Photovoltaic device having incident radiation directing means for total internal reflection
US4419533A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 1982 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
Abstract
There is disclosed new and improved photovoltaic devices which provide increased short circuit currents and efficiencies over that previously obtainable from prior devices. The disclosed devices include incident radiation directing means for directing at least a portion of the incident light through the active region or regions thereof at angles sufficient to substantially confine the directed radiation in the devices. This allows substantially total utilization of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Further, because the light is directed through the active region or regions at such angles, the active regions can be made thinner to also increase collection efficiencies. The incident radiation directors can be random surface or bulk reflectors to provide random scattering of the light, or periodic surface or bulk reflector to provide selective scattering of the light. While the present invention is applicable to photovoltaic devices formed from any type of semiconductor material, as for example, crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous semiconductor alloys or any combination thereof, disclosure herein is primarily directed to photovoltaic devices formed from amorphous silicon allo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.