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US 4,497,974 AGranted
Realization of a thin film solar cell with a detached reflector
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsHarry W. Deckman, Horst Witzke, Christopher Wronski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is an optically enhanced solar cell having a detached reflector. The optically enhanced solar cell includes a semiconductor material bounded on each side by transparent electrical contacts and an optional antireflection coating with the surface of at least one of these layers being textured. Light is reflected in the cell by a reflector which is detached (i.e., spaced) from the enhanced cell using a layer of dielectric material.
Claims10
An optically enhanced photovoltaic device comprising:
- (a) A layer of semiconductor material contacted on its upper and lower major surfaces by respective top and bottom layers of transparent electrical conductors each having a top and bottom surface with at least one of said surfaces being textured so as to scatter incident light randomly;
- (b) a layer of transparent dielectric material fixed to said bottom surface of said bottom layer of said transparent electrical conductor;
- (c) a metal layer fixed to said layer of transparent dielectric material such that radiation incident on said top layer of transparent conductor and which passes through said bottom layer of transparent conductor and said layer of transparent dielectric material is reflected by said metal layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.