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Title: Interdigitated photovoltaic power conversion device

Abstract

A photovoltaic power conversion device has a top surface adapted to receive impinging radiation. The device includes at least two adjacent, serially connected cells. Each cell includes a semi-insulating substrate and a lateral conductivity layer of a first doped electrical conductivity disposed on the substrate. A base layer is disposed on the lateral conductivity layer and has the same electrical charge conductivity thereof. An emitter layer of a second doped electrical conductivity of opposite electrical charge is disposed on the base layer and forms a p-n junction therebetween. A plurality of spaced channels are formed in the emitter and base layers to expose the lateral conductivity layer at the bottoms thereof. A front contact grid is positioned on the top surface of the emitter layer of each cell. A first current collector is positioned along one outside edge of at least one first cell. A back contact grid is positioned in the channels at the top surface of the device for engagement with the lateral conductivity layer. A second current collector is positioned along at least one outside edge of at least one oppositely disposed second cell. Finally, an interdigitation mechanism is provided for serially connecting the front contact gridmore » of one cell to the back contact grid of an adjacent cell at the top surface of the device.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
+ Show Inventor Affiliations
  1. Englewood, CO
  2. Golden, CO
  3. Conifer, CO
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
872263
Patent Number(s):
5897715
Assignee:
Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
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
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DOE Contract Number:  
AC36-83CH10093
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
interdigitated; photovoltaic; power; conversion; device; top; surface; adapted; receive; impinging; radiation; adjacent; serially; connected; cells; cell; semi-insulating; substrate; lateral; conductivity; layer; doped; electrical; disposed; base; charge; emitter; opposite; forms; p-n; junction; therebetween; plurality; spaced; channels; formed; layers; expose; bottoms; front; contact; grid; positioned; current; collector; outside; edge; engagement; oppositely; finally; interdigitation; mechanism; provided; connecting; oppositely disposed; photovoltaic power; electrical charge; front contact; p-n junction; emitter layer; serially connected; power conversion; top surface; current collector; electrical conductivity; base layer; adjacent cell; conversion device; surface adapted; junction therebetween; insulating substrate; semi-insulating substrate; opposite electrical; base layers; connected cells; /136/

Citation Formats

Ward, James Scott, Wanlass, Mark Woodbury, and Gessert, Timothy Arthur. Interdigitated photovoltaic power conversion device. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
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Ward, James Scott, Wanlass, Mark Woodbury, & Gessert, Timothy Arthur. Interdigitated photovoltaic power conversion device. United States.
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Ward, James Scott, Wanlass, Mark Woodbury, and Gessert, Timothy Arthur. Fri . "Interdigitated photovoltaic power conversion device". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872263.
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@article{osti_872263,
title = {Interdigitated photovoltaic power conversion device},
author = {Ward, James Scott and Wanlass, Mark Woodbury and Gessert, Timothy Arthur},
abstractNote = {A photovoltaic power conversion device has a top surface adapted to receive impinging radiation. The device includes at least two adjacent, serially connected cells. Each cell includes a semi-insulating substrate and a lateral conductivity layer of a first doped electrical conductivity disposed on the substrate. A base layer is disposed on the lateral conductivity layer and has the same electrical charge conductivity thereof. An emitter layer of a second doped electrical conductivity of opposite electrical charge is disposed on the base layer and forms a p-n junction therebetween. A plurality of spaced channels are formed in the emitter and base layers to expose the lateral conductivity layer at the bottoms thereof. A front contact grid is positioned on the top surface of the emitter layer of each cell. A first current collector is positioned along one outside edge of at least one first cell. A back contact grid is positioned in the channels at the top surface of the device for engagement with the lateral conductivity layer. A second current collector is positioned along at least one outside edge of at least one oppositely disposed second cell. Finally, an interdigitation mechanism is provided for serially connecting the front contact grid of one cell to the back contact grid of an adjacent cell at the top surface of the device.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}
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Works referenced in this record:

InGaAs PV device development for TPV power systems
conference, January 1995

  • Wilt, David M.; Fatemi, S.; Hoffman, Richard W.
  • The first NREL conference on thermophotovoltaic generation of electricity, AIP Conference Proceedings
  • https://doi.org/10.1063/1.47061
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