Not Applicable
STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) receiver package or module wherein a conductive paste is used as an alternative to wire bonds or braided ribbon/mesh connectors to facilitate the electrical connectivity between the photovoltaic die of the module and the conductive pattern of the underlying substrate thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photovoltaic cells or dies are a well known means for producing electrical current from electromagnetic radiation. Traditional photovoltaic cells comprise junction diodes fabricated from appropriately doped semiconductor materials. Such devices are typically fabricated as thin, flat wafers with the junction formed parallel to and near one of the flat surfaces. Photovoltaic cells are intended to be illuminated through their so-called “front” surface. Electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the semiconductor produces electron-hole pairs in the semiconductor. These electron-hole pairs may be separated by the electric field of the junction, thereby producing a photocurrent. Currently known photovoltaic cells typically have a generally quadrangular (e.g., square) configuration defining four peripheral side edges, and include a pair of bus bars which are disposed on the top or front surface and extend along respective ones of an opposed pair of the side edges. The bus bars are used to facilitate the electrical connection of the photovoltaic cell to another structure, as described in more detail below.
There is currently known in the electrical arts semiconductor devices known as CPV receiver die packages or modules. Currently known CPV modules typically comprise a ceramic substrate having a conductive pattern disposed on one side or face thereof. Attached to the substrate and electrically connected to the conductive pattern are electrical components, including a pair of preformed wire connectors and a packaged diode. Also attached to the substrate and electrically connected to the conductive pattern thereof is a CPV receiver cell or die. The electrical connection between the receiver die and the conductive pattern is often facilitated by a pair of punched thin metal foil or braided ribbon/mesh connectors which extend along and are welded or soldered to respective ones of opposed sides of the receiver die, which typically has a quadrangular or square configuration as indicated above. More particularly, the pair of punched thin metal foils or braided ribbon/mesh connectors are welded or soldered to respective ones of the bus bars on the top or front surface of the receiver die. In certain existing CPV modules, the electrical connection of the receiver die to the conductive pattern is facilitated by the use of multiple wires bonded to the bus bars on the front surface of the receiver die and the bond pads of the conductive pattern of the substrate, the wires being used as an alternative to the aforementioned braided ribbon or mesh interconnects. These wire bonds are often fabricated from gold, and are provided in differing numbers and/or diameters depending on the design of the CPV module. The CPV module may further include a light concentration means which is adapted to concentrate solar radiation onto the front surface of the receiver die.
Current CPV receiver die packages or modules typically generate up to ten amps of electrical current. In order to carry such high current, the above-described ribbons made of metal foil or braided wire mesh, or the above-described multiple bond wire bonds are used to form the interconnection between the bus bars on the front surface of the receiver die and the bond pads of the conductive pattern on the substrate. However, the use of the ribbon/mesh type interconnects or, alternatively, the bond wires give rise to certain deficiencies in currently known CPV modules which detract from their overall utility. More particularly, the ribbon/mesh type interconnects do not have good shape control for automatic pick up, and require the use of specialized welding equipment for the fabrication of the CPV module using the same. Stated another way, it is often difficult to control the shape of the ribbon/mesh type interconnects for automatic pick up and placement, with the fabrication process being mostly done through the use of special welding equipment or manual soldering which is more labor intensive and thus more costly. When bond wires are used as an alternative to the ribbon/mesh type interconnects, problems may arise in relation to current crowding if too few wires are used. Moreover, the use of bond wires (as well as the use of the soldered or welded ribbon/mesh interconnects) often gives rise to concerns regarding the electrical current carrying capability of the CPV module including the same.
The present invention addresses these and other shortcomings of prior art CPV modules by providing a CPV module wherein a conductive paste is used as an alternative to wire bonds or braided ribbon/mesh connectors to facilitate the electrical connectivity between the concentrated photovoltaic receiver cell or die of the CPV module and the conductive pattern of the underlying substrate thereof. In accordance with the present invention, the possibility of accidentally shorting the top of the receiver die with the other metal parts of the CPV module is avoided by molding at least the periphery of the receiver die with a mold body, and then dispensing or printing the conductive paste between the top of the receiver die and the substrate, the mold body defining a reservoir which facilities the flow of the conductive paste in a prescribed pattern. These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below.
These, as well as other features of the present invention, will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements.
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only, and not for purposes of limiting the same,
As is most easily seen in
As best seen in
The second section 22 of the first layer 14 includes a generally rectangular base portion 28 defining opposed pairs of longitudinally and laterally extending side edges. In addition to the base portion 28, the second section 22 includes an identically configured pair of prong portions 30 which each have a quadrangular configuration, and extend in spaced, generally parallel relation to each other from a common longitudinally extending side edge of the base portion 28. As is further seen in
The CPV module 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention further comprises a photovoltaic receiver cell or die 34. The receiver die 34 has a generally quadrangular (e.g., square) configuration, and defines a generally planar top or front surface 36, and an opposed, generally planar bottom or back surface 38. In addition, the receiver die 34 defines four (4) generally straight peripheral side surface segments 40. The receiver die 34 is fabricated from a number of layers, including an active layer 42 which is applied to one side or face of an underlying substrate, and defines the front surface 36 of the receiver die 34. As seen in
In the CPV module 10, the side surface segments 40 and portions of the first and second sections 20, 22 of the first layer 14 of the substrate 12 are covered by an encapsulant material which, upon hardening, defines a mold body 48 of the CPV module 10. The mold body 48 has a generally quadrangular (e.g., square) configuration and, as shown in
As is most easily seen in
As is also apparent from the perspective shown in
Though not apparent from
Based on the structural features of the mold body 48 described above, such mold body 48 defines a centrally oriented, generally quadrangular reservoir 56. The reservoir 56 is circumvented by the top surface of the outer portion 52 of the mold body 48. Additionally, when viewed from the perspective shown in
Referring now to
More particularly, the conductive paste 58 is segregated into two separate and distinct segments 58a, 58b. In this regard, each segment 58a, 58b of the conductive paste 58 extends between and is electrically connected to one of the bus bars 44 of the receiver die 34, that prong portion 30 disposed closest to such bus bar 44, and the top surface of that segment 50a, 50b of the inner portion 50 which extends between the bus bar 44 and corresponding prong portion 30, as shown in
Referring now to
In the CPV module 10, it is contemplated that reservoir 56 of the mold body 48, and in particular the inner surface segments of the outer portion 52 which partially define the same, may be mechanically adapted to facilitate the alignment of a light concentrating device such as an optical light guide or prism with the front surface 36 of the receiver die 34 exposed in the reservoir 56. The alignment function may be assisted by one or both of the strips 60a, 60b residing within the reservoir 56.
An exemplary sequence of steps to facilitate the fabrication of the CPV module 10 may comprise the initial step of providing the substrate 12 having the above-described structural attributes, and thereafter attaching the receiver die 34 thereto in the above-described manner, and in accordance with the showings in
Thus, in the CPV module 10 of the present invention, the conductive paste 58 completes the electrical connection of the bus bars 44 of the receiver die 34 to the substrate 12, and in particular the prong portions 30 of the second section 22 thereof. The use of the conductive paste 58 (or other conductive material) as an alternative to bond wires or braided ribbon/mesh connectors ensures low resistivity and hence low voltage drop in the CPV module 10 due to the uniformity and thickness of each segment 58a, 58b of the conductive paste 58. This enhanced electrical performance of the CPV module 10 is realized even though the conductive paste 58 or other conductive material may not be as conductive as gold, copper or other materials typically used to make wire bonds or braided ribbon/connectors. Additionally, the formation of the mold body 48 in the CPV module 10 may be accomplished using readily available molding techniques, thus not excessively increasing the complexity of the manufacturing process for the CPV module 10, or resulting in a substantial increase in the cost associated therewith.
This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5622873 | Kim et al. | Apr 1997 | A |
5691568 | Chou et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
6005287 | Kaiya et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6040626 | Cheah et al. | Mar 2000 | A |
6104021 | Ogawa | Aug 2000 | A |
6521987 | Glenn et al. | Feb 2003 | B1 |
6650004 | Horie | Nov 2003 | B1 |
6794740 | Edwards | Sep 2004 | B1 |
6815244 | Böttner et al. | Nov 2004 | B2 |
6844615 | Edwards | Jan 2005 | B1 |
6879034 | Yang et al. | Apr 2005 | B1 |
6888209 | Jobetto | May 2005 | B2 |
7002241 | Mostafazadeh | Feb 2006 | B1 |
7235430 | Romano et al. | Jun 2007 | B2 |
7382056 | Chiu et al. | Jun 2008 | B2 |
7417220 | Suehiro et al. | Aug 2008 | B2 |
7528477 | Jeung et al. | May 2009 | B2 |
7714434 | Terui et al. | May 2010 | B2 |
7791014 | Camargo et al. | Sep 2010 | B2 |
8324653 | Lin et al. | Dec 2012 | B1 |
20040140549 | Miyagawa | Jul 2004 | A1 |
20040245530 | Kameyama et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20050139969 | Lee et al. | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20050211993 | Sano et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20080284003 | Kwang et al. | Nov 2008 | A1 |
20100065858 | Sugiura | Mar 2010 | A1 |
20100283137 | Hsieh et al. | Nov 2010 | A1 |
20110108113 | Arikawa | May 2011 | A1 |
20110140251 | Camacho et al. | Jun 2011 | A1 |
20110248287 | Yuan et al. | Oct 2011 | A1 |
20110260316 | Jang et al. | Oct 2011 | A1 |
20110278712 | Hu et al. | Nov 2011 | A1 |
20110316132 | Pagaila et al. | Dec 2011 | A1 |