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Title: Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells

Abstract

The invention pertains to the production of ceramic substrates used in the manufacture of thin-film photovoltaic cells used for directly converting solar energy to electrical energy. Elongated ribbon-like sheets of substrate precursor containing a mixture of ceramic particulates, a binder, and a plasticizer are formed and then while green provided with a mechanically textured surface region used for supporting the thin film semiconductor of the photovoltaic cell when the sheets of the substrate precursor are subsequently cut into substrate-sized shapes and then sintered. The textured surface pattern on the substrate provides enhanced light trapping and collection for substantially increasing the, solar energy conversion efficiency of thin-film photovoltaic cells.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Oak Ridge, TN
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870360
Patent Number(s):
5503898
Assignee:
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; producing; textured; substrates; thin-film; photovoltaic; cells; pertains; production; ceramic; manufacture; directly; converting; solar; energy; electrical; elongated; ribbon-like; sheets; substrate; precursor; containing; mixture; particulates; binder; plasticizer; formed; green; provided; mechanically; surface; region; supporting; film; semiconductor; cell; subsequently; cut; substrate-sized; shapes; sintered; pattern; provides; enhanced; light; trapping; collection; substantially; increasing; conversion; efficiency; thin-film photovoltaic; converting solar; substantially increasing; textured substrates; textured surface; surface region; ceramic substrate; photovoltaic cells; conversion efficiency; electrical energy; solar energy; energy conversion; film photovoltaic; photovoltaic cell; provides enhanced; ceramic particulates; substrate provides; surface pattern; precursor containing; enhanced light; textured substrate; film semiconductor; directly converting; ceramic particulate; ceramic substrates; producing textured; /428/136/

Citation Formats

Lauf, Robert J. Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Lauf, Robert J. Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells. United States.
Lauf, Robert J. Mon . "Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870360.
@article{osti_870360,
title = {Method for producing textured substrates for thin-film photovoltaic cells},
author = {Lauf, Robert J},
abstractNote = {The invention pertains to the production of ceramic substrates used in the manufacture of thin-film photovoltaic cells used for directly converting solar energy to electrical energy. Elongated ribbon-like sheets of substrate precursor containing a mixture of ceramic particulates, a binder, and a plasticizer are formed and then while green provided with a mechanically textured surface region used for supporting the thin film semiconductor of the photovoltaic cell when the sheets of the substrate precursor are subsequently cut into substrate-sized shapes and then sintered. The textured surface pattern on the substrate provides enhanced light trapping and collection for substantially increasing the, solar energy conversion efficiency of thin-film photovoltaic cells.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}

Works referenced in this record:

The Pragmatic Semantics of Drugs
journal, October 1986