Photovoltaic cell with nano-patterned substrate

Title: Photovoltaic cell with nano-patterned substrate

A photovoltaic solar cell comprises a nano-patterned substrate layer. A plurality of nano-windows are etched into an intermediate substrate layer to form the nano-patterned substrate layer. The nano-patterned substrate layer is positioned between an n-type semiconductor layer composed of an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor layer composed of a p-type semiconductor material. Semiconductor material accumulates in the plurality of nano-windows, causing a plurality of heterojunctions to form between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer.

Inventors:: Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis; Zhou, Xiaowang; Zubia, David

Issue Date:: 2016-10-18

OSTI Identifier:: 1329302

Assignee:: Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM) SNL-A

Patent Number(s):: 9,472,702

Application Number:: 13/681,157

Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2012 Nov 19

Research Org:: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org:: USDOE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY

Full Text
View Full Text

Other works cited in this record:

InGaAsN/GaAs heterojunction for multi-junction solar cells
patent, June 2001

Kurtz, Steven; Allerman, Andrew; Klem, John
US Patent Document 6,252,287
URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN/6252287

Back-contact solar cells: a review
journal, January 2006

Kerschaver, Emmanuel Van; Beaucarne, Guy
Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 14, Issue 2, p. 107-123
DOI: 10.1002/pip.657

Two- and three-dimensional folding of thin film single-crystalline silicon for photovoltaic power applications
journal, November 2009

Guo, X.; Li, H.; Yeop Ahn, B.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 106, Issue 48, p. 20149-20154
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0907390106

Effective absorption coefficient for graded band-gap semiconductors and the expected photocurrent density in solar cells
journal, January 2009

Morales-Acevedo, Arturo
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 93, Issue 1, p. 41-44
DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2008.02.015

Similar records in DOepatents and OSTI.GOV collections:

Nano-patterned superconducting surface for high quantum efficiency cathode

Patent Hannon, Fay ; Musumeci, Pietro

A method for providing a superconducting surface on a laser-driven niobium cathode in order to increase the effective quantum efficiency. The enhanced surface increases the effective quantum efficiency by improving the laser absorption of the surface and enhancing the local electric field. The surface preparation method makes feasible the construction of superconducting radio frequency injectors with niobium as the photocathode. An array of nano-structures are provided on a flat surface of niobium. The nano-structures are dimensionally tailored to interact with a laser of specific wavelength to thereby increase the electron yield of the surface.
Full Text Available March 2017
Methods for patterned deposition on a substrate

Patent Rye, Robert R. ; Ricco, Antonio J. ; Hampden-Smith, M. J. ; Kodas, T. T.

A method is described for patterned depositions of a material onto a substrate. A surface of a polymeric substrate is first etched so as to form an etched layer having enhanced adhesions characteristics and then selected portions of the etched layer are removed so as to define a pattern having enhanced and diminished adhesion characteristics for the deposition of a conductor onto the remaining etched layer. In one embodiment, a surface of a PTFE substrate is chemically etched so as to improve the adhesion of copper thereto. Thereafter, selected portions of the etched surface are irradiated with a laser beammore »« less
Full Text Available January 1995
Method and apparatus for coating a patterned thin film on a substrate from a fluid source with continuous feed capability

Patent Burrows, Paul E ; Sapochak, Linda S

A method and apparatus for forming patterned coatings of thin film, non-polymerizable compounds on a substrate. A mixture of the non-polymerizable compound and a liquid carrier is pumped into the interior of a heated evaporation box having an internal temperature sufficient to convert substantially all of the non-polymerizable compound and liquid carrier to a gaseous form. The non-polymerizable compound and liquid carrier are then removed from the evaporation box via exit slit in the evaporation box. Adjacent to the exit slit, and maintained in a vacuum, is a first substrate upon which the non-polymerizable compound condenses. The first substrate ismore »« less
Full Text Available September 2009
Method for forming a nano-textured substrate

Patent Jeong, Sangmoo ; Hu, Liangbing ; Cui, Yi

A method for forming a nano-textured surface on a substrate is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises dispensing of a nanoparticle ink of nanoparticles and solvent onto the surface of a substrate, distributing the ink to form substantially uniform, liquid nascent layer of the ink, and enabling the solvent to evaporate from the nanoparticle ink thereby inducing the nanoparticles to assemble into an texture layer. Methods in accordance with the present invention enable rapid formation of large-area substrates having a nano-textured surface. Embodiments of the present invention are well suited for texturing substrates using high-speed, large scale,more »« less
Full Text Available April 2015
Thin film photovoltaic device with multilayer substrate

Patent Catalano, Anthony W. ; Bhushan, Manjul

A thin film photovoltaic device which utilizes at least one compound semiconductor layer chosen from Groups IIB and VA of the Periodic Table is formed on a multilayer substrate The substrate includes a lowermost support layer on which all of the other layers of the device are formed. Additionally, an uppermost carbide or silicon layer is adjacent to the semiconductor layer. Below the carbide or silicon layer is a metal layer of high conductivity and expansion coefficient equal to or slightly greater than that of the semiconductor layer.
Full Text Available January 1984