Back to results
US 2014/0209155 A1Published application
Three-Dimensional Metamaterial Device with Photovoltaic Bristles
AssigneeQ1 Nanosystems Corporation
InventorsMark R. SCHROEDER, Robert M. SMITH
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide a photovoltaic cell made up of an array of photovoltaic bristles. The photovoltaic bristles may be configured individually and in an array to have a high probability of photon absorption. The high probability of photon absorption may result in high light energy conversion efficiency.
Claims46
A photovoltaic cell, comprising:
- an array of photovoltaic bristles, wherein each photovoltaic bristle comprises:
- a core having a core radius (rc) in the range of about 0.5 microns to 50 microns;
- an absorption layer comprising photovoltaic semiconductor material positioned over the core and having a first radial thickness (dabs) in the range of 0.2 microns to 1.0 microns;
- and
- an outer conductive layer positioned over the absorption layer, having a second radial thickness (docl) in the range of in the range of 0.2 microns to 1.0 microns, and an index of refraction (nocl),
- wherein each bristle is configured such that:
- n
- ocl
- *
- r
- c
- n
- amb
- *
- (
- r
- c
- +
- d
- abs
- +
- d
- ocl
- )
- ≤
- 1
- wherein namb is the index of refraction of an ambient material surrounding the bristles,
- wherein the bristles within the array of photovoltaic bristles are arranged such that an edge to edge spacing between neighboring photovoltaic bristles (PEtoE) satisfies the equation:
- ((1.67*dabs)+rc)*(2)*(0.9)≦PEtoE≦((1.67*dabs)+rc)*(2)*(1.1),
- wherein the each photovoltaic bristle extends from a major surface of a substrate and has a longitudinal axis oriented transverse to the major surface of the substrate;
- and
- wherein the height of each photovoltaic bristle along the bristles longitudinal axis is in the range of 0.1 microns to 100 microns.
29 more elements
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of generating electricity, comprising:
- exposing a photovoltaic cell comprising an array of photovoltaic bristles to light, wherein each photovoltaic bristle comprises:
- a core having a core radius (rc);
- an absorption layer positioned over the core and having a first radial thickness (dabs);
- and
- an outer conductive layer positioned over the absorption layer, having a second radial thickness (docl), and an index of refraction (nocl),
- wherein the photovoltaic bristles have a radius (rm) that is on average greater than or equal to:
- n
- ocl
-
- (
- d
- abs
- +
- d
- ocl
- )
- (
- n
- ocl
- -
- n
- air
- )
- ,
- where (nair) is the index of refraction of air.
22 more elements
A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- and
- forming an array of photovoltaic bristles extending from the substrate, wherein forming the array of photovoltaic bristles comprises:
- forming on the substrate an array of cores having a core radius (rc);
- depositing an absorption layer over the array of cores to a first radial thickness (dabs);
- and
- depositing an outer conductive layer over the absorption layer to a second radial thickness (docl), wherein the outer conductive layer has an index of refraction (nocl),
- wherein the core radius (rc) plus the first radial thickness (dabs) plus the second radial thickness (docl) defines a mean radius of the photovoltaic bristles (rm) which is greater than or equal to:
- n
- ocl
-
- (
- d
- abs
- +
- d
- ocl
- )
- (
- n
- ocl
- -
- n
- air
- )
- ,
- where nair is the index of refraction of air.
24 more elements
A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell, comprising:
- forming an array of photovoltaic bristles, wherein forming the array of photovoltaic bristles comprises:
- forming an array of vias out of an outer conductive layer with a second radial thickness of (docl), wherein the outer conductive layer has an index of refraction of (nocl);
- and
- depositing an absorption layer within and between each via to a first radial thickness (dabs);
- depositing a core over the absorption layer to a core radius (rc),
- wherein the core radius (rc) plus the first radial thickness (dabs) plus the second radial thickness (docl) defines a mean radius of the photovoltaic bristles (rm) which is greater than or equal to:
- n
- ocl
-
- (
- d
- abs
- +
- d
- ocl
- )
- (
- n
- ocl
- -
- n
- air
- )
- ,
- where nair is the index of refraction of air.
22 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.