# US 11,908,965 B1 · Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or devices with infrared (IR) reflecting films for enhanced efficiency

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- Number: US 11,908,965 B1
- Document ID: US11908965B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/122,327
- Filed: 2023-03-16
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2023-03-16
- Assignees: Lumenco, LLC
- Applicants: Lumenco, LLC
- Inventors: Mark A. Raymond
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908965B1

## CPC

- H10F 77/63: Arrangements for cooling directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. heat sinks directly associated with the photovoltaic cells or integrated Peltier elements for active cooling
- G02B 5/0816: {Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers (G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence)}
- H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells
- H10F 77/42: directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
- H10F 77/488: {Reflecting light-concentrating means, e.g. parabolic mirrors or concentrators using total internal reflection}
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar or photovoltaic (PV) system that includes a PV device with an upper surface configured for receiving sunlight and converting the received sunlight into electrical energy. An infrared (IR) reflecting film is placed over the upper surface to increase the efficiency of the PV device by retaining its operating temperature in more desired ranges. The IR reflecting film includes a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, and the bottom surface is mated with the upper surface of the PV device. The IR reflecting film also includes a plurality of structures, each with a recessed surface, formed on the top surface of the substrate. The IR reflecting film includes a reflective mask on the top surface of the substrate that includes reflective elements each disposed in the structures' recessed surfaces. In use, the IR reflecting film reflects sunlight having a wavelength greater than about 950 nanometers (nm).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photovoltaic (PV) system, comprising:
a PV device with an upper surface configured for receiving sunlight and converting the received sunlight into electrical energy; and
an infrared (IR) reflecting film, comprising:
a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is mated with the upper surface of the PV device,
a plurality of structures, each with a recessed surface, formed on the top surface of the substrate, and
a reflective mask on the top surface of the substrate comprising a plurality of reflective elements each disposed in one of the plurality of structures on the recessed surface,
wherein the IR reflecting film reflects a portion of the sunlight having a wavelength greater than about 950 nanometers (nm).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The PV system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the sunlight reflected is at least 50 percent.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The PV system of claim 1, wherein the recessed surfaces of the structures are linear, round, hexagonal, or square in shape.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The PV system of claim 3, wherein the reflective elements have a maximum dimension of less than about 400 nm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The PV system of claim 4, wherein the maximum dimension is less than about 100 nm and light reflectance from the top surface of the substrate of the IR reflecting film is provided by less than 10 percent of a surface area of the top surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The PV system of claim 1, wherein the reflective elements each comprises a layer of a metal or a meta material with a thickness of less than about 0.1 micron.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The PV system of claim 6, wherein the reflective elements transmit 20 to percent of the sunlight with a visible light wavelength.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The PV system of claim 6, wherein the metal is aluminum.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The PV system of claim 1, wherein the PV device comprises a solar panel and wherein the upper surface of the PV device is an outer surface of a protective layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The PV system of claim 1, wherein the IR reflecting film further comprises, over each of the reflective elements, a protective coating comprising at least one resist material.

### Claim 11

A reflective film for reflecting IR for use with photovoltaics and building materials, comprising:
a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface;
a plurality of structures, each with a recessed surface, formed on the top surface of the substrate; and
a reflective mask on the top surface of the substrate comprising a plurality of reflective elements each disposed on the recessed surface of one of the plurality of structures,
wherein the IR reflecting film reflects at least 50 percent of light received on the top surface having a wavelength greater than about 950 nanometers (nm).

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The reflective film of claim 11, wherein the recessed surfaces of the structures are linear, round, hexagonal, or square in shape and wherein the reflective elements have a maximum dimension of less than about 400 nm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The reflective film of claim 12, wherein the maximum dimension is less than about 100 nm and light reflectance from the top surface of the substrate of the IR reflecting film is provided by less than 10 percent of a surface area of the top surface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The reflective film of claim 11, wherein the reflective elements each comprises a layer of a metal or a meta material with a thickness of less than about 0.1 micron.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The reflective film of claim 14, wherein the reflective elements transmit 20 to 50 percent of the sunlight with a visible light wavelength.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The reflective film of claim 14, wherein the metal is aluminum.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The reflective film of claim 11, wherein the IR reflecting film further comprises, over each of the reflective elements, a protective coating comprising at least one resist material.

### Claim 18

A method of fabricating an IR reflective film for use with photovoltaics and building materials, comprising:
first forming a plurality of structures, each with a recessed surface, on a surface of a substrate formed of a substantially transparent material; and
second forming a reflective mask on the top surface of the substrate comprising a plurality of reflective elements each disposed on the recessed surface of one of the plurality of structures,
wherein, after the first and second forming steps, the IR reflecting film reflects at least 50 percent of light received on the surface having a wavelength greater than about 950 nanometers (nm).

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the second forming comprises depositing a layer of a reflective material over the surface, depositing a resist layer over the layer of reflective material at locations matching locations of the reflective elements, and removing portions of the layer of reflective material uncovered by the resist layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

A product formed with to include the IR reflective film of claim 18.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the recessed surfaces of the structures are linear, round, hexagonal, or square in shape and wherein the reflective elements have a maximum dimension of less than about 400 nm.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the maximum dimension is less than about 100 nm and light reflectance from the top surface of the substrate of the IR reflecting film is provided by less than 10 percent of a surface area of the top surface.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the reflective elements each comprises a layer of a metal or a meta material with a thickness of less than about 0.1 micron.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the reflective elements transmit 20 to 50 percent of the sunlight with a visible light wavelength.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the metal is aluminum.