Claims
- 1. A method for manufacturing diodes comprising the steps of
providing a photoactive apparatus comprising
an electrically insulating substrate layer, a conductive layer deposited on said substrate layer, a p-type absorber layer deposited on said conductive layer, and an n-type window layer deposited on said p-type absorber layer; a first removing step comprising removing a portion of said conductive layer, said p-type absorber layer, and said n-type window layer; applying an electrical insulator to a portion of said substrate; a second removing step comprising removing a portion of said p-type absorber layer and said n-type window layer; applying a translucent conductor layer to said apparatus; a third removing step comprising removing a portion of said translucent conductor layer, of said p-type absorber layer, and of said n-type window layer; and applying an opaque layer to a portion of said translucent conductive layer.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of an electrically insulating polyimide, Upilex®, polyphenylene benzobis oxazole (PBO), polyamide, polyether ether ketone, and metallic foils coated with electrically insulating polyimide, Upilex®, PBO, polyamide, and polyether ether ketone.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said conductive layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, a transparent conductive oxide, brass, titanium, nickel, and nickel-vanadium.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said p-type absorber layer comprises
a first material selected from a group consisting of copper, copper-silver, and silver; a second material selected from a group consisting of indium, indium-gallium, indium-aluminum, and aluminum; and a third material selected from a group consisting of selenide, selenide-sulfer, and sulfur.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said n-type window layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of cadmium sulfide, cadmium zinc sulfide, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, cadmium selenide, zinc-indium selenide, and indium selenide.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first removing step comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of chemical etching, laser etching, mechanical etching, and electronic etching.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said electrical insulator comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a resistive ink, a dielectric, a pottant, and an encapsulant.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying said electrical insulator comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of inkjet deposition, bubblejet deposition, and screen printing.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second removing step comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of chemical etching, laser etching, mechanical etching, and electronic etching.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a material that is transparent.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a metallic grid.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a translucent conductive oxide.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises indium tin oxide.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said third removing step comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of chemical etching, laser etching, mechanical etching, and electronic etching.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises an opaque material.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises a metal.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, molybdenum, silver, and titanium.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises a material having a plurality of phases, at least one of which is opaque.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said material having a plurality of phases has at least one phase that is translucent.
- 20. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying said opaque layer comprises a technique selected from a group consisting of physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, evaporation, and chemical bath deposition.
- 21. An apparatus for use as a diode comprising
a substrate layer, a conductive layer deposited on said substrate layer, an p-type absorber layer deposited on said conductive layer, a n-type window layer deposited on said p-type absorber layer, a first trench area on said substrate layer, and formed into said conductive layer, said p-type absorber layer, and said n-type window layer; an electrical insulator layer deposited on said first trench area; a second trench area parallel to said first trench area, on said conductive layer and formed into said p-type absorber layer and said n-type window layer; a translucent conductive layer deposited on said n-type window layer, said electrical insulator, and said second trench area; a third trench area near said second trench area, on said conductive layer and formed into said p-type absorber layer, said n-type window layer, and said translucent conductive layer; and an opaque layer deposited on a portion of said translucent conductive layer.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said substrate layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of an electrically insulating polyimide, Upilex®, polyphenylene benzobis oxazole (PBO), polyamide, polyether ether ketone, and metallic foils coated with electrically insulating polyimide, Upilex®, PBO, polyamide, and polyether ether ketone.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said conductive layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, a transparent conductive oxide, brass, titanium, nickel, and nickel-vanadium.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said p-type absorber layer comprises
a first material selected from a group consisting of copper, copper-silver, and silver; a second material selected from a group consisting of indium, indium-gallium, indium-aluminum, and aluminum; and a third material selected from a group consisting of selenide, selenide-sulfer, and sulfer.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said n-type window layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of cadmium sulfide, cadmium zinc sulfide, zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, cadmium selenide, zinc-indium selenide, and indium selenide.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said electrical insulator layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a resistive ink, a dielectric, a pottant, and an encapsulant.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a material that is transparent.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a metallic grid.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a translucent conductive oxide.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises indium tin oxide.
- 31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said opaque layer comprises an opaque material.
- 32. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said opaque layer comprises a metal.
- 33. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said opaque layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, molybdenum, silver, and titanium.
- 34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said opaque layer comprises a material having a plurality of phases, at least one of which is opaque.
- 35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said material having a plurality of phases has at least one phase that is translucent.
- 36. A method for manufacturing modules of photovoltaic cells with integrated diodes comprising the steps of
providing a photoactive apparatus comprising
an electrically insulating substrate layer, a conductive layer deposited on said substrate layer, an p-type absorber layer deposited on said conductive layer, and a n-type window layer deposited on said p-type absorber layer; a first removing step comprising removing a portion of said conductive layer, said p-type absorber layer, and said n-type window layer; applying an electrical insulator to a portion of said substrate; a second removing step comprising removing a portion of said p-type absorber layer and said n-type window layer; applying a translucent conductor layer to said apparatus; a third removing step comprising removing a portion of said translucent conductor layer, of said p-type absorber layer, and of said n-type window layer; applying an opaque layer to a portion of said translucent conductive layer, and said removing steps further defining a plurality of photovoltaic devices.
- 37. The method of claim 36, wherein said photovoltaic devices are selected from a group consisting of PV cells, diodes, capacitors, and resistors.
- 38. An apparatus for use as a module of photovoltaic cells with integrated diodes comprising the apparatus of claim 21, wherein said third trench area defines a plurality of photovoltaic devices.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said photovoltaic devices are selected from a group consisting of photovoltaic cells, diodes, capacitors, and resistors.
- 40. An apparatus for use as a protected array of photovoltaic cells comprising
means for generating an electric current from electromagnetic radiation provided in a direction, and means for providing a one-way path for said current in reverse bias to said direction when said apparatus is not generating electric current.
- 41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said means for generating an electric current further comprises a one-way path for said current in reverse bias to said direction when said apparatus is not generating electric current.
- 42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said means for generating an electric current comprises a flexible thin-film device.
- 43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said means for providing a one-way path comprises a monolithic integration of said means for providing a one-way path into said means for generating an electric current.
Government Interests
[0001] This invention may have been made with U.S. Government support under Contract No. F29601-99-C-0152 awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Government may have certain rights in this invention.