Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

United Solar Systems Corporation

Sovonics Solar Systems

Timothy D Laarman

Prem Nath

Kevin R Hoffman

Joachim Doehler

Craig N Vogeli

Avtar Singh

Kermit Jones

Jon Call

Gary M Didio

John Call

Gary DiDio

Gary M DiDio

Therese McDonough

Bernard Kelly

Kenneth Whelan

A photovoltaic roofing system includes a plurality of roofing panels each having a photovoltaic device thereupon and each including an electrical connector engageable with a connector on another panel. The panels includes upstanding flanges and a batten and seam roof construction may be readily configured by interconnecting the panels, fastening them to the roof and covering adjoining flanges with the battens.

Photovoltaic roof system

In continuous apparatus for the glow discharge deposition of amorphous silicon alloy solar cells of p-i-n-type configuration in a plurality of interconnected, dedicated deposition chambers, a plasma bar operatively disposed between at least the plasma regions in which the layer pairs of amorphous silicon alloy material defining the major semiconductor junction of the solar cell are deposited. The plasma bar is adapted to initiate a plasma so as to prevent chemically adsorbed contaminants from deleteriously affecting the surface of the first deposited of the layer pair, thereby improving the open circuit voltage of the solar cell. In a similar manner, the plasma bar may also be provided between the layer pairs of amorphous silicon alloy material which combine to define the minor semiconductor junction of the solar cell. Finally, a plasma bar may be disposed between the oxide-based layer of a back reflector for reducing oxygen contamination of the silicon alloy material deposited thereupon.

Interfacial plasma bars for photovoltaic deposition apparatus

A multilayered, light-scattering back reflector for a photovoltaic device, said back reflector including a first relatively hard, textured layer atop a substrate and a second highly reflective layer conformally disposed atop the first layer. The back reflector may further include a third light scattering layer formed atop said second layer, said third layer adapted to further provide a barrier layer between the body of semiconductor material from which the photovoltaic device is formed and the multilayered back reflector.

Multilayer light scattering photovoltaic back reflector and method of

A roof structure 10 comprises panels 14 and 16 of desired length each having a galvanized steel supportive layer which has side supporting flanges 22 interconnected together to form the roof assembly 10. The mid portion 20 of each panel has a photovoltaic surface made from amorphous semiconductor material which is laminated onto the galvanized steel with a protective plastic transparent polymer coating laminated above the photovoltaic material. The laminated galvanized steel and the photovoltaic layers are rolled into a coil and transported on site where it is unrolled, cut to size having the flanges formed to construct the rigid panels and having the panels assembled together via clips 26 and weather-proof battens 32. The photovoltaic surfaces are connected together via electrical conduit 34 coupled through couplings 88 under the panels and between the frame members 30.

Photovoltaic roof and method of making same

A large area, high current, low voltage photovoltaic module including a common bottom electrode upon which a means adapted to collect and transport photogenerated current is disposed. By electrically interconnecting a plurality of said large area modules in series, the voltage obtained therefrom can be added so as to obtain any desired voltage output therefrom.

Large area, low voltage, high current photovoltaic modules and method of

A method for introducing sweep gas through a baffle system adapted for use with glow discharge deposition apparatus in which successive amorphous semiconductor layers are deposited on a substrate. The deposition apparatus includes at least a pair of adjacent dedicated deposition chambers into each of which different process gases are introduced, the chambers being operatively connected by a gas gate. Inert gases are swept through the gas gate to minimize back diffusion of process gases from the chambers. The baffle system is adapted to prevent said sweep gases from entering into turbulent flow when traveling through the gas gate passageway. Further, a sufficient volume per unit time of sweep gas is introduced to insure that some sweep gas flows into the cathode region of the first chamber, thereby substantially preventing process gases and plasma from escaping from the cathode region and forming silane powder.

Method for introducing sweep gases into a glow discharge deposition

A system for introducing, confining and evacuating process gases adjacent the cathode region of glow discharge deposition apparatus, said apparatus adapted to deposit at least one layer of semiconductor material onto a substrate. The deposition apparatus includes at least one dedicated deposition chamber into which process gases are introduced for glow discharge disassociation into species. The system of the present invention includes a baffling manifold adjacent the cathode, said manifold adapted to (1) substantially prevent adjacent slowly and rapidly moving streams of process gases from forming flow patterns as the semiconductor material is deposited onto the substrate, and (2) thoroughly mix the process gases for only introducing homogeneous, uniform process gas mixtures into the plasma region, thereby preventing adjacent nonhomogeneous, nonuniform mixtures from forming flow patterns as the semiconductor material is deposited onto the substrate. The system is also adapted to expose the entire transverse width of the substrate for the deposition of semiconductor material thereunto.

Process gas introduction, confinement and evacuation system for glow

A process gas introduction and channeling system for use with apparatus adapted to produce photovoltaic devices by depositing semiconductor layers onto continuously moving substrate material. The deposition apparatus preferably includes at least one deposition chamber having (1) a region in which process gases are decomposed and (2) a manifold from which process gases are introduced to flow through the downstream decomposition region. In the preferred embodiment, as the process gases flow through the decomposition region, they are disassociated and recombined under the influence of an electromagnetic field. The species and combinations of process gases thus formed are deposited onto the substrate material. The process gas introduction and channeling system described herein, is adapted to direct the process gases introduced into each of the at least one deposition chamber to pass through the decomposition region thereof in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the substrate material, whereby substantially uniform semiconductor layers are deposited atop the entire surface of the substrate material.

Process gas introduction and channeling system to produce a profiled

A system for introducing, confining and evacuating process gases adjacent the cathode region of glow discharge deposition apparatus, said apparatus adapted to deposit at least one layer of semiconductor material onto a substrate. The deposition apparatus includes at least one dedicated deposition chamber into which process gases are introduced for glow discharge disassociation into species. The system of the present invention includes a baffling manifold adjacent the cathode, said manifold adapted to substantially reduce areas of localized rarification and compression of process gases flowing through the plasma region for substantially preventing adjacent stagnant and rapidly moving areas of process gases from forming nonuniform flow patterns as the semiconductor layer is deposited on the surface of the substrate. The system is also adapted to expose the entire transverse width of the substrate for the deposition of semiconductor material thereunto.

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Almont, MI, United States of America

Timothy D Laarman