Patent · US Expired

Thin-film, flexible photovoltaic module

US6310281A · kind A · utility

165Cited by
5References
43Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 16, 2000
Grant dateOct 30, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 16, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/50
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A new, large-area, thin-film, flexible photovoltaic structure is disclosed, as well as a general fabrication procedure, including a preferably roll-to-roll-type, process-chamber-segregated, "continuous-motion", method for producing such a structure. A special multi-material vapor-deposition environment is disclosed to implement an important co-evaporation, layer-deposition procedure performed in and as part of the fabrication procedure. A structural system adapted to create a vapor environment generally like that just referred to is disclosed, as is an organization of method steps involved in the generation of such a vapor environment. Also, a unique, vapor-creating, materials-distributing system, which includes specially designed heated crucibles with carefully arranged, spatially distributed, localized and generally point-like, heated-nozzle sources of different metallic vapors, and a special multi-fingered, comb-like, vapor-delivering manifold structure is shown.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.