Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.

Other

Itn Energy Systems, Inc.

Global Solar Energy, Inc.

Permacity Corp

Joseph H Armstrong

Lawrence M Woods

Jonathan S Port

Douglas Garth Jensen

Hobart Stevens

Matthew B Foster

Rosine M Ribelin

Richard Thomas Treglio

John L Harrington

Dimitris Katsoulis

Bizhong Zhu

Michitaka Suto

Scott Wiedeman

Michael F Schwartz

Maki Itoh

Thomas Duncan Barnard

Herschel Henry Reese

Hidekatsu Hatanaka

Yukinari Harimoto

Brian Spencer Berland

Mohan S Misra

William J Arbegast

Lin Jay Simpson

Nicole Anderson

Brian J Maclean

Robert Meck

Richard Thomas Tregfio

William G Barker

Anil K Kapuria

Stephanie Persha Retureta

A polymer substrate and back contact structure for a photovoltaic element, and a photovoltaic element include a CIGS photovoltaic structure, a polymer substrate having a device side at which the photovoltaic element can be located and a back side opposite the device side. A layer of dielectric is optionally formed at the back side of the polymer substrate. A metal structure is formed at the device side of the polymer substrate.

Multilayer thin-film back contact system for flexible photovoltaic devices on polymer substrates

A flexible photovoltaic module for converting light into an electric current includes a plurality of electrically interconnected flexible photovoltaic submodules monolithically integrated onto a common flexible substrate. Each photovoltaic submodule includes a plurality of electrically interconnected flexible thin-film photovoltaic cells monolithically integrated onto the flexible substrate. A flexible photovoltaic module for converting light into an electric current includes a backplane layer for supporting the photovoltaic module. A first pottant layer is disposed on the backplane layer, and a photovoltaic submodule assembly is disposed on the first pottant layer. The photovoltaic submodule assembly has at least one photovoltaic submodule, where each photovoltaic submodule includes a plurality of thin-film photovoltaic cells. A second pottant layer is disposed on the photovoltaic submodule assembly, and a upper laminate layer disposed on the second pottant layer.

Flexible high-voltage adaptable current photovoltaic modules and associated methods

A flexible photovoltaic module for converting light into electricity includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells, a wiring harness, and a connection subsystem. The plurality of photovoltaic cells are electrically interconnected to form a positive node for supplying current to a load and a negative node for receiving current from the load. The wiring harness includes a plurality of flexible electrical conductors, each electrical conductor being electrically isolated within the wiring harness. The connection subsystem is operable to selectively connect the positive node to one of the electrical conductors of the wiring harness. A plurality of flexible photovoltaic modules may be connected to form a photovoltaic array.

Flexible photovoltaic array with integrated wiring and control circuitry, and associated methods

A method for depositing one or more thin-film layers on a flexible polyimide substrate having opposing front and back outer surfaces includes the following steps: (a) heating the flexible polyimide substrate such that a temperature of the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate is higher than a temperature of the back outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate, and (b) depositing the one or more thin-film layers on the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate. A deposition zone for executing the method includes (a) one of more physical vapor deposition sources adapted to deposit one or more metallic materials on the front outer surface of the substrate, and (b) one or more radiant zone boundary heaters.

Systems and methods for thermally managing high-temperature processes on temperature sensitive substrates

A method of manufacture of I-III-VI-absorber photovoltaic cells involves sequential deposition of films comprising one or more of silver and copper, with one or more of aluminum indium and gallium, and one or more of sulfur, selenium, and tellurium, as compounds in multiple thin sublayers to form a composite absorber layer. In an embodiment, the method is adapted to roll-to-roll processing of photovoltaic cells. In an embodiment, the method is adapted to preparation of a CIGS absorber layer having graded composition through the layer of substitutions such as tellurium near the base contact and silver near the heterojunction partner layer, or through gradations in indium and gallium content. In a particular embodiment, the graded composition is enriched in gallium at a base of the layer, and silver at the top of the layer. In an embodiment, each sublayer is deposited by co-evaporation of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium, which react in-situ to form CIGS.

Machine and process for continuous, sequential, deposition of semiconductor solar absorbers having variable semiconductor composition deposited in multiple sublayers

Pocket-sized photovoltaic-based fully integrated portable power system

A reversible system for housing a battery-operated device includes a first case member and a second case member. The first case member includes a first alignment member and the second case member includes a second alignment member complimenting the first alignment member such that the orientation of the first case member to the second case member can be altered in at least two orientations. In certain embodiments, the reversible system additionally includes a photovoltaic module for powering the battery-operated device.

System for housing and powering a battery-operated device and associated methods

A polymer substrate and back contact structure for a photovoltaic element, and a photovoltaic element include a CIGS photovoltaic structure, a polymer substrate having a device side at which the photovoltaic element can be located and a back side opposite the device side. A layer of dielectric is formed at the back side of the polymer substrate. A metal structure is formed at the device side of the polymer substrate.

A photovoltaic (PV) device has at least one lower PV cell on a substrate, the cell having a metallic back contact, and a I-III-VI absorber, and a transparent conductor layer. An upper PV cell is adhered to the lower PV cell, electrically in series to form a stack. The upper PV cell has III-V absorber and junction layers, the cells are adhered by transparent conductive adhesive having filler of conductive nanostructures or low temperature solder. The upper PV cell has no substrate. An embodiment has at least one shape of patterned conductor making contact to both a top of the upper and a back contact of the lower cells to couple them together in series. In an embodiment, a shape of patterned conductor draws current from excess area of the lower cell to the upper cell, in an alternative embodiment shapes of patterned conductor couples I-III-VI cells not underlying upper cells in series strings, a string being in parallel with at least one stack. In an embodiment, the bonding agent is a polymeric adhesive containing conductive nanostructures. In an embodiment the III-V absorber is grown on single crystal, substrate. A method for forming the device is described.

Apparatus and method for hybrid photovoltaic device having multiple, stacked, heterogeneous, semiconductor junctions

In an embodiment, one reinforced substrate for use in a photovoltaic device includes a polymer base material and a reinforcing structure bonded with the base material. The reinforced substrate presents a surface in a condition that is made-ready for deposition of thin film layers of the photovoltaic device. A thin film photovoltaic device includes the reinforced substrate, a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate, and a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer. A plurality of thin film photovoltaic devices may be formed on a common reinforced substrate. A process of producing a reinforced substrate includes combining a fluid base material and a fiber reinforcing structure to form an impregnated fiber reinforcement. The impregnated fiber reinforcement is cured to form the reinforced substrate, and the reinforced substrate is annealed.

Reinforcing structures for thin-film photovoltaic device substrates, and associated methods

The present invention relates to the design and manufacture of single cell units for planar, thin-film, ceramic electrochemical devices such as solid oxide fuel cells, electrochemical oxygen generators, gas separation membranes, and membrane modules and stacks and the fabrication of multi-cell stacks and modules of the single cell units. The design is based upon a single cell wherein manufacturing all layers of the device into an integral unit produces a monolithic structure. The design produces a gas-tight single cell that is easily assembled into multi-cell stacks and modules without external seals or sealing mechanisms. The design may use standard ceramic and metallurgical production techniques. The design of the present invention enhances device performance since the single cell units are inherently sealed for gas tightness and have reduced interfacial electrical resistances. All these features of the novel monolithically integrated unit cell design result in lower manufacturing costs for ceramic electrochemical devices.

Apparatus and method for the design and manufacture of thin-film electrochemical devices

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

Joseph H Armstrong