Nanosolar, Inc.

Gregory A Miller

Martin R Roscheisen

Brian M Sager

James R Sheats

Sam Kao

Jacqueline A Fidanza

Dong Yu

Klaus Petritsch

Greg Smestad

Series interconnection of optoelectronic device modules is disclosed. Each device module includes an active layer disposed between a bottom electrode and a transparent conducting layer. An insulating layer is disposed between the bottom electrode of a first device module and a backside top electrode of the first device module. One or more vias are formed through the active layer, transparent conducting layer and insulating layer of the first device module. Sidewalls of the vias are coated with an insulating material such that a channel is formed through the insulating material to the backside top electrode of the first device module. The channel is at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material to form a plug that makes electrical contact between the transparent conducting layer and the backside top electrode of the first device module. Portions of the backside top electrode and insulating layer of a second device module are cut back to expose a portion of the bottom electrode of the second device module. The first and second device modules are attached to an insulating carrier substrate. Electrical contact is made between the backside top electrode of the first device module and the exposed portion of the bottom electrode of the second device module.

Series interconnected optoelectronic device module assembly

Charge-splitting networks, optoelectronic devices, methods for making optoelectronic devices, power generation systems utilizing such devices and method for making charge-splitting networks are disclosed. An optoelectronic device may include a porous nano-architected (e.g., surfactant-templated) film having interconnected pores that are accessible from both the underlying and overlying layers. A pore-filling material substantially fills the pores. The interconnected pores have diameters of about 1-100 nm and are distributed in a substantially uniform fashion with neighboring pores separated by a distance of about 1-100 nm. The nano-architected porous film and the pore-filling, material have complementary charge-transfer properties with respect to each other, i.e., one is an electron-acceptor and the other is a hole-acceptor. The nano-architected porous, film may be formed on a substrate by a surfactant temptation technique such as evaporation-induced self-assembly. A solar power generation system may include an array of such optoelectronic devices in the form of photovoltaic cells with one or more cells in the array having one or more porous charge-splitting networks disposed between an electron-accepting electrode and a hole-accepting electrode.

Optoelectronic device and fabrication method

An elongated substrate may be heated in a roll processing system. At least a portion of the elongated substrate is loaded into the roll processing system. A sufficient electrical current is caused to flow in the portion of the elongated substrate to heat the portion to a desired temperature. The heating may be either resistive or inductive. The roll processing system may be a roll-to-roll type where the substrate moves as a portion of it is heated. Alternatively, the substrate may be wound into a coiled substrate and the turns of the coil insulated against undesired electrical contact. The entire coiled substrate may then be heated either resistively or inductively.

Uniform thermal processing by internal impedance heating of elongated substrates

Charge splitting networks for optoelectronic devices may be fabricated using a nanostructured porous film, e.g., of SiO, as a template. The porous film may be fabricated using surfactant temptation techniques. Any of a variety of semiconducting materials including semiconducting metals and metal oxides (such as TiO, CdSe, CdS, CdTe, or CuO) may be deposited into the pores of the porous template film. After deposition, the template film may be removed by controlled exposure to acid or base without disrupting the semiconducting material leaving behind a nanoscale network grid. Spaces in the network grid can then be filled with complementary semiconducting material, e.g., a semiconducting polymer or dye to create a exciton-splitting and charge transporting network with superior optoelectronic properties for an optoelectronic devices, particularly photovoltaic devices.

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Gregory A Miller