# US 11,908,966 B2 · Solar module with patterned cover plate and optical interference layer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,966 B2 - Document ID: US11908966B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/263,066 - Filed: 2019-07-16 - Published: 2021-09-16 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-27 - Assignees: Cnbm Research Institute for Advanced Glass Materials Group Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Cnbm Research Institute for Advanced Glass Materials Group Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Rene Kalio; Joerg Palm; Jens Kullmann; Manuel Dias; Sven Ring - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908966B2 ## CPC - H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells - H10F 77/492: {Spectrum-splitting means, e.g. dichroic mirrors} - G02B 5/28: Interference filters - H02S 20/22: specially adapted for buildings - H02S 20/26: Building materials integrated with PV modules, e.g. façade elements (H02S20/25 takes precedence) - H10F 19/807: {Double-glass encapsulation, e.g. photovoltaic cells arranged between front and rear glass sheets} - H10F 71/00: Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) - H10F 77/707: {of the substrates or of layers on substrates, e.g. textured ITO layer on a glass substrate} - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - 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 - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A solar module having on the front a cover plate with an outer surface and an inner surface is described. An optical interference layer for reflecting light within a predefined wavelength range is arranged on the inner surface. The inner surface and/or the outer surface have a patterned region. The patterned region has a height profile with hills and valleys, and a portion of the patterned region is composed of flat segments that are inclined relative to a plane of the cover plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar module for photovoltaic energy generation, comprising: a transparent cover plate with an outer surface facing an external environment and an opposite inner surface; according to alternatives i) or ii): i) an optical interference layer for reflecting light within a predefined wavelength range is arranged on the inner surface, the inner surface and/or the outer surface having at least one patterned region, wherein either a) the outer surface has at least one patterned region, orb) another optical interference layer for reflecting light within a predefined wavelength range is arranged on the outer surface, or ii) an optical interference layer for reflecting light within a predefined wavelength range is arranged on the inner surface, the inner surface having at least one patterned region, and the outer surface having no patterned region, wherein no optical interference layer is arranged on the outer surface; the patterned region has the following features: perpendicularly to a plane of the cover plate, a height profile with hills and valleys, wherein a mean height difference between the hills and valleys is at least 2 μm, and at least 50% of the at least one patterned region of the alternatives i) or ii) is composed of segments that are inclined relative to the plane of the cover plate, wherein, with reference to the plane of the cover plate, at least 20% of the segments have an inclination angle in a range from greater than 0° to 15°, and at least 30% of the segments have an inclination angle in a range from greater than 15° to 45°; if the inner surface has at least one patterned region, the segments of the patterned region of the inner surface are planar, and have a segment area of at least 1 μm2 and a mean roughness of less than 15% of a layer thickness of the optical interference layer on the inner surface; wherein the patterned region has a reflection haze of more than 50%, wherein the cover plate is configured such that, when provided with a black inner surface and illuminated on an illuminated surface opposite the black inner surface at an angle of incidence that deviates by 45° from a glancing angle of the illuminated surface, a brightness L of a reflected light with a color effect is observed at viewing angles of 45° and 15°, wherein the viewing angles are based on a normal relative to the cover plate, L being selected from the group consisting of at least 10, at least 15, and at least 20. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar module according to claim 1, wherein in alternative i) the inner surface of the cover plate has no patterned region and the outer surface has at least one patterned region, wherein no optical interference layer is arranged on the outer surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The solar module according to claim 1, wherein in alternative i) the inner surface of the cover plate has at least one patterned region, and the outer surface has at least one patterned region, wherein no optical interference layer is arranged on the outer surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solar module according to claim 1, wherein in alternative i) the inner surface of the cover plate has at least one patterned region, and the outer surface has no patterned region, wherein another optical interference layer is arranged on the outer surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The solar module according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical interference layer includes a single refraction layer having a refractive index n selected from the group consisting of greater than 1.7, greater than 2.0, or greater than 2.3. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The solar module according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical interference layer includes exactly two refraction layers, and wherein a first refraction layer with a first refractive index n1 is arranged on the cover plate with a refractive index nd with |n1−nd|>0.3, a second refraction layer with a second refractive index n2 is arranged on the first refraction layer with |n2−−n1|>0.3, and at least one of the refractive indices n1 or n2 is greater than 1.9 or greater than 2.3. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The solar module according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical interference layer includes exactly three refraction layers, and wherein a first refraction layer with a first refractive index n1 is arranged on the cover plate with a refractive index nd with |n1−nd|>0.3, a second refraction layer with a second refractive index n2 is arranged on the first refraction layer with |n2−n1|>0.3, a third refraction layer with a third refractive index n3 is arranged on the second refraction layer with |n3−n2|>0.3, at least one of the refractive indices n1, n2, or n3 is greater than 1.9 or greater than 2.3, and (i) n1>n2 and n3>n2, or (ii) n1