Multijunction laser power converter
OwnerDimitri Krut, Rengarajan Sudharsanan +2inventors
InventorsDimitri Krut, Rengarajan Sudharsanan, Nassar Karam, Richard King
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Abstract
Laser power conversion with multiple stacked junctions or subcells are disclosed to produce increased output. Both vertical and horizontal integration are disclosed for flexible, efficient, and cost-effective laser power conversion. One embodiment of a laser power converter includes at least a first or top subcell that receives incident laser light, a second subcell below the first subcell that subsequently receives the laser light, and a tunnel junction between the first and second subcells.
Claims36
A laser power converter, comprising:
- a first subcell that receives monochromatic illumination and produces a first current output;
- a second subcell that receives a portion of the monochromatic illumination after the first subcell receives the monochromatic illumination, the second subcell producing a second current output that is substantially equal to the first current output;
- and
- a tunnel junction disposed between the first subcell and the second subcell.
A laser power converter with multi-voltage implementation, comprising:
- a first subcell that receives monochromatic illumination and produces a first current output;
- a second subcell that receives a portion of the monochromatic illumination after the first subcell receives the monochromatic illumination, the second subcell producing a second current output that is substantially equal to the first current output;
- a tunnel junction disposed between the first subcell and the second subcell;
- wherein the first and second subcells comprise a horizontally-integrated subcell, such that a first portion of the first and second subcells produces a different current and voltage output than a second portion of the first and second subcells.
A laser power conversion system, comprising:
- a laser source that provides monochromatic illumination;
- means for transmitting the monochromatic illumination to a laser power converter, the laser power converter including:
- a first subcell that receives the monochromatic illumination from the laser source via the means for transmitting and produces a first current output;
- a second subcell that receives a portion of the monochromatic illumination after the first subcell receives the monochromatic illumination, the second subcell producing a second current output that is substantially equal to the first current output;
- and
- a tunnel junction disposed between the first subcell and the second subcell.
A method of converting laser power, the method comprising:
- converting monochromatic light to a first current output by transmission through a first subcell;
- transmitting a portion of the monochromatic light from the first subcell through a tunnel junction;
- and
- converting monochromatic light from the tunnel junction to a second current output by transmission through a second subcell, wherein the second current output is substantially equal to the first current output.
A laser power converter, comprising:
- a central light collection and electrical conversion region that produces high current;
- a plurality of sections along a periphery of the central light collection and electrical conversion region, the plurality of sections interconnected in series;
- and
- independent contacts to the central light collection and electrical conversion region and the plurality of sections along the periphery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.