Solar cell
Abstract
An improved solar cell designed for optimum efficiency is comprised of a plurality of series connected unit solar cells formed from a common substrate of semiconductor material. Each unit solar cell has spaced elongate sidewalls, and a ''dead space'' area between adjoining sidewalls of adjacent units is made substantially smaller than an active, light receiving area, extending between the opposite sidewalls of each individual unit. In addition, the width of the active area is concisely limited to ensure that radiation incident on the active area is incident at a point which is spaced from the p-n junction of each unit by no more than a predetermined optimum distance. Reducing the ''dead space'' area while concisely limiting the width of the active area provides improved solar cell performance without requiring focusing lenses.
- Inventors:
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 6747575
- Patent Number(s):
- US RE 30384
- Assignee:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 27 Apr 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; SOLAR CELL ARRAYS; DESIGN; SOLAR CELLS; EFFICIENCY; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; P-N JUNCTIONS; PERFORMANCE; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; SUBSTRATES; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; EQUIPMENT; JUNCTIONS; MATERIALS; PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS; PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; 140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
Citation Formats
Frank, R I, and Kaplow, R. Solar cell. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Frank, R I, & Kaplow, R. Solar cell. United States.
Frank, R I, and Kaplow, R. 1980.
"Solar cell". United States.
@article{osti_6747575,
title = {Solar cell},
author = {Frank, R I and Kaplow, R},
abstractNote = {An improved solar cell designed for optimum efficiency is comprised of a plurality of series connected unit solar cells formed from a common substrate of semiconductor material. Each unit solar cell has spaced elongate sidewalls, and a ''dead space'' area between adjoining sidewalls of adjacent units is made substantially smaller than an active, light receiving area, extending between the opposite sidewalls of each individual unit. In addition, the width of the active area is concisely limited to ensure that radiation incident on the active area is incident at a point which is spaced from the p-n junction of each unit by no more than a predetermined optimum distance. Reducing the ''dead space'' area while concisely limiting the width of the active area provides improved solar cell performance without requiring focusing lenses.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6747575},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 26 00:00:00 EDT 1980},
month = {Tue Aug 26 00:00:00 EDT 1980}
}