Photovoltaic apparatus and mass-producing apparatus for mass-producing spherical semiconductor particles

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein the opening of the second semiconductor layer has a central angle θ1 of 45° to 90°.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein the recesses of the support have respective openings of a polygon of which ones adjacent to each other are continuous, each of the recesses narrows toward a bottom thereof, and the first semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layer of each of the photoelectric conversion elements are electrically connected to the second conductor and the first conductor, respectively, at the bottom or in a vicinity thereof of the recess.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein a light-gathering ratio x which equals S1/S2 is selected to be in a range of 2 to 8, wherein S1 is an opening area of each of the recesses of the support and S2 is an area of a cross-section of the photoelectric conversion elements including a center thereof.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulating the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portions of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein each of the photoelectric conversion elements has an outer diameter of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and a light-gathering ratio x which equals to S1/S2 is selected to be in a range of 2 to 8, wherein S1 is an opening area of each of the recesses of the support and S2 is an area of a cross-section of the photoelectric conversion elements including a center thereof.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulating the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portions of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein each of the photoelectric conversion elements has an outer diameter of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm, and a light-gathering ratio x which equals to S1/S2 is selected to be in a range of 4 to 6, wherein S1 is an opening area of each of the recesses of the support and S2 is an area of a cross-section of the photoelectric conversion elements including a center thereof.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein the photovoltaic conversion elements each have a pn junction in such a manner that the second semiconductor layer of one conductivity type has a wider optical band gap than the first semiconductor layer having the other conductivity type and is formed outside the first semiconductor layer.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein the photovoltaic conversion elements have a pin junction in such a manner that the first semiconductor layer having one conductivity type, an amorphous intrinsic semiconductor layer, and an amorphous second semiconductor layer of the other conductivity type having a wider optical band gap than the first semiconductor layer are arranged outward in this order.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein the first semiconductor layer is a direct gap semiconductor layer, and
• wherein the direct gap semiconductor layer is made of a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of InAs, GaSb, CuInSe2, Cu(InGa)Se2, CuInS, GaAs, InGaP, and CdTe.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulting the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layers,
• wherein a plurality of the supports each having peripheral portions extending outward are arranged adjacent to each other, and part of the first conductor in the peripheral portion of one support of each pair of supports adjacent to each other and part of the second conductor in the peripheral portion of the other support are laid one on another and electrically connected to each other.