With concentrator, housing, cooling means, or encapsulated

A light distributing assembly such as a direction lamp utilizing a fluorescent plastic member which is capable of emitting light from its ends or edges when a light source is impinged on its surface combined with a cylindrical dowel, rod, spherical ball, reflector or the like which will pick up a substantial...     

Modules comprising photo-cells encapsulated in laminates comprising at least one rigid member and at least one transparent member laminated together by a transparent hot melt adhesive such as plasticised polyvinyl butyral or an ethylene copolymer. The preferred members are glass sheets and the preferred...     

A photovoltaic system in which strips of active photovoltaic cells are coated on one side of a sheet of glass, the glass being illuminated by the sun from the other side of the sheet and the strips being separated by inactive areas devoted to electrodes, in which light diffusing areas are provided on...     

A thin layer of active semiconductor material is on the flat surface of a transparent substrate. The opposite surface of the substrate is grooved, and is coated with a layer of reflective material. Light that passes through the active semiconductor material and is incident on the reflective layer is...     

Tubular solar cells are provided which can be coupled together in series and parallel arrays to form an integrated structure. Solar energy concentrators are combined with the solar cells to maximize their power output. The solar cells may be cooled by circulating a heat exchange fluid through the interior...     

A solid-liquid dispenser employing components driven by liquid flow which in addition to the flow itself adjacent tube openings in the principal flow line provide a mechanically induced flow into and out of a container for the solid material for effectively producing the desired mixture on the outlet...     

An improved solar cell assembly is provided for use under high intensity illumination conditions where heat is a problem. The solar cell assembly includes a solar cell having an overlay of a semi-transparent coating of a metal, such as aluminum or silver, which covers the entire surface thereof. The...     

High efficiency, low cost solar energy conversion is facilitated by using tubular photovoltaic solar cells situated at the focus of a line-generated paraboloidal reflector. Advantageously, each solar cell comprises a pair of concentric glass tubes that are hermetically sealed at the ends. A photovoltaic...     

A highly doped optical amplifier in the form of a thin layer or fiber wherein the pump light is directed transversely to the surface of the layer or fiber. A transparent substrate is provided underneath the layer or fiber and a solar cell is provided in light receiving relationship to light passing through...     

A semiconductor device highly resistant to the normal ambient atmosphere includes a semiconductor element such as a photoconductor element which is fully covered by an adherent layer of a transparent epoxy resin which in turn is coated by a thin layer or film of a transparent chlorinated polypropylene...     

A rugged construction for an optically immersed infrared detector is provided along with a method of fabrication which produces an infrared detector which can withstand shock, vibration and high acceleration levels. A metallic base is formed with a cavity therein, along with electrical feed-through pins...     

A cover slide for a solar cell comprises a plurality of converging lenses arranged to focus the incident light so that it does not fall on the grid lines of the front electrode of the solar cell.

Photoelectrical conversion cells may be assembled on an electrically conducting heat sink and each may be electrically isolated therefrom by employing insulating substrate material between the photoresponsive region of each cell and the heat sink.

An encapsulated photovoltaic solar cell assembly comprising at least one solar cell mounted and hermetically sealed in a substantially rigid, elongated, tubular envelope which is transmissive to actinic radiation to which the photovoltaic solar cell is sensitive. The assembly can include an antireflection...     

Thermal isolation shields consisting of two glass slides separated by insulating standoffs are positioned upon the front radiation receiving surface of a solar cell and/or upon the back surface of the solar cell. One of the two glass plates is made from material selected to absorb and radiate electromagnetic...     

A solar battery package having at least one solar cell substantially embedded in a block of fiber-reinforced thermosetting resin with a transparent flexible covering. The block has a portion, overlaying a light receiving area of the solar cell, which is transparent and has another portion which is either...     

A lens or mirror is employed to concentrate sunlight onto a photovoltaic cell. The cell employs a broad conductor around the periphery of its active surface, and narrow higher resistance conductor strips over the inner part of the surface. The cell and mirror are sized, positioned and shaped such that...     

A thin, luminescent sheet having upper and lower large area surfaces separated by upstanding edge faces, said sheet being contoured in the vicinity of at least one of said edge faces so as to widen such edge face substantially, and at least one photovoltaic cell carried on and occupying a substantial...     

A luminescent photovoltaic array which employs a luminescent member carrying photovoltaic means on at least one of its sides, and conduit means in heat exchange contact with at least one side of said luminescent member, said conduit means being adapted to have a cooling fluid pass therethrough for cooling...     

Modular structures for the collection, concentration and conversion of solar energy to another usable form such as electrical energy. The structures feature three conic section reflective surfaces, two of which focus in front of a receiver element and off the axis of the structure. The third reflective...     

A semiconductor photoelectric generator, for converting radiation energy from a source, for example, the sun, into electric energy, comprises a matrix of photo electric converters made of a semiconductor material. Each photoelectric converter is doped to form a P-N junction and an isotype junction. Current-collecting...     

A solar energy collector is described which consists of either a photoelectric cell or a heat-absorbing material mounted within a hollow concentrator. The photoelectric cell has the form of a rod of a monocrystalline element or compound with a generally cylindrical junction spaced at a distance radially...     

A solar energy assembly is disclosed comprising at least one hermetically sealed envelope in which a trough-shaped radiation collector having a reflective surface is disposed so as to receive incident solar radiation through the wall of said envelope. Radiation conversion means comprising at least one...     

A luminescent solar collector comprising a light transmitting member which carries at least one photovoltaic means, a luminescent member removably attached to the light transmitting member, and interface material between the two members assuring the transmission of light between said members. A method...     

A solar photoelectric module is disclosed, wherein the solar energy concentrator also performs the function of a cooling means for the photovoltaic solar energy converter. With that object in view the concentrator is made as a hollow hermetically sealed vessel filled with a transparent heat transfer...     

A light concentrator for use with photovoltaic cells has a novel aspherical shape to provide the desired distribution of energy over the surface of the cell. The cell is usually circular with a current-collecting bus electrode around the circumference of the active surface. To provide for minimum resistive...     

This invention provides a solar energy collector including a Fresnel lens substantially fixed in orientation and position relative to the Earth, a receiver situated at a focal point of the said Fresnel lens, a mounting mechanism which constrains the receiver to move along the focal surface of the Fresnel...     

Apparatus for concentrating radiant energy such as solar radiation, collected over a large area, to a smaller area for more efficient conversion of the radiant energy to a more useful form of energy. Fluorescent material in a thin film form is optically bonded by an adhesive or viscous, transparent medium...     

A silicon solar cell assembly comprising a large, thin silicon solar cell bonded to a metal mount for use when there exists a mismatch in the thermal expansivities of the device and the mount.

In a solar cell array of terrestrial use, an improved double-sided solar cell package consisting of a photovoltaic cell having a metallized P-contact strip and an N-contact grid provided on opposite faces of the cell, a transparent tubular body forming an enclosure for the cell, a pedestal supporting...     

A luminescent solar collector comprising at least one luminescent member having at least one photovoltaic means operably associated therewith, said luminescent member having a side which is to be exposed to incoming (incident) light, and a transparent member carried adjacent to the incident light side...     

A luminescent solar collector containing at least one luminescent member having a pair of opposed surfaces and at least one photovoltaic means embedded in the luminescent member and extending essentially from one of said surfaces to the opposing surface of the luminescent member so that a portion of...     

Disclosed is a luminescent solar collector having a beveled edge meeting an extended face surface thereof at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees, ideally essentially 45 degrees, and physically attached and optically coupled to a relatively small area of said surface a photovoltaic cell adjacent to and parallel...     

Selective absorber including a layer of semiconductor applied by arc plasma spraying over a metallic surface.

There has been provided a concentrating solar receiver of the type including a closed envelope having a window and reflective portions. A photocell is disposed at a focal zone for the reflector. Heat and/or electricity may be produced from received solar energy and the envelope is manufactured in the...     

A luminescent solar collector comprising at least one luminescent member which has at least one photovoltaic means operably associated therewith, the luminescent member having a side which is to be essentially oriented toward the sun when in operation, and an optically transparent member on the sun-facing...     

A photovoltaic concentrator utilizes as an airtight enclosure a fused glass structure similar to an automotive sealed-beam headlamp. One of the halves is aluminized to provide a reflector for the impinging sunlight and for focusing it on a photocell carried within the enclosure. The foregoing structure...     

A concentrator solar cell array module having a metallic heat sink with a planar mounting surface. A semiconductor spacer is provided. The semiconductor spacer is provided with a layer of insulating material in the form of silicon oxide. The silicon oxide surface is secured to the mounting surface of...     

Disclosed is a luminescent solar collector optically coupled to a photovoltaic cell and in confronting relationship thereto a diffusing layer of a particulate phosphorescent material deposited on and backed by a mirror.

Disclosed is a luminescent solar collector comprising a relatively thick layer with a photocell coupled to a face surface thereof and at least one thin luminescent layer optically coupled to said thick layer, said thick layer having an index of refraction at least 0.04 more than each of said luminescent...     

Photovoltaic cell comprising two heterojunctions between three component semiconductors Ga.sub.1-x AL.sub.x As with x varying from 0 to 0.9, GaAs, and Ge which have respective bandgaps of 0.66, 1.43 and 2.4 eV, lattice constants matching at 0.07% and expansion coefficients matching at 1.7%. The cell...     

A system for generating electrical power from sunlight, comprising a focussing diffraction grating or other focussing, spectrally dispersive means and a photocell array. The diffraction grating focuses sunlight into a spectrally dispersed band. The photocell array is composed of cells with different...     

A mounting for a silicon solar cell comprises a layer of molybdenum on the back surface of the cell and a molybdenum wire along the peripheral edge of the radiation receiving surface of the cell. An electrode formed with an aperture aligned with the radiation receiving surface abuts and is secured along...     

Increased light output is achieved from a solar energy concentrator light piping device by rendering the top surface of the device concave, and/or forming the device into a close-packing hexagonal shape and/or curving and applying a mirror coating to the output edge of the device.

The hereinproposed solar power unit comprises a solar energy collector made up of mirror facets and a solar energy receiver. A sun-light-sensitive surface of the receiver is exposed to a radiation flux reflected by the collector. Each facet of the collector is hermetically enclosed in a radiation-transparent...     

A raidant energy nonimaging light direction device is provided. The device includes an energy transducer and a reflective wall whose contour is particularly determined with respect to the geometrical vector flux of a field associated with the transducer.

A dosimetry-type radiation detector is provided which employs a polycrystalline, chlorine-compensated cadmium telluride wafer fabricated to operate as a photovoltaic current generator used as the basic detecting element. A photovoltaic junction is formed in the wafer by painting one face of the cadmium...     

A solar energy converter is provided in the form of a unit for assembly together with other similar units to build up a solar-energy conversion installation. Each unit includes a fixed support structure, a mounting element articulated on the support structure, and an optical concentrator carried by the...     

A solar cell arrangement comprises a first plate or disc of light transmissive material, one side of the first plate or disc having a structure of light transmissive elevations tapering parabolically and cut off parallel to the surface of the plate or disc at the level of their focal points or lines,...     

A focusing multi-point high-concentrator optical system is disclosed. The system is useful for concentrating energy such as solar radiation for use in solar energy conversion systems. The configuration of the optical system incorporates thin metallized Fresnel reflector elements applied to panels formed...     

A solar energy collector is disclosed. The collector includes a photo-voltaic cell, a reflector for directing solar energy from the sun to the photo-voltaic cell, a mount for the reflector, vacuum means and positioning means for the reflector. The vacuum means separates the photo-voltaic cell and the...     

A building unit for exterior walls and the like comprising a molded block of glass having a recess in the side face which is to face the exterior, the recess having a side wall and an open outer end on which a fresnel lens is disposed, the inner end of the recess having a solar cell disposed therein...     

A thin film photovoltaic cell having a transparent electrical contact and an opaque electrical contact with a pair of semiconductors therebetween includes utilizing one of the electrical contacts as a substrate and wherein the inner surface thereof is modified by microroughening while being macro-planar.

Disclosed is a composite collector and concentrator structure comprising a laminate having a self-supporting layer of solid light transmitting material of extended area in one plane in optical and physical contact with a relatively thin layer of host material containing at least one species of luminescent...     

A photovoltaic device composed of a luminescent member having a plurality of large area sides connected by an edge face, and at least one photovoltaic means carried by at least one of said sides.

A solar cell arrangement with an associated optical collecting lens system. The lens system focuses a light impingement area onto the solar cell to intensify incident radiation. The collecting lens system includes an optically active layer provided between the light impingement area and the solar cells....     

A photoluminescent dye is suspended in a transparent medium. When exposed to light, the dye re-emits light in a narrow frequency range. Photovoltaic cells responsive to the re-emitted light are arranged around the sides of the collector medium, and are electrically connected to a low power demand device,...     

A terminal assembly for providing external electrical connection to a solar panel having at least one solar cell and an electrically conductive layer located behind the cell. The terminal assembly has a substantially flat conductive portion between the cell and the conductive layer, and an insulating...     

A solar cell having a periodic front surface electrode is provided with a transparent cover chosen and configured to provide refractive discontinuities of the same spatial frequency as and aligned with the conductive grid. The refractive discontinuities are so controlled, through selection of the shape,...     

An energy converting assembly is provided for parasiting of light from a fluorescent light bulb utilizing a solar cell. The solar cell is mounted on a base member elongated in the dimension of elongation of the fluorescent bulb, and electrical interconnections to the cell are provided. A flexible sheet...     

The present invention comprises a planar fluorescent solar concentrator having a circular band portion within said concentrator toward which incident solar radiation is redirected. Optically coupled to said circular band portion is an optical means comprising an axially symmetrical body of light transmitting...     

The disclosure is directed to photovoltaic devices having enhanced short circuit currents and efficiencies. The devices are made by depositing on a previously deposited doped amorphous semiconductor alloy layer a body of intrinsic amorphous semiconductor alloys including a first intrinsic layer, adjacent...     

A polymer syrup for encapsulating solar cell assemblies. The syrup includes uncrosslinked poly(n-butyl)acrylate dissolved in n-butyl acrylate monomer. Preparation of the poly(n-butyl)acrylate and preparation of the polymer syrup is disclosed. Methods for applying the polymer syrup to solar cell assemblies...     

The disclosure illustrates a concentrating photovoltaic collector comprising an elongated deep reflector having a rim angle of close to 90.degree. and an elongated series of photovoltaic cells positioned in a plant extending parallel to and spaced beyond the focal axis of the reflector. The cells are...     

Solar cells and arrays of solar cells are made as thin films on insulating substrates. In an exemplary embodiment, a thin conductive film is deposited on glass and a semi-conductor film is deposited over the metal. The semi-conductor film has a P-N junction parallel to the substrate. Another conductive...     

A solar cell has a semiconductor body with a radiation-receiving surface having a ribbed structure and having a small pn-junction in the semiconductor body which is matched to follow the contour of the surface of the ribbed structure, and the interstices between adjacent ribs are filled with a material...     

A high intensity solar cell is comprised of a plurality of semiconductor bodies each having adjacent regions of opposite conductivity type defining a P-N junction therebetween. The adjacent bodies have a layer of aluminum material therebetween. The first and last bodies have electrical contacts connected...     

A photovoltaic solar module having at least one solar cell embedded in synthetic resin and resting on a flexible supporting element and which further includes a sheet-like rigid element reinforcing the solar cell.

A solar cell having a solar absorbing layer of truly amorphous or microcrystalline semiconductor material or mixture thereof with means cooperating with said layer for collecting carriers generated by the solar energy. Said solar cell also including means for causing the solar energy to twice pass through...     

A solar concentrator which comprises a solid block of a transparent material having a planar incident surface positioned to receive solar rays and, opposite this surface, a curved reflective surface so that the material of the block completely fills the space between these surfaces. At the incident surface...     

A photodetector having a light transmissive and electrical conducting spacer layer interposed between a semiconductor body having a semiconductor junction therein and a light reflective electrical contact to the body. The spacer layer may have a thickness of about one-half the wavelength of light passing...     

A photovoltaic-thermal solar cell including a semiconductor body having antireflective top and bottom surfaces and coated on each said surface with a patterned electrode covering less than 10% of the surface area. A thermal-absorbing surface is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the semiconductor...     

A thin optical panel formed of two, preferably identical, but opposed spaced apart lenticulated plates structured to form a series of regularly spaced apart line images of the sun, one line image for each associated pair of lenticular elements in a plate. All of the line images formed move short distances...     

The invention relates to the manufacture of cadmium sulphide solar cells. A cell is formed of a glass substrate 10, a front contact 12 made, for example, of tin oxide, a cadmium sulphide layer 14 and a copper sulphide layer 16. the junction between the layers 14 and 16 is photovoltaic. In order to form...     

A PIN junction photovoltaic device using a P-type or N-type semiconductor having an optical band gap of not less than about 1.8 eV and a dark conductivity of not less than about 10.sup.-8 (.OMEGA..multidot.cm).sup.-1 at 20.degree. C. in the layer positioned on the side opposite to incidence of light....     

A solar cell comprising layers of n-type and p-type crystalline or substantially crystalline semiconductor material separated by a layer of amorphous semiconductor material having a larger coefficient of absorption than the outer p-type and n-type layers.

A solar photoelectric module comprises a composite parabolic solar energy concentrator having an aperture angle .alpha. and contrived in the form of a sealed gas-filled bulb. The side walls of the bulb bend on a predetermined radius to a cylindrical part thereof beside a concentrator radiation outlet...     

A heterojunction photovoltaic device, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in highly efficient photovoltaic cells and radiometric detection cells.

A process of encapsulating solar cells in which a semiconductor wafer first is processed into an uncut cell. An interconnect strip is secured to the front contact of the cell. A coverglass plate, provided with a suitable coating, is next bonded to the front surface of the cell. Finally, the bonded assembly...     

A solar ray collection apparatus includes a plurality of lenses mounted on at least one of the opposing flat surfaces of a lens mount. A plurality of light conducting members equal in number to the lenses are carried by a conductor mount which is held integral with and spaced from the lens mount by spacers...     

A composite substrate for the fabrication of thin film electronic devices. The substrate is a multi-layer structure which includes (1) a support layer having sufficient rigidity to provide structural strength for the subsequently deposited semiconductor material and/or circuit elements, and (2) an electrically...     

A plurality n of semiconductor elements U.sub.i to U.sub.n are sequentially formed on a substrate side by side and connected in series. The element U.sub.i (where i=1, 2, . . . n) has a first electrode E.sub.i formed on the substrate, a non-single-crystal semiconducotr laminate member Q.sub.i formed...     

A photodetector including a light transmissive electrically conducting layer having a textured surface with a semiconductor body thereon. This layer traps incident light thereby enhancing the absorption of light by the semiconductor body. A photodetector comprising a textured light transmissive electrically...     

An improved photovoltaic device in which a charge separation junction is provided over a charge confining heterojunction. The charge separation junction is a junction formed of an n.sup.+ -doped direct bandgap layer on a p-doped direct bandgap active layer. The charge confining heterojunction is formed...     

A device for packaging at least one electronic component comprises a housing for storing the at least one electronic component, and connecting terminals for electrically connecting the at least one electronic component to one or more other electronic components, the connecting terminals engaging elastically...     

The present invention relates to a solar cell module comprising a projected section formed on a side of a module case including plural interconnected solar cell devices, a groove section formed on the opposite side to accommodate the projected section and terminals of the solar cell devices, which are...     

Disclosed is an improved photovoltaic device design and method. The design is especially useful for large area photovoltaic devices and includes a first electrode, a semiconductor body over the first electrode, a transparent electrically conductive layer over the semiconductor body and a bus grid structure...     

As assembly for the merchandising of products utilizing a solar cell mounted directly onto an incandescent or fluorescent light bulb so that the cell receives the light directly from the light bulb. A d.c. motor is electrically connected to the solar cell, the motor shaft extending downwardly. A substantially...     

A solar cell of improved conversion efficiency and a process of making it are disclosed. The solar cell is designed to trap incident light within the cell by multiple internal reflections and thus increases the absorption of light in the cell. The solar cell is formed with a plurality of spaced parallel...     

A thin film solar module structure comprising a front face untempered glass sheet having a thin film photovoltaic structure fabricated on the back surface thereof, a second glass sheet formed of high strength or tempered glass and a layer of potting or bonding material laminating the two glass sheets...     

Photocell modules wherein one or more photocells are encapsulated within a thermoplastic polymeric pottant between the layers of a rigid or flexible laminate. The pottant is a graft copolymer of (a) at least one addition polymerizable backbone monomer having a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of...     

A photoelectric transducer comprising at least a light-transmissive substrate having a relatively flat surface provided on its light-receiving side and an uneven surface provided on its opposite side, and a photoelectric transducing layer provided on the uneven surface of the substrate. The photoelectric...     

A thin film photovoltaic module has transparent electrodes on front and back surfaces of a semiconductive layer. In one embodiment, both transparent electrodes pass light to the semiconductive layer for photovoltaic purposes. In another embodiment, the back electrode passes light which enters through...     

A heat-resistant thin film photoelectric converter comprising a semiconductor layer, front and back electrodes, and a diffusion-blocking layer, the diffusion-blocking layer being provided between the semiconductor and at least one said electrode, and its preparation. The diffusion-blocking layer is of...     

An amorphous silicon solar battery is formed by applying a sequence of layers on a transparent substrate, preferably of glass. A transparent electrode film of conductive material is applied on the substrate, followed by an amorphous silicon semi-conductor, which is in turn followed by a back electrode...     

A thin-film solar cell is made up of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate. The substrate includes an insulator containing electrically conducting nucleation sites which is interposed between the electrical contact of the substrate and the adjacent semiconductor. The insulator can also be optically...     

A thin-film solar cell has a two-layered transparent electrode formed on a transparent substrate, a photoelectric conversion section formed on the transparent electrode, and a back electrode formed on the photoelectric conversion section. The first layer of the transparent electrode is formed on the...     

A solar cell module having a CdS/CdTe junction as a photovoltaic portion comprises a glass substrate, a metal foil, a layer of resin bonding the glass substrate and the metal foil together at a peripheral region of the module. For minimizing the reduction in conversion efficiency, an oxygen releasing...     

A photothermophotovoltaic energy conversion system converts solar energy to electrical energy and includes a radiator and a photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell receives incoming energy, including solar energy, and converts a first portion of the incoming energy to electrical energy. The photovoltaic...     

A heat-resistant thin film photoelectric converter, comprising a semiconductor layer, a front transparent electrode, a rear metal electrode, and a diffusion-blocking layer, said diffusion-blocking layer being provided between the semiconductor layer and the rear metal electrode and being a layer of metal...