Reflective tandem solar cell
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsMax Shtein, Kevin P. Pipe, Brendan T. O'Connor, Denis Nothern
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A novel solar cell architecture consisting of multiple fiber-based photovoltaic (PV) cells. Each PV fiber element is designed to maximize the power conversion efficiency within a narrow band of the incident solar spectrum, while reflecting other spectral components through the use of optical microcavity effects and distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) coatings. Combining PV fibers with complementary absorption and reflection characteristics into volume-filling arrays produces an array of spectrally tuned solar cells with an effective dispersion element intrinsic to the architecture, resulting in high external quantum efficiency over the visible spectrum.
Claims19
A solar cell system comprising:
- a plurality of fiber-based photovoltaic cells, at least a first of said plurality of fiber-based photovoltaic cells being tailored for power conversion efficiency within a first predetermined band of incident solar spectrum, at least a second of said plurality of fiber-based photovoltaic cells being tailored for power conversion efficiency within a second predetermined band of incident solar spectrum, said first predetermined band being different than said second predetermined band, said plurality of fiber-based photovoltaic cells being disposed in an array defining a high external quantum efficiency over a visible spectrum.
A solar cell system comprising:
- a plurality of planar solar cells being made of an organic or inorganic semiconductor-based material, at least a first of said plurality of planar solar cells being tailored for power conversion efficiency within a first predetermined band of incident solar spectrum, at least a second of said plurality of planar solar cells being tailored for power conversion efficiency within a second predetermined band of incident solar spectrum, said first predetermined band being different than said second predetermined band, said plurality of planar solar cells being disposed in an array defining a high external quantum efficiency over a visible spectrum.
A broad-band solar cell comprising:
- a plurality of sub-cell members each being oriented generally in 3-dimensions, distributed over a region of space greater in volume than a solid volume of the plurality of sub-cell members alone, thereby defining gaps between each of said plurality of sub-cell members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.