Claims
- 1. An apparatus for use as a diode comprisinga 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.
- 2. The apparatus 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 apparatus 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 apparatus of claim 1, wherein said p-type absorber layer comprisesa 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.
- 5. The apparatus 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 apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrical insulator layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a resistive ink, a dielectric, a pottant, and an encapsulant.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a material that is transparent.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a metallic grid.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises a translucent conductive oxide.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said translucent conductor layer comprises indium tin oxide.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises an opaque material.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises a metal.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of aluminum, molybdenum, silver, and titanium.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said opaque layer comprises a material having a plurality of phases, at least one of which is opaque.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said material having a plurality of phases has at least one phase that is translucent.
- 16. An apparatus for use as a module of photovoltaic cells with integrated diodes comprising the apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third trench area defines a plurality of photovoltaic devices.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said photovoltaic devices are selected from a group consisting of photovoltaic cells, diodes, capacitors, and resistors.
Government Interests
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.
US Referenced Citations (14)