Tubular solar cell
US3990914A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 3, 1974 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 1976 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 3, 1994 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S148/152
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
High efficiency, low cost solar energy conversion is facilitated by using tubular photovoltaic solar cells situated at the focus of a line-generated paraboloidal reflector. Advantageously, each solar cell comprises a pair of concentric glass tubes that are hermetically sealed at the ends. A photovoltaic junction is formed over the entire inside surface of one of the concentric tubes. For example, this may comprise an inner electrically conductive film, contiguous layers of Cu.sub.2 S and CdS forming a heterojunction, and an outer film of optically transparent but electrically conductive material. The conductive films provide electrical connection to the junction via external contacts that are symmetrically disposed at the ends of the tubular cell. In other embodiments the photovoltaic junction is formed in a crystalline silicon layer that is grown in situ on one of the glass tubes. Techniques for promoting oriented semiconductor crystalline growth are disclosed. These include providing minute crystalline islands in a metal matrix to serve as growth centers, surface alignment using a wavy layer deposited at an acute angle onto the glass substrate, surface seeding and normalization g…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.