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AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsTerry I. Chappell, Richard M. White
Estimating the term…
A solar power system including a movable platform for tracking the sun, a radiation concentrator, and a plurality of photovoltaic cell modules positioned on the platform for receiving concentrated solar radiation. The module includes a heat dissipation housing which supports a silicon cell across an open end of the housing. A heat transfer block physically engages the silicon cell and a metallic sponge and wick is attached to the heat transfer block and depends therefrom into the housing. The housing is partially filled with liquid to facilitate heat removal. The silicon cells are processed by preferential etching to form V grooves which define a plurality of diode elements having generally trapezoidal cross-sections. The elements may be serially interconnected by metallization on the V groove surfaces. The physical configurations of the elements and the use of antireflective coatings on surfaces of the elements result in high efficiency cells.
A solar electric power system comprising support means,
For use in a solar electric power system, a photovoltaic cell module comprising a heat conductive housing having an open end, a photovoltaic semiconductive cell mounted across said open end in abutment with a heat transfer block, said semiconductor cell having a V grooved surface and said heat transfer block having a mating V grooved surface for receiving said semiconductor cell, metallic sponge and wick means attached to said heat transfer block and depending herefrom and into said housing, and liquid means within said housing for facilitating heat transfer.
A photovoltaic cell having a grooved surface adapted to mate with a grooved surface of a heat transfer block comprising a plurality of single crystal semiconductor elements of one conductivity type, each element having a generally trapezoidal cross section which defines said grooved surface, a supporting glass plate, means attaching the base of each said trapezoidal element to said glass plate whereby each element can receive solar radiation through said glass plate, a layer of reflective material on a second side of each element which is opposite to said one side attached to said glass plate, a first region of doped semiconductive material of said one conductivity type formed in a first surface region of each said element, and a second region of doped semiconductive material of opposite conductivity type formed in a second surface region of each said element, and means electrically interconnecting said semiconductor elements.
A photovoltaic cell comprising a plurality of single crystal semiconductor elements of one conductivity type, each element having a generally trapezoidal cross section, a supporting substrate, means attaching one side of each element to said substrate, a first region of doped semiconductor material of said one conductivity type formed in a first surface region of each said element, a second region of doped semiconductor material of opposite conductivity type formed in a second surface region of said element, means electrically interconnecting said semiconductor elements, said first surface region and said second surface region lying in said surface of said element which is attached to said substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.