1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and technology of a hybrid stacked chip for a solar cell and, particularly, to that of manufacturing a simple and higher efficient solar cell.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in
A compound solar cell is formed by a compound semiconductor on a substrate to absorb a medium wavelength solar spectrum. Owing to a direct bandgap, it has higher efficiency and absorbs the correspondent wavelength of around 25%. As shown in
As shown in
However, each solar cell mentioned above may absorb only the correspondent long wavelength (as shown in
Thus, recently, a tandem cell is provided in which materials of different bandgaps are stacked into the cell of multiple junctions.
As shown in
As shown in
However, Si/SiGe, GaN/AlGaN, and GaAs/AlGaAs used for the semiconductors are quite different, for achieving a high-quality epitaxial film, a small lattice mismatch value of less than 5% is universally desired. So the semiconductor epitaxy when formed is easily polluted with each other.
A typical Battery is comprised of a plurality solar cells connected in series. Thus, its total voltage is a summation of respective solar cells (i.e., V1+V2+ . . . Vn). Also, the solar cell having the smallest current will be chosen as the current of the battery for the sake of current match. That is, the current is (I1, I2 . . . In)min. Power P is thus (V1+V2+ . . . Vn)*(I1, I2 . . . In)min. Disadvantageously, power P is low.
Consequently, because of the technical defects of described above, the present invention was developed, which can effectively improve the defects described above.
The invention relates to a method of a hybrid stacked Chip for a solar cell, comprising:
step 1 of forming a solar cell with at least one pair of P-N junction semiconductor layers and making each P-N junction semiconductor layer to absorb various wavelengths of solar spectrum by corresponding to different materials;
step 2 of forming another solar cell with at least one P-N junction semiconductor layer of which the series of materials are different from step 1; and
step 3 of stacking each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers described at step 1 and step 2 and stacking in order the P-N junction semiconductor layers from a long wavelength to a short wavelength.
Thus, in the invention to stack different series solar cells for increasing the efficiency of the solar cell and for solving the problem of lattice mismatch.
Now, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of the invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; and it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.
The invention relates to a method of a hybrid stacked chip for a solar cell and is used to stack a solar cell onto another solar cell, as shown in
step S1 of forming a solar cell with at least one pair of P-N junction semiconductor layers and making each P-N junction semiconductor layer to absorb various wavelengths of solar spectrum by corresponding to different materials;
step S2 of forming another solar cell with at least one P-N junction semiconductor layer of which the series of materials are different from step S1; and
step 3 of stacking each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers described at step S1 and step S2 and stacking in order the P-N junction semiconductor layers from a long wavelength to a short wavelength.
In the following description, there are figures illustrating embodiments of the invention.
Refer to
formed a first solar cell including P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb a long wavelength, and its substrate 60 of Si, Ge, or Si/Ge;
formed a second solar cell including P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb a medium wavelength, and its substrate 70 of InP, GaAs, or GaP; and
the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength being stacked onto the P-N junction semiconductor layer 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength, in which the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength lie on the substrate 70 of InP, GaAs or GaP.
The P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71 and 72 comprise layers of materials 611, 612, 711, 712, and 721, 722 respectively, that are doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductors. In this manner, the p/n or n/p junctions are formed in each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71 and 72.
The series of materials of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength and those of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength are different so that connection bumps 20 may be formed between the first and second solar cells, and the first and second solar cells of different materials are combined together. A first contact A is connected to a bottom of the substrate 60. A second contact B is connected to the connection bumps 20. A third contact C is connected to a top of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 72. As such, the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71 and 72 are coupled together by the first, second, and third contacts A, B, and C to form a three-terminal solar cell and electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71 and 72 can be respectively outputted.
Refer to
formed a first solar cell including a P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength, and its substrate 60 of Si, Ge, or Si/Ge;
formed a second solar cell including a P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength, and its transparent substrate 81 of Al2O3 sapphire, silicon carbide, or ZnO; and, the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength being stacked onto the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength, in which the transparent substrate 81 of Al2O3 sapphire, silicon carbide, or ZnO lies on the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength.
The P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 and 80 comprise layers of materials 611, 612 and 801, 802 respectively, that are doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductors.
In this manner, the p/n or n/p junctions are formed in each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 and 80.
The series of materials of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength and those of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength are different so that connection bumps 20 may be formed between the first and second solar cells, and the first and second solar cells of different materials are combined together.
A first contact A is connected to a bottom of the substrate 60. A second contact B is connected to the connection bumps 20. A third contact C is connected to a top of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80. As such, the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 and 80 are coupled together by the first, second, and third contacts A, B, and C to form a three-terminal solar cell and electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 and 80 can be respectively outputted.
An aperture 811 is formed in the transparent substrate 81 and the third contact C is connected to the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 so that electric charges generated by light impinging on P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 can be outputted through the aperture 811.
Refer to
formed a first solar cell including P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength, and its substrate 70 of InP, GaAs or GaP;
formed a second solar cell including a P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the long wavelength, and its transparent substrate 81 of Al2O3 sapphire, silicon carbide, or ZnO; and
the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 that may absorb the short wavelength being stacked onto the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength, in which the transparent substrate 81 of Al2O3 sapphire, silicon carbide, or ZnO lies on the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength.
The P-N junction semiconductor layers 71, 72 and 80 comprise layers of materials 711, 712, 721, 722 and 801, 802 respectively, that are doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductors. In this manner, the p/n or n/p junctions are formed in each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71, 72 and 80.
The series of materials of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength and those of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb short the wavelength are different so that connection bumps 20 may be formed between the first and second solar cells, and the first and second solar cells of different materials are combined together.
A first contact A is connected to a bottom of the substrate 70. A second contact B is connected to the connection bumps 20. A third contact C is connected to a top of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80. As such, the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71, 72 and 80 are coupled together by the first, second, and third contacts A, B, and C to form a three-terminal solar cell and electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71, 72 and 80 can be respectively outputted.
An aperture 811 is formed in the transparent substrate 81 and the third contact C is connected to the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 so that electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 can be outputted through the aperture 811.
Refer to
a first solar cell including substrate 60 of Si, Ge, or Si/Ge on which P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, such as Si and SiGe, that may absorb the long wavelength is stacked; a second solar cell including P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb a medium wavelength, and the substrate 70 of InP, GaAs, or GaP; a tunnel junction 10 being formed on the layer 61, and a P-N junction semiconductor layers 71, such as GaAs, that may absorb the medium wavelength being formed on the tunnel junction 10; a tunnel junction 10 being again formed on the layer 71, and a P-N junction semiconductor layer 72, such as AlGaAs and InGaP, that may absorb the medium wavelength being stacked being formed on the tunnel junction 10;
formed third solar cell including a P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al an N, that may absorb the short wavelength, and its transparent substrate 81 of Al2O3 sapphire, silicon carbide, or ZnO; and
the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength being stacked onto the P-N junction semiconductor layer 72 that may absorb the medium wavelength.
The P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80 comprise layers of materials 611, 612, 711, 712, 721, 722 and 801, 802 respectively, that are doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductors. In this manner, the p/n or n/p junctions are formed in each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80.
The series of materials of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength and those of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 72 that may absorb the medium wavelength are different so that connection bumps 20 may be formed between the second and third solar cells, and the second and third solar cells of different materials are combined together.
A fourth contact D is connected to a bottom of the substrate 60. A fifth contact E is connected to the tunnel junction 10. A sixth contact F is connected to the connection bumps 20. A seventh contact G is connected to a top of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80. As such, the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80 are coupled together by the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh contacts D, E, F, and G to form a four-terminal solar cell and electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80 can be respectively outputted.
An aperture 811 is formed in the transparent substrate 81 and the seventh contact G is connected to the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 so that electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 can be outputted through the aperture 811.
Refer to
formed first solar cell including P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge, such as Si and Si/Ge, that may absorb the long wavelength;
formed second solar cell including P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P, such as GaAs/AlGaAs, GaAs/InGaP, GaP/GaP, GaAs/AlIn GaP, and GaAs/AlGaAs . . . etc., that may absorb the medium wavelength;
formed third solar cell including a P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 of GaN/AlGaN, GaN/InGaN and InGaN/AlGaN, that may absorb the short wavelength, and its transparent substrate 81 of Al2O3 sapphire, silicon carbide, or ZnO; and
the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 that may absorb the medium wavelength and the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 that may absorb the short wavelength being stacked in order onto the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength.
The P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80 comprise layers of materials 611, 612, 711, 712, 721, 722 and 801, 802 respectively, that are doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductors. In this manner, the p/n or n/p junctions are formed in each of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80.
The series of materials of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61 of Si and Ge that may absorb the long wavelength, those of the P-N junction semiconductor layers 71 and 72 of As, Ga, and P that may absorb the medium wavelength, and those of the P-N junction semiconductor layers of Ga, In, Al and N that may absorb the short wavelength are different so that first connection bumps 20′ may be formed between the first and second solar cells, second connection bumps 20″ may be formed between the second and third solar cells, and the P-N junction semiconductor layers of different materials are combined together.
A fourth contact D is connected to a bottom of the substrate 60. A fifth contact E is connected to the first connection bumps 20′. A sixth contact F is connected to the second connection bumps 20″. A seventh contact G is connected to a top of the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80. As such, the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80 are coupled together by the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh contacts D,E, F, and G to form a four-terminal solar cell and electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layers 61, 71, 72 and 80 can be respectively outputted.
An aperture 811 is formed in the transparent substrate 81 and the seventh contact G is connected to the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 so that electric charges generated by light impinging on the P-N junction semiconductor layer 80 can be outputted through the aperture 811.
In
It is envisaged by the invention that electric charges (i.e., current) generated by respective solar cells (e.g., at least two solar cells such as 2, 3, 4, or 5) can be outputted by means of contacts. Further total power P is defined by a summation of powers of respective solar cells, i.e., V1I1+V2I2+ . . . VnIn. This is a great increase in comparison with the power of conventional solar cells connected in series, i.e., (V1+V2+ . . . Vn)*(I1, I2 . . . In)min. Further, in the invention, a lens (not shown) may be arranged on the solar cell to concentrate the beams of light so that the area of the solar cell under the lens may be reduced. Further, the cost of the solar cell according to the invention may be down.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims that are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11746698 | May 2007 | US |
Child | 14089864 | US |