The Boeing Company

Peter Hebert

Christopher M Fetzer

Randolph Jay Brandt

Philip T Chiu

Jerry R Kukulka

John Steven Frost

Maggy L Lau

Omar Al Taher

Moran Haddad

Dhananjay M Bhusari

Uming T Jeng

Dennis G Hom

Joseph P O'Day

Joseph P O'DAY

Dennis S Hom

A solar cell design includes fabricating one or more gridlines for extracting photo-current on a front surface of the solar cell, wherein each of the gridlines is a metal grid and a cap layer, and at least a portion of the metal grid is deposited on the cap layer; and controlling an alignment of the metal grid relative to the cap layer, and a width of the cap layer relative to a width of the metal grid, so that a minimum cap edge offset distance value is about 1 μm or more. The alignment of the metal grid relative to the cap layer and the width of the cap layer relative to the width of the metal grid are controlled at areas on the front surface of the solar cell opposite where welding occurs on a back-side of the solar cell. The alignments and widths of the metal grid relative to the cap layer are controlled by a photomask.

Solar cell design that minimizes weld attrition and gridline shadowing losses

A multijunction solar cell includes a base substrate comprising a Group IV semiconductor and a dopant of a first carrier type. A patterned emitter is formed at a first surface of the base substrate. The patterned emitter comprises a plurality of well regions doped with a dopant of a second carrier type in the Group IV semiconductor. The base substrate including the patterned emitter form a first solar subcell. The multijunction solar cell further comprises an upper structure comprising one or more additional solar subcells over the first solar subcell. Methods of making a multijunction solar cell are also described.

Multijunction solar cell having patterned emitter and method of making the solar cell

A method including forming an interconnect in a metal member. The interconnect includes multiple repeating, nested V-shaped structures forming a continuous central portion. A vertex of each of the multiple repeating, nested V-shaped structures adjoins a next vertex of a next V-shaped structure of the multiple repeating, nested V-shaped structures. The method further includes separating the interconnect from the metal member.

Method for forming an electrical interconnect

The present disclosure generally relates to broadband antireflective coatings for reducing reflection of light in the infrared without compromising visible light reflectance in multijunction solar cells bonded to coverglass, and methods of forming the same. The antireflective coatings include a high index, one or more intermediate index, and low index of refraction dielectric layers. The high index dielectric layer utilizes an ion beam assisted deposition to maximize the density and index of refraction. The intermediate index layer(s) increase the bandwidth of the antireflection coating, thereby improving the performance of the antireflective coating in the infrared spectrum.

Broadband antireflection coatings under coverglass using ion gun assisted evaporation

An interconnect includes a first set of connector pads, a second set of connector pads, and a continuous central portion. A first plurality of legs extends at a first angle from the continuous central portion. Each leg of the first plurality of legs is connected to a connector pad of a first set of connector pads. A second plurality of legs extends at a second angle from the continuous central portion. Each leg of the second plurality of legs is connected to a connector pad of the second set of connector pads. Gaps are defined between legs. The gaps enable movement of the first set of connector pads relative to the second set of connector pads.

Electrical interconnect

A system and method for performing thermal stress testing of photovoltaic solar cells is presented. The system and method allows rapid testing of photovoltaic solar cells under controllable thermal conditions. The system and method presents a means of rapidly applying thermal stresses to one or more photovoltaic solar cells in a consistent and repeatable manner.

Flexible thermal cycle test equipment for concentrator solar cells

A solar cell has an active semiconductor structure and a back electrical contact overlying and contacting an active semiconductor structure back side. A front electrical contact is applied overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side. The front electrical contact has multiple layers including a titanium layer overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side, a diffusion layer overlying and contacting the titanium layer, a barrier layer overlying and contacting the diffusion layer, and a joining layer overlying and contacting the barrier layer. The front electrical contact may be applied by sequentially vacuum depositing the titanium layer, the diffusion layer, the barrier layer, and the joining layer in a vacuum deposition apparatus in a single pumpdown from ambient pressure. A front electrical lead is affixed overlying and contacting an attachment pad region of the front electrical contact.

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Glendale, CA, United States of America

Peter Hebert