Conformal lens over spherical diodes in a pv panel

Abstract

A PV panel is manufactured using a monolayer of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The spheres are embedded in an uncured aluminum-containing layer on an aluminum foil substrate in a roll-to-roll process, and the aluminum-containing layer is heated to anneal the aluminum-containing layer as well as p-dope the bottom surface of the spheres. The diffusion of the p-type dopants also creates a back surface field in the spheres to improve efficiency. A dielectric layer is formed, and a phosphorus-containing layer is deposited over the spheres to dope the top surface n-type, forming a pn junction. The phosphorus layer is then removed. A conductor is deposited to contact the top surface. Conformal, index-graded lenses are then formed over each of the spheres to form a thin and flexible PV panel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.