form an insulator; depositing a layer of electrically conductive material onto the insulator to form a second conductor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the substrate comprises a single layer of conductive material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of: securing photovoltaic semiconductor crystals slightly larger than cells sites onto the substrate overlying cell sites; depositing a layer of insulating material onto the substrate between adjacent crystals whereby the surfaces of the crystals not secured to the substrate remain exposed; depositing a continuous ohmic layer of conducting material over the then existing substrate including the exposed surfaces of the crystals whereby the crystals are electrically connected.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 comprising the further steps of depositing an additional layer of conductive material onto the ohmic layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
A photovoltaic module formed in accordance with the method of claim 6.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
A photovoltaic module formed in accordance with the method of claim 5.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the lenses have square cross-sections and are arranged in abutting relationship to form a continuous surface of spherical lenses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the lenses are less than 1/4 inch on a side.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lenses are optically cylindrical.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the step of laminating said substrate comprises: depositing a layer of electrically conductive material onto the second side of the lens sheet to form a first conductor; depositing a layer of electrically insulating material onto the first conductor to from an insulator; depositing a layer of electrically conductive matieral onto the insulator to form a second conductor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the substrate comprises a single layer of conductive material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of: filling the cell sites with amorphous semiconductor material; converting the amorphous semiconductor material in the cell sites to a properly doped and fully crystalline photovoltaic junction; depositing a layer of insulating material onto the existing substrate to seal and protect the junctions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the amorphous semiconductor material is gallium arsenide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
A photovoltaic module formed in accordance with the method of claim 14.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the lenses are arranged in side-by-side relationship to form a continuous surface of parallel lenses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the lenses are less than 3/8 inch across.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the lenses produce an image concentration onto the substrate of at least 50 times.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
31 words
The method as in one of claims 1, 2 or 11 wherein perforation of the substrate is accomplished by use of a laser focused by the lenses of the lens sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A concentrator laminate for holding photovoltaic material at cell sites and concentrating incident radiation at such cell sites formed in accordance with the method of any one of Claims 1-19, inclusive.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
42 words
The method as in one of claims 1, 2 or 11 comprising the further steps of: filling the cell sites with amorphous semiconductor material; converting the amorphous semiconductor material in the cell sites to a properly doped and fully crystalline photovoltaic junction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the step of converting the amorphous semiconductor material includes irradiation of the material in the cell sites by radiation focused through the lenses of the lens sheet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 22 wherein the amorphous semiconductor material is gallium arsenide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
A photovoltaic module formed in accordance with the method of claim 22.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
64 words
The method as in one of claims 1, 2 or 11 comprising the further steps of: filling the cell sites with amorphous semiconductor material; converting the amorphous semiconductor material in the cell sites to a properly doped and fully crystalline photovoltaic junction; depositing an ohmic layer of conductive material onto the existing substrate to form a continuous conductor electrically connecting all of the junctions.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
A photovoltaic module formed in accordance with the method of claim 26.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
103 words
A laminated sheet product useful in photovoltaic devices comprising: a light-transmissive lens sheet having a first side in which a matrix of a multiplicity of concentrating lenses is formed and having an opposing substantially flat second side; a substrate adhered to the second side of said lens sheet including a layer of electrically conductive material forming a first conductor; a matrix of voids forming cell sites in said substrate extending at least through the first conductor and optically below the concentrating lenses whereby radiation concentrated by a lens is directed to a cell site for a selected angle of incidence of the radiation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
103 words
A laminated sheet product useful in photovoltaic devices comprising: a light-transmissive lens sheet having a first side in which a matrix of a multiplicity of concentrating lenses is formed and having an opposing substantially flat second side; a substrate adhered to the second side of said lens sheet including a layer of electrically conductive material forming a first conductor; a matrix of voids forming cell sites in said substrate extending at least through the first conductor and optically below the concentrating lenses whereby radiation concentrated by a lens is directed to a cell site for a selected angle of incidence of the radiation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The invention of claim 28 wherein the lenses are optically spherical.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
The invention of claim 29 wherein the lenses are optically cylindrical.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
53 words
The invention of claim 30 wherein said substrate comprises: a layer of electrically conductive material on the second side of the lens sheet defining a first conductor; a layer of electrically insulating material on the first conductor defining an insulator; a layer of electrically conductive material on the insulator defining a second conductor.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 30 wherein the substrate comprises a single layer of conductive material.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 30 wherein the lenses are arranged in side-by-side relationship defining a continuous surface of parallel lenses.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 33 wherein the lenses are less than 3/8 inch across.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 33 further comprising: a photovoltaic semiconductor crystal in each cell site, in electrical contact with said electrical conductor and optically visible through the lens sheet; and a layer of electrically insulating material overlying the conductor and crystals.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
53 words
The invention of claim 29 wherein said substrate comprises: a layer of electrically conductive material on the second side of the lens sheet defining a first conductor; a layer of electrically insulating material on the first conductor defining an insulator; a layer of electrically conductive material on the insulator defining a second conductor.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 29 wherein the substrate comprises a single layer of conductive material.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claim 29 wherein the lenses have square cross-sections and are arranged in abutting relationship to form a continuous surface of spherical lenses.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 38 wherein the lenses are less than 1/4 inch thick on a side.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claims 36 or 31 further comprising: a photovoltaic semiconductor crystal disposed in each cell site wherein the crystal is in electrical contact with both the first and second conductors and optically visible through the lens sheet.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 40 further comprising: a layer of electrically conductive material overlying the second conductor and cell sites which are thereby encapsulated and protected against environmental effects.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 40 where the semiconductor material is gallium arsenide.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 28 wherein the lenses produce an image concentration onto the substrate of at least 50 times.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention of any one of claims 28, 29 or 30 further comprising: a photovoltaic semiconductor crystal disposed at each cell site, in electrical contact with the first conductor and optically visible through the lens sheet.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 44 wherein the crystal material is gallium arsenide.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-01-19 | 1990-07-21 | 1991-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-01-19 | 1994-07-21 | 1995-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-01-19 | 1998-07-21 | 1999-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |