University of Michigan

Peicheng Ku

Stephen R Forrest

Max Shtein

Kyusang Lee

Nanditha Dissanayake

Matthew Shlian

Aaron Lamoreux

Chih-Wei Chien

Brian Roberts

There is disclosed Kirigami-inspired structures for use in solar tracking applications. When coupled with thin-film active materials, the disclosed microstructures can track solar position and maximize solar power generation. In one embodiment, there is disclosed a photovoltaic system comprising a single-axis, or multi-axis solar tracking structure comprising a support structure made of a flexible material having a defined unit cell structure, and a flexible photovoltaic cell disposed on the support structure. There is also disclosed methods of making such structures in which the photovoltaic cell is mounted to the support structure by a direct-attachment bonding processes such as cold-welding.

Autonomous solar tracking in flat-plate photovoltaic panels using kirigami-inspired microstructures

A photoactive device that includes a photovoltaic device having electrodes and at least one photoactive layer between the electrodes. One or more other layers may be included between the electrodes. The device includes a substrate positioned below the photovoltaic device, and a nanostructure backreflective layer positioned below the substrate such that at least some of the incident light impinging on the photovoltaic device passes through the photovoltaic device and the substrate and is backscattered through the substrate to the photovoltaic device.

Photoactive device

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Peicheng Ku