Patent · US Active

Transparent contacts for stacked compound photovoltaic cells

US9508881B2 · kind B2 · utility

60Cited by
12References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 11, 2012
Grant dateNov 29, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 4, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/544

Abstract

A microsystems-enabled multi-junction photovoltaic (MEM-PV) cell includes a first photovoltaic cell having a first junction, the first photovoltaic cell including a first semiconductor material employed to form the first junction, the first semiconductor material having a first bandgap. The MEM-PV cell also includes a second photovoltaic cell comprising a second junction. The second photovoltaic cell comprises a second semiconductor material employed to form the second junction, the second semiconductor material having a second bandgap that is less than the first bandgap, the second photovoltaic cell further comprising a first contact layer disposed between the first junction of the first photovoltaic cell and the second junction of the second photovoltaic cell, the first contact layer composed of a third semiconductor material having a third bandgap, the third bandgap being greater than or equal to the first bandgap.

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