Abstract:
Disclosed are thermoplastic resin formulations for use as a light transmitting layer (e.g., encapsulant layer) in a photovoltaic module comprising: (a) a light transmitting thermoplastic resin, (b) at least one down conversion material that exhibits a maximum in incident radiation absorption in the range of 280 to 500 nm and a maximum in radiation emission at a relatively longer wavelength in the range of 400 to 900 nm and improves the efficiency of photovoltaic electric current generation in a photovoltaic module; and (c) a light stabilizer additive that transmits at least about 40 percent of the ultraviolet (UV) electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the range of from about 280 nm to about 380 nm. Also disclosed are sheet materials prepared from such resins and photovoltaic modules incorporating such sheet materials.
Abstract:
The present invention provides strategies for improving the quality of the insulating layer in MIS and SIS devices in which the insulator layer interfaces with at least one pnictide-containing film. The principles of the present invention are based at least in part on the discovery that very thin (20 nm or less) insulating films comprising a chalcogenide such as i-ZnS are surprisingly superior tunnel barriers in MIS and SIS devices incorporating pnictide semiconductors. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a photovoltaic device, comprising: a semiconductor region comprising at least one pnictide semiconductor; an insulating region electrically coupled to the semiconductor region, wherein the insulating region comprises at least one chalcogenide and has a thickness in the range from 0.5 nm to 20 nm; and a rectifying region electrically coupled to the semiconductor region in a manner such that the insulating region is electrically interposed between the collector region and the semiconductor region.
Abstract:
The invention is a photovoltaic article comprising a first photovoltaic cell having a photoelectrically active region which is located between a topside electrode and a backside electrode, at least one first interconnect element in contact with the frontside electrode at a front surface of the cell and the interconnect element is adhered to the topside electrode of the cell, and at least one second interconnect element adhered to the backside electrode. An electronically conductive adhesive having a low Tg is used to adhere the interconnect element to the frontside electrode. The ECA used to adhere the second interconnect element to the backside electrode is characterized by at least one of the following features: a glass transition temperature of at least 85 C and the backside electrically conductive adhesive comprises a metal chelation compound characterized by the presence of a heterocyclic component comprising one of O, N, or S in a ring configuration and at least one additional heteroatom selected from O, N, or S.
Abstract:
A light splitting optical module that converts incident light into electrical energy, the module including a solid optical element comprising an input end for receiving light, a first side, and a second side spaced from the first side, a first solar cell adjacent to the first side of the solid optical element, and a second solar cell adjacent to the second side of the solid optical element. The first solar cell is positioned to absorb a first subset of incident light and reflect a first remainder of the incident light to the second solar cell through the solid optical element, wherein the first solar cell has a lower band gap than the second cell.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic system that converts incident light into electrical energy that includes a light trapping optical module having a light randomizing dielectric slab with a first surface and a second surface, a first cell adjacent to the first surface of the slab that has a bandgap of lower energy than the energy of absorption onset of the dielectric slab, at least one filter element in optical contact with the second surface of the dielectric slab, and a sub-cell array with a plurality of photovoltaic sub-cells, wherein at least one of the sub-cells has a first surface that is in optical contact with the at least one filter element.
Abstract:
A method of preparing a resin infused random fiber mat including the step of forming a liquid dispersion mat of polymeric resin and fiber on a porous substrate.
Abstract:
A composition comprising a phase separated block copolymer and an inorganic dielectric nanoparticle, wherein the nanoparticle is dispersed in the copolymer and is present primarily in one phase. For example, a Ti0 2 nanocomposite can be created via the in situ formation of Ti0 2 within a silane-grafted OBC. Taking advantage of the phase morphology of the OBC and the differential swelling of the hard and soft segments, due to their inherent crystallinity, enables the selective incorporation of Ti0 2 nanoparticles into the soft segments of the OBC.
Abstract:
A light splitting optical module that converts incident light into electrical energy, the module including a solid optical element comprising an input end for receiving light, a first side, and a second side spaced from the first side, a first solar cell adjacent to the first side of the solid optical element, and a second solar cell adjacent to the second side of the solid optical element. The first solar cell is positioned to absorb a first subset of incident light and reflect a first remainder of the incident light to the second solar cell through the solid optical element.
Abstract:
The present invention provides photovoltaic devices that comprise multiple bandgap cell arrays in combination with spectrum splitting optics. The spectrum splitting optics include one or more optical spectrum splitting modules that include two or more optical splitting, diffractive elements that are optically in series to successively and diffractively split incident light into segments or slices that are independently directed onto different photovoltaic cell(s) of the array having appropriate bandgap characteristics.
Abstract:
The present invention provides optoelectronic devices containing at least one conforming, thin film barrier coating provided on a nonplanar surface comprising a plurality of junctures. The barrier coating has a hybrid morphology including crystalline domains distributed in an amorphous matrix. The conformal coatings protect the optoelectronic device with long-lasting, durable, high quality barrier protection even though the coatings have sufficient crystalline characteristics so that many embodiments are electrically conductive.