Transparent photovoltaic module

A photovoltaic module comprising:

• a thin film semiconductive layer containing at least one photovoltaic region and having front and back oppositely directed major surfaces;
• a transparent front electrode which provides electrical connection to the front surface of the semiconductive layer and transmits incident solar radiation to the semiconductive layer over a preselected spectrum;
• and
• a transparent back electrode which provides electrical connection to the back surface of the semiconductive layer and optically couples the semiconductive layer to the atmosphere to permit transmission by the module of at least a portion of the incident radiation not absorbed by the semiconductive layer;
• at least one of said electrodes comprising a layer of a high reflectance metal and a layer of metal oxide, the high reflectance metal layer being directly adjacent to the semiconductive layer.

A photovoltaic module comprising:

• a thin film semiconductive layer containing at least one photovoltaic region and having front and back oppositely directed major surfaces;
• a transparent front electrode which provides electrical connection to the front surface of the semiconductive layer and transmits incident solar radiation to the semiconductive layer over a preselected spectrum;
• and
• a transparent back electrode which provides electrical connection to the back surface of the semiconductive layer and optically couples the semiconductive layer to the atmosphere to permit transmission by the module of at least a portion of the incident radiation not absorbed by the semiconductive layer;
• at least one of said electrodes comprising a thin film composite layer having, in order:
• a first transparent conductive oxide layer in electrical contact with the semiconductive film;
• a first barrier layer no more than 100 angstroms thick;
• a central metallic layer;
• a second barrier layer no more than 100 angstroms thick;
• and
• a second transparent conductive layer.

A photovoltaic module comprising:

• a thin film semiconductive layer containing at least one photovoltaic region and having front and back oppositely directed major surfaces;
• a transparent front electrode which provides electrical connection to the front surface of the semiconductive layer and transmits incident solar radiation to the semiconductive layer over a preselected spectrum;
• and
• a transparent back electrode which provides electrical connection to the back surface of the semiconductive layer and optically couples the semiconductive layer to the atmosphere to permit transmission by the module of at least a portion of the incident radiation not absorbed by the semiconductive layer;
• at least one of said electrodes including a stack of layers comprising, in order:
• a first transparent conductive oxide layer in electrical contact with the semiconductive film;
• a central layer of an oxide having a refractive index of at least 2.0;
• and
• a second transparent conductive layer.

Combined photovoltaic and solar thermal apparatus comprising:

• a photovoltaic module having:
• a thin film semiconductor layer containing at least one photovoltaic region and having front and back oppositely directed major surfaces;
• a transparent front electrode which provides electrical connection to the front surface of the semiconductive layer and transmits incident solar radiation to the semiconductive layer over a preselected spectrum;
• and
• a transparent back electrode which provides electrical connection to the back surface of the semiconductive layer and optically couples the semiconductive layer to the atmosphere to permit transmission by the module of at least a portion of the radiation not absorbed by the semiconductive layer;
• at least one of said electrodes comprising zinc oxide;
• and
• solar thermal apparatus positioned behind the photovoltaic module and spaced therefrom to absorb infrared radiation passed by the photovoltaic module.

A structure comprising:

• a plurality of walls defining an interior volume;
• at least one opening in said walls;
• and
• a photovoltaic module over the opening comprising:
• a thin film semiconductive layer containing at least one photovoltaic region and having front and back oppositely directed major surfaces;
• a transparent front electrode which provides electrical connection to the front surface of the semiconductive layer and transmits incident solar radiation to the semiconductive layer over a preselected spectrum;
• and
• a transparent back electrode which provides electrical connection to the back surface of the semiconductive layer and optically couples the semiconductive layer to the atmosphere to permit transmission by the module of at least a portion of the radiation not absorbed by the semiconductive layer;
• one of said electrodes comprising zinc oxide.

In the manufacture of photovoltaic modules having a thin film semiconductive layer containing at least one photovoltaic region and having front and back oppositely directed major surfaces;

• a transparent front electrode which provides electrical connection to the front surface of the semiconductive layer and transmits incident solar radiation to the semiconductive layer over a preselected spectrum;
• and a transparent back electrode which establishes electrical connection to the back surface of the semiconductive layer and optically couples the semiconductive layer to the atmosphere to permit transmission by the module of at least a portion of the radiation not absorbed by the semiconductive layer;
• the method of controlling the transmission of radiation by the module comprising the steps of:
• fabricating one of said electrodes of zinc oxide having an index of refraction greater than 1.7 for infrared radiation.