Panel or array

A semiconductor photoelectric generator comprising interconnected photocells with rectifying barriers, with isotype junctions in the base region and with current leads in the regions adjacent the rectifying barriers. Each photocell has a working surface, receiving incident radiation. The isotype junctions...     

An isolation or blocking diode for mounting alongside solar cells in solar cell panels such as used in flexible roll-up, rigid flat and cylindrical arrays, the diode having the thickness and shape of adjacent solar cells and functioning to prevent such problems as total solar panel failure in the event...     

Silicon semiconductor device array, e.g. solar cell device or array of devices; formed from bulk silicon deposited in the form of columnar crystallites bounded by substantially vertical grain boundaries. Junctions are formed across crystallites and along grain boundaries. The grain boundaries are made...     

An integrated semiconductor arrangement comprises a semiconductor body having a solar cell and a rectifying metal-semiconductor contact. The invention also includes a method of making such an arrangement.

A method of mounting and interconnecting solar cells to form a solar cell array particularly suited to space applications. In the present invention, the solar cells, which are already silver plated on the underside, are diffusion welded to a suitably plated polymide film substrate. The attachment area...     

The battery is of the type including a plurality of laminar semi-conductor bodies arranged on a dielectric support in parallel relation to each other and each comprising respectively layers of two different but oppositely conducting semi-conductor material forming a photovoltaic junction, with the layer...     

A photovoltaic cell array consisting of parallel columns of silicon filaments, each being doped to produce an inner region of one polarity type and an outer region of an opposite polarity type to thereby form a continuous radial semi-conductor junction. Spaced rows of electrical contacts alternately...     

A multi-layer array of power converting elements for converting electromagnetic energy such as sunlight incident on the array to electricity is disclosed. The array is suitable for use in integrated circuit arrays as well as discrete circuit arrays. The array comprises an upper layer of photocells with...     

A solar battery is manufactured by forming individual cells in a wafer, mounting the wafer on a substrate and separating the cells by the use of a thin saw. The channel thus formed between the cells is filled with an insulating material to prevent the accidental entry of stray material which might result...     

A solar cell shingle may be made of an array of solar cells on a lower portion of a substantially rectangular shingle substrate made of fiberglass cloth or the like. The solar cells may be encapsulated in flourinated ethylene propylene (FEP) or some other weatherproof translucent or transparent encapsulant...     

A solar generator panel for satellite and terrestrial energy supply systems comprises a flexible support having a plurality of solar cells mounted on the support and being rollable and foldable therewith. Connector means are provided for electrically interconnecting the cells in either parallel or series....     

A solar cell package includes a plurality of solar cells within a space formed by a support member and a transparent cover member. A first conductor is positioned between the support member and the solar cells and makes electrical contact to a first surface of each of the solar cells. A second conductor...     

Disclosed is a solar battery comprising a multi-layered "p-n" junction structure, which has a plurality of inwardly converging recesses to partially expose the inner "p-n" junctions to the sun light.

Solar cells are interconnected by filaments stretched crosswise between the edges of a rectangular frame to form a gridwork, and thereby produce a lightweight inexpensive support that is not susceptible to damage from winds, snow, and ice. Additionally, the top of the cells have thin resistive wires...     

A photovoltaic energy converter for converting incident radiant energy, such as solar energy, to electrical energy. The converter comprises a cell formed from a plurality of integrally interconnected p-n junction-containing semiconductor wafers. The wafers are stacked end-to-end in the cell so that the...     

A solar-battery wristwatch makes use of a flexible printed-circuit board for connecting the cells of the battery in series and for connecting said battery with a storage battery. The arrangement eliminates the need for connecting wires and extraneous supports in that the flexible printed-circuit board...     

A solar energy panel comprises a support upon which silicon cells are arrayed. The cells are wafer thin and of two geometrical types, both of the same area and electrical rating, namely hexagon cells and hourglass cells. The hourglass cells are composites of half hexagons. A near perfect nesting relationship...     

Composite solar cells of improved efficiency comprise two cells of different characteristics arranged in optical series but electrically insulated from each other. Preferably, each cell is of larger crystal grain size than its substrate, which grain size is achieved by growing the cell semi-conductor...     

In a photovoltaic cell which comprises: a substrate, a bottom electrode, a first layer of cadmium sulfide, a second layer of cuprous sulfide forming a barrier junction with said first layer and a top electrode, the improvement wherein said substrate is an insulative ceramic material and the bottom electrode...     

An interconnection system for interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic devices. The photovoltaic devices each have a first and a second side and the interconnect system is located on the second side of the photovoltaic devices. A sheet of dielectric material and a sheet of electrically conductive...     

A solar cell module consisting of a solar cell panel and a frame therefor is disclosed. The solar cell panel is formed from a hard, light transparent sheet material which preferably is glass and has arrayed on the bottom surface of the glass a plurality of individual solar cells interconnected in the...     

In a batten-seam roof construction employing at least one photovoltaic cell module, the electrical conduits employed with the at least one photovoltaic cell module are disposed primarily under the battens of the roof.

An interconnection device for solar cells is described comprising two flat strips intended to be welded to two adjacent solar cells and a hinge element linking the two flat strips, said hinge element having two branches each connected by its free end to one of the flat strips and the said hinge element...     

A crystal of a semiconductor material has an electrically conducting loom assembly embedded therein, whereby the crystal and loom assembly define a unit which converts light or other electromagnetic radiation into an electrical current for flow to an external electrical circuit. The loom assembly has...     

A support for mounting solar energy collectors on a roof of a building, which roof has an opening in the roof sheeting, includes a shell having a generally flat rectangular base and an upstanding edge secured to, and extending about the periphery of the base and a frame secured to, and extending about,...     

An apparatus is provided for forming a large area photovoltaic cell into a plurality of photovoltaic cells on a common substrate and preparing the individual cells for an overlying layer of conductive material. A tool bit is urged against the polycrystalline materials forming the heterojunction to remove...     

A non-arcing modular dielectric array having an electrically conductive substrate mounting a multiplicity of spaced dielectric elements, such as second surface mirrors or solar cells, with outer dielctric surfaces spaced and electrically isolated from the substrate which tend to accumulate electrical...     

A solar panel module is provided, wherein a plurality of solar panel units are electrically interconnected and supported within a low cost frame assembly, which may conveniently be formed from wood products. Each solar panel unit is provided with extending conductors for electrical connections with adjacent...     

A solar collector device such as a solar receiver or solar panel, the device including a substrate comprising a base member having a major surface including a plurality of generally planar platform areas, each platform area being in a different plane than adjacent platform areas, and at least one photovoltaic...     

An array of photovoltaic cells in a back wall-type configuration supported by a rigid transparent vitreous substrate, such as glass, for admitting incident radiation to the cells. A plurality of cells are interconnected into a desired electrical configuration by one or more layers of electrically conducting...     

A plurality of like solar cell generators, each in the form of a segment of a circle, are spaced in a circular array on a face of a disc of insulating base material. They are formed by cutting a plurality of diagonal slits through a solar cell disc on the base material. A metallized grid structure is...     

Electromagnetic radiation is converted to usable power in the form of electrical current by means of a plurality of transducing cavities having a wall structure that is inclined inwardly to receive impinging radiation and includes potential barrier strips each having different conduction electron densities...     

A single pole mounting solar panel assembly comprising at least one solar panel and upper and lower brackets fixed to the panel and to the pole, the upper bracket having a first flange means for mating with the pole and a first base plate fixed to the panel, the lower bracket means having a second flange...     

A solar cell is disclosed with V-grooves which are series connected, but electrically isolated, indirect bandgap solar cells which are responsive to different light frequencies on both sides of a semi-insulating optically transparent substrate. The device has a very high conversion efficiency of approximately...     

An arrangement or array of solar cells comprises a plurality of cells each having contacting connectors which establish an electrically conducting connection between the individual solar cells. Each solar cell has a connector which projects slightly from the edge thereof and is of a selected profile...     

The invention teaches an improved bus for current collection in photovoltaic solar cells. The bus is prefabricated from a highly conductive metal and is corrugated to compensate for differences in thermal coefficients of expansion between the bus and the solar cell body.

A solar power supply for a spacecraft comprises an array of semiconductor devices for photovoltaic conversion of sunlight into electrical energy. Each semiconductor device is secured by a substantially stress-free electrically conductive joint to a flexible dielectric substrate that can be folded into...     

An array of photovoltaic cells in a back wall-type configuration supported by a rigid transparent vitreous substrate, such as glass, for admitting incident radiation to the cells. A plurality of cells are interconnected into a desired electrical configuration by one or more layers of electrically conducting...     

A photovoltaic module is disclosed in the form of a shingle having an active portion containing photovoltaic cells and an inactive mounting portion. Flat flexible ribbon-like positive and negative leads extend from the terminals in the active portion. The individual modules are mounted on a surface by...     

The invention provides a transparent protective cover for a solar panel. The cover provides for the positioning of lengths of clean covering film over the solar panel thereby removing dust and other accumulations. A pair of rollers on opposite sides of the solar panel support a supply of film material...     

The present application discloses a sunlight-into-energy conversion apparatus in which at least one amorphous silicon solar cell having a thickness thin enough to permit the sunlight to pass therethrough is formed on the surface of a heat collecting plate attached to a heating medium tube in a thermal...     

A method for interconnecting the body of a solar cell to an adjacent solar cell to form a solar cell array capable of withstanding high temperatures and rugged terrestrial applications, but minimizing the electrical degradation of the peak power output of the solar cells comprises the parallel gap welding...     

An interconnect tab on each cell of a first set of circular solar cells connects that cell in series with an adjacent cell in the set. This set of cells is arranged in alternate columns and rows of an array and a second set of similar cells is arranged in the remaining alternate columns and rows of the...     

A photo-coupler for electricity-light-electricity conversion comprising: (1) a light emitting part; (2) a photosensing device comprising a plurality of photosensing elements electrically connected in series in a light receiving surface of an insulating substrate, said photosensing elements being radially...     

A solar cell array comprising a plurality of solar cells connected together by electrical contact means comprising amorphous metal alloy conductors.

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 transportable solar panel foundation device which has a bottom member, at least one upstanding side member, and an essentially open top. The side members are angled to permit nesting of a plurality of the foundation devices, and reinforcement pads are carried by the foundation device to support legs...     

A solar power module comprising an array of solar cells arranged on a flat panel, said panel being supported by a substantially rigid, easily assembled frame comprising spaced apart side channels that each interlock with adjacent and channels.

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 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 method and apparatus for interconnecting one or more groups of primary electric cells in which cells in each group are further divided into two series-connected subgroups which, in twin, are connected to a three-conductor transmission system having a positive, a negtive and a neutral or return conductor....     

A solar module comprising a solar cell string laminated between layers of pottant material and a transparent superstrate and a steel substrate. The steel substrate is roll formed to provide stiffening flanges on its edges while simultaneously forming a pan-shaped structure to hold other portions of the...     

A solar cell array is equipped with serially or parallel connected reverse polarity diodes formed simultaneously with the array. The diodes are constituted by one or more solar cells of the array which may be shaded to prevent photoelectric conversion, and which are electrically connected in reverse...     

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 photovoltaic-storage battery device is disclosed, which comprises a substrate having a pair of major surfaces, a photovoltaic element formed on one major surface of the substrate and including a pair of opposing electrodes and a photoelectric film intervening between the pair of opposing electrodes...     

A practical photovoltaic module is disclosed which is protected from reverse bias damage and which displays minimal power loss resulting from temporary inoperativeness of one or more individual photovoltaic cells included in the module. The module includes a plurality of series connected photovoltaic...     

A solar power station for providing illumination or a signal generally including a storage battery-powered signaling element, a solar generator for recharging the storage battery and a bracket assembly for supporting the remainder of the components. The bracket assembly is lightweight and supports the...     

A mechanical scriber using a scribing tip, such as a diamond, provides controlled scriber forces with a spring-loaded compound lever arrangement. The scribing force and range of scribing depth are adjusted by a pair of adjustable micrometer heads. A semiconductor device, such as a multilayer solar cell,...     

In the typical embodiment of the invention described herein, a photoelectronic conversion device comprises a transparent insulative substrate, a first transparent electrode layer of Sn-incorporated In.sub.2 O.sub.3 having a relatively low sheet resistance and a thickness of about 1000 .ANG., a second...     

Two-dimensional arrays of polarized energy-generating or energy-storing elements (20A, 20B, . . . , 20D; 21A, . . . , 21D; 22A, . . . , 22D; 23A, . . . , 23D; 24A, . . . , 24D; 25A, . . . , 25D), such as solar cells, batteries, thermoelectric generators or capacitors are formed as a matrix of rows and...     

Photovoltaic solar cells have improved efficiency when constructed in monolithic form with two different band gap energy junctions. Solar light goes first through an upper layer containing a high band gap energy junction which absorbs the short-wavelength components of light. Then the remaining long-wavelength...     

A plurality n of semiconductor elements U.sub.l 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 semiconductor laminate member Q.sub.i formed...     

An ultra-high efficiency inverted solar cell structure is disclosed. At the rear of the cell is a high performance heterocontact made of SIPOS (a mixture of micro-crystalline silicon and silicon dioxide). At the edge of the cell, the opposite contact is of conventional heavily doped silicon. The edge...     

The invention relates to a wafer-shaped solar cell comprising a rear side contact and a conduction path system as front side contact, with at least one metallic connector member connected to this conduction path system for interconnection of the solar cells with further solar cells. The crux of the invention...     

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 plurality n of semiconductor elements U.sub.1 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 semiconductor laminate member Q.sub.i formed...     

Apparatus and method for applying at least one elongated conductor to a plurality of solar cells to establish electrical connection between the cells involves conveying the cells past a preselected location and feeding at least one elongated conductor between each cell and the succeeding cell as the...     

A photovoltaic tandem cell comprises an amorphous cell and a polycrystalline heterojunction cell. The cells are in optical series and separated by a transparent contact layer.

The invention relates to a solar cell for exposure to light rays on both sides. The solar cell contains only one pn junction on one surface side of the semiconductor body. The base of the solar cell is uniformly and less strongly doped than the thin surface zone of the conduction type opposite to that...     

An improved transparent conductor structure for thin film solar cells comprising a plurality of metallic strip conductors deposited on a transparent conductor and aligned substantially with the principal direction of current flow. The strip conductors preferably originate at an edge of the transparent...     

Mutually spaced apart TCO film portions are formed on a glass substrate. An amorphous silicon film of PIN junction type is formed to cover these TCO film portions, and an aluminum film is formed thereon. The aluminum film in the vicinity of the gap between adjacent TCO film portions is removed by means...     

A solar battery has a pair of opposed light incident transparent electroconductive and back electrodes sandwiching amorphous silicon layers formed on a substrate with at least a major surface of the back electrode surface being in contact with an organic resin layer and being made of a compound of a...     

A method of manufacturing a solar battery by serially connecting a plurality of solar battery elements arranged spaced from each other. A pair of flexible films are used to sandwich the arrangement of the solar battery elements, and each of the flexible films has a plurality of conductive members formed...     

A solar cell module assembly includes a solar cell module including individual solar cells disposed in rows and at least partly electrically interconnected in series, and at least one bypass diode shunted across at least some of the series-connected solar cells, the at least one diode being normally...     

An apparatus for making a photovoltaic module having a plurality of cell strips. The apparatus (10) includes a frame (11) and a support drum (25) rotatably received in the frame (11). The support drum (25) has a substantially curved surface (42) having a plurality of paired dowel guides (45) for registering...     

Selective incision of metallic layers overlying semiconductors by laser ablation (evaporation) of selected regions of a dye sensitized coating on each such metallic layer, followed by etching of the metallic layer to avoid objectionable alloying by laser scribing of the metallic layer to provide the...     

A solar cell device in which short-circuiting between a connecting portion of a metal electrode and a transparent electrode of each cell unit is prevented. A plurality of cell units are formed by laminating a transparent electrode, an amorphous silicon layer and a metal electrode disposed on a common...     

A photovoltaic array module incorporating a plurality of photovoltaic cell strips (11). Each cell strip (11) incorporates an electrically conductive substrate layer (22), a semiconductor body (23) deposited on the substrate layer (22), and a transparent electrically conductive layer (24) deposited on...     

A photovoltaic solar cell is formed in a monolithic semiconductor. The cell contains three junctions. In sequence from the light-entering face, the junctions have a high, a medium, and a low energy gap. The lower junctions are connected in series by one or more metallic members connecting the top of...     

An AC solar cell is provided by a pair of PN junction type solar cells connected in antiparallel between a pair of main terminals, and means for directing light alternatingly on the PN junctions to generate an alternating potential across the main terminals. AC electrical energy is generated without...     

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 semiconductor laminate member Q.sub.i formed...     

A plurality of n semiconductor elements U.sub.1 to U.sub.n are sequentially formed on a substrate side by side and connected in series. Different arrangements for providing external terminal connections for the plurality of elements are disclosed. The element U.sub.i (where i=1, 2, . . . n) has a first...     

A plurality of spaced apart first electrodes are sequentially arranged on a substrate and covered with a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member. On the semiconductor laminate member are formed second electrodes respectively corresponding to the first electrodes. Each first electrode and each...     

The disclosure relates to a solar cell assembly comprising plural solar cell modules connected to each other. The overall output of the connected modules is delivered from the terminals of the first module. The input and output of the last module of the modules connected in series can be connected without...     

A flexible amorphous silicon solar battery comprising a metal foil as the substrate thereof, an insulating layer integrally formed on the metal foil, and at least one amorphous silicon photoelectric conversion portion formed on the insulating layer. The amorphous silicon photoelectric conversion portion...     

A thin-film solar cell device in which multiple series-connected cell elements are formed in units which can then be readily joined together in either a series or parallel connection. At least two terminal electrodes are provided on the opposite side of the insulating substrate of each unit, connected...     

A flexible photovoltaic device includes a flexible substrate and a photovoltaic device body. The flexible substrate is a metal foil or film provided with an electric insulating layer of a material having an electric conductivity of not more than 10.sup.-7 (.OMEGA..multidot.cm.).sup.-1 during of light...     

A photoelectric conversion device in which a plurality n (n being an integer large than one) of semiconductor elements U.sub.1 to U.sub.n are sequentially formed on a substrate in a side-by-side relation and connected in series one after another. The substrate is formed by an insulating sheet-like member...     

An integrated solar cell of cut-off construction, comprising a transparent support, a transparent electrode provided on said transparent support in the form of a plurality of elongated parallel bands, a semiconductor layer disposed on said transparent electrode in the form of a plurality of elongated...     

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 semiconductor laminate member Q.sub.i formed...     

A sun light electricity generator comprising an amorphous sun light battery, which comprises: a conductive substrate which also constitutes an output electrode; amorphous semiconductor layers provided on the substrate, said layers constituting a p-i-n junction structure for a sun battery element and...     

The present invention consists of a photovoltaic device and a method of manufacturing thereof, in which first electrode films (12a, 12b, l and 12c) are separately disposed on a plurality of regions (A, B, and C) of the insulated surface of a substrate (10) and semiconductor photoactive film layers (13)...     

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 photovoltaic device comprises a plurality of photoelectric converting regions formed on an insulating surface of a light transmissive substrate. Each photoelectric converting region includes a transparent film electrode, an amorphous semiconductor portion having a PIN junction parallel to the film...     

A method of making a semiconductor film on a substrate having a non-flat surface, by placing the substrate in a reaction chamber including at least a pair of discharge electrodes, an inlet of a reaction gas for producing a desired semiconductor film, and an outlet for reduced pressure, and performing...     

Stabilization of energy sensitive semiconductive devices by forming initial electrodes which are exposed through an overlying layer of semiconductor, dipping the exposed electrodes in solutions containing specified chemicals, such as metallic ion solutions of nickel, cobalt, chromium and related metals,...     

An apparatus for mounting solar cells and the like on a supporting structure, the apparatus having a panel composed of an open textured, electrically non-conductive, non-woven web adapted to receive a solar cell, a plurality of mounting assemblies, each composed of a first element adapted to be affixed...     

Removal of defects from semiconductors by applying a reverse bias potential to the semiconductors and irradiating the semiconductors with photon energy greater than their bangap energies.

An electronic device manufacturing method including a step of forming a layer member to be patterned, which is a conductive metal layer member, a laminate member of a transparent conductive layer and a non-transparent or reflective layer or a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer member, and a step...     

A solar array panel is formed of a matrix of solar cell subarrays and wired together to form an integral power unit. The subarrays are soldered by passing them on a conveyor through successive solder melting and solder cooling regions induced by suspended radiating susceptors which are inductively heated....