Alta Devices, Inc.

Utica Leaseco, LLC

Arizona State University

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Antora Energy, Inc.

Brendan M Kayes

Gang He

Isik C Kizilyalli

Hui Nie

Gregg Higashi

Sylvia Spruytte

Melissa J Archer

I-Kang Ding

Nikhil Jain

Andrew James Ritenour

Lori D Washington

Christopher Earl France

Ileana Rau

Claudio Canizares

Feng Quan Liu

Yan Zhu

Sean Sweetnam

Rose Twist

Frank Reinhardt

Harry A Atwater

Thomas J Gmitter

Myles Aaron Steiner

Howard Woo

Richard R King

Vladimir N Faifer

Octavi Santiago Escala Semonin

Justin Briggs

Tarun C Narayan

Emmett E Perl

Enrique Bravo Mora

Madhan Kumar Arulanandam

Eric James Tervo

Leah Y Kuritzky

Vineet Kumar

Katayoun Zand

Jan Moritz Limpinsel

Edwin J Rodriguez

Markelle L Gibbs

Isik Kizil Yalli

A layered window in thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices is disclosed herein. The device may include two or more front window layers, including an outer front window layer nearest the light source that is thin and highly doped and a lower doped inner front window layer nearest a TPV absorber layer. In some embodiments, there may be additional front window layers between the outer front window layer and the inner front window layer. In some embodiments, the TPV device also may include a front contact, a back contact, and other components.

Layered window in thermophotovoltaic devices

A method is provided for preparing at least one textured layer in an optoelectronic device. The method includes epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer of the optoelectronic device over a growth substrate; exposing the semiconductor layer to an etching process to create the at least one textured surface on the semiconductor layer; and lifting the optoelectronic device from the growth substrate.

Thin-film semiconductor optoelectronic device with textured front and/or back surface prepared from etching

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure, the structure including an absorber layer comprising gallium arsenide. A bypass function is provided in a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure, where under reverse-bias conditions the p-n junction breaks down in a controlled manner by a Zener breakdown effect.

Self-bypass diode function for gallium arsenide photovoltaic devices

This disclosure describes an elastic multi-contact probe that includes conductive strips each of which comprises a conductive elastomer; dielectric strips formed on a back surface of a respective conductive strip; and a layer of a thermoplastic formed on back surfaces of the dielectric strips. The disclosure also describes a method that includes measuring a first I-V curve between a pair of inner probes of the an elastic multi-contact probe based on a first current applied to a pair of outer probes; determining a first slope of a linear region of the first I-V curve; measuring a second I-V curve between the pair of inner probes based on a second current applied to the pair of inner probes; determining a second slope of a linear region of the second I-V curve; and calculating a sheet resistance and a contact resistivity of the semiconductor material based on the first and second slopes.

Systems and methods for measuring electrical characteristics of a material using a non-destructive multi-point probe

A charging device configured to charge a mobile device through the solar cells integrated on the mobile device. The charging device converts wall power to light energy which can be absorbed by the solar cells and then converted to electricity for storage in the rechargeable battery of the mobile device. The charging device includes a light source configured to emit a light beam having a spectrum tuned to the spectral response of the solar cells. The charging device includes a proximity sensor for detecting the presence of a mobile device within the charging device housing and responsively signaling the activation of the light source. The charging device includes logic for wirelessly communicating with the mobile device as well as controlling the charging process in various stages and aspects. The light source may be LEDs that also serve to transmit light communication signals to the mobile device.

Charging station for mobile device with solar panel

An optoelectronic semiconductor device is disclosed. The device comprises a plurality of stacked p-n junctions (e.g., multi junction device). The optoelectronic semiconductor device includes a n-doped layer disposed below the p-doped layer to form a p-n layer such that electric energy is created when photons are absorbed by the p-n layer. Recesses are formed on top of the p-doped layer at the top of the plurality of stacked p-n junctions. The junctions create an offset and an interface layer is formed on top of the p-doped layer at the top of the plurality stacked p-n junctions. The device also includes a window layer disposed below the plurality stacked p-n junctions. In another aspect, one or more optical filters are inserted into a device to enhance its efficiency through photon recycling. The device can be fabricated by epitaxial growth on a substrate and removed from the substrate through a lift off process.

Multi-junction optoelectronic device

A multi-junction optoelectronic device and method of manufacture are disclosed. The method comprises providing a first p-n structure on a substrate, wherein the first p-n structure comprises a first base layer of a first semiconductor with a first bandgap such that a lattice constant of the first semiconductor matches a lattice constant of the substrate, and wherein the first semiconductor comprises a Group III-V semiconductor. The method includes providing a second p-n structure, wherein the second p-n structure comprises a second base layer of a second semiconductor with a second bandgap, wherein a lattice constant of the second semiconductor matches a lattice constant of the first semiconductor, and wherein the second semiconductor comprises a Group IV semiconductor. The method also includes lifting off the substrate the multi-junction optoelectronic device having the first p-n structure and the second p-n structure, wherein the multi-junction optoelectronic device is a flexible device.

Multi-junction optoelectronic device with group IV semiconductor as a bottom junction

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for transmitting a light such that it is incident on a multi-layer stack, wherein the multi-layer stack includes the feature and a region without the feature, detecting a narrow-band light from the feature and the region without the feature, wherein the feature has a first optical response in response to a wavelength of the narrow-band light and the region without the feature has a second optical response in response to the wavelength of the narrow-band light, and generating, based on the narrow-band light, an image indicative of where the first optical response and the second optical response occur on the multi-layer stack.

Methods and systems for identifying features

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure, the structure including an absorber layer comprising gallium arsenide and an emitter layer. A bypass function is provided in a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure, where under reverse-bias conditions the p-n junction breaks down in a controlled manner by a Zener breakdown effect. The absorber or base layer has a grading in doping concentration from a first doping level closest to the emitter layer to a second doping level away from the emitter layer, the second doping level being greater than the first doping level.

A growth structure having a lattice transition (or graded buffer) or an engineered growth structure with a desired lattice constant, different from a lattice constant of conventional substrates like GaAs, Si, Ge, InP, under a release layer or an etch stop layer is used as a seed crystal for growing optoelectronic devices. The optoelectronic device can be a photovoltaic device having one or more subcells (e.g., lattice-matched or lattice-mismatched subcells). The release layer can be removed using different processes to separate the optoelectronic device from the growth structure, which may be reused, or from the engineered growth structure. When using the etch stop layer, the growth structure or the engineered growth structure may be grinded or etched away. The engineered growth structure may be made from a layer transfer process between two wafers or from a ternary and/or a quaternary material. Methods for making the optoelectronic device are also described.

Optoelectronic devices manufactured using different growth substrates

An optoelectronic device having a textured layer is described. In an aspect, a method may be used to produce the optoelectronic device, where the method includes epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer of the optoelectronic device on a growth substrate, and exposing the semiconductor layer to an etching process to create at least one textured surface in the semiconductor layer. The textured semiconductor layer can be referred to as a textured layer. The etching process is performed without the use of a template layer, or similar layer, configured as a mask to generate the texturing. The etching process can be done by one or more of a liquid or solution-based chemical etchant, gas etching, laser etching, plasma etching, or ion etching. The method can also include lifting the semiconductor layer of the optoelectronic device from the growth substrate by, for example, the use of an epitaxial lift off (ELO) process.

Embodiments generally relate to optoelectronic semiconductor devices such as solar cells. In one aspect, a device includes an absorber layer made of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and having only one type of doping. An emitter layer is located closer than the absorber layer to a back side of the device and is made of a different material and having a higher bandgap than the absorber layer. A heterojunction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer, and a p-n junction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer and at least partially within the different material at a location offset from the heterojunction. An intermediate layer is located between the absorber layer and the emitter layer and provides the offset of the p-n junction from the heterojunction, and includes a graded layer and an ungraded back window layer.

Optoelectronic devices including heterojunction and intermediate layer

Methods of manufacturing optoelectronic devices using different growth substrates

A growth structure having a lattice transition under a release layer is used as a seed crystal for growth of optoelectronic devices. The optoelectronic device can be a single- or multi-junction photovoltaic device. The release layer can be selectively removed in an epitaxial lift-off (ELO) process to separate the optoelectronic device from the growth structure and leave the region with the lattice transition intact to reuse the growth structure to grow additional devices. A manufacturing method is described that includes providing a growth structure having a substrate and a lattice transition from a first lattice constant to a second lattice constant, depositing a release layer on the growth structure, depositing on the release layer an epitaxial layer having a lattice constant that matches the second lattice and including an optoelectronic device, and removing the release layer to separate the epitaxial layer and the optoelectronic device from the growth structure.

Growth structure under a release layer for manufacturing of optoelectronic devices

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Brendan M Kayes