US5019176A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thin solar cell and lightweight array
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1990-03-20
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Granted: 1991-05-28
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Expires: 2010-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A thin, lightweight solar cell utilizes front contact metallization. Both the front light receiving surface of the solar cell and the facing surface of the cover glass are recessed to accommodate this metallization. This enables the two surfaces to meet flush for an optimum seal.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry W. Brandhorst, Jr.
- 👤 Irving Weinberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:14
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/14; H10F10/142; H10F19/00; H10F19/80; H10F77/00; H10F77/20; H10F77/206; H10F77/211; H10F77/40; H10F77/42; H10F77/484; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/52; Y02E10/544; Y02E10/547; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A solar cell assembly comprising a solar cell having a front surface for receiving incident light and an oppositely disposed rear surface, a cover glass adjacent to said front surface, contact metallization between said cover glass and said solar cell, said contact metallization being embedded in both said cover glass and said, solar cell thereby creating a smooth interface therebetween, and means for refracting incident light away from said contact metallization.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A solar cell assembly comprising a solar cell having a front surface for receiving incident light and an oppositely disposed rear surface, a cover glass adjacent to said front surface, contact metallization between said cover glass and said solar cell, said contact metallization being embedded in both said cover glass and said, solar cell thereby creating a smooth interface therebetween, and means for refracting incident light away from said contact metallization.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cover glass is electrostatically bonded to the solar cell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of grooves in the cover glass for refracting the incident light away from the contact metallization to inhibit shadowing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the contact metallization has an interdigitated pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the grooves are in substantial alignment with the contact metallization.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the grooves have triangular V configurations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 3 including an antireflection coating covering the front surface of solar cell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein the antireflection coating is between the front surface and the cover glass.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the cover glass comprises a superstrate covering a plurality of solar cells in an array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 1 including another solar cell bonded to said rear surface, and additional contact metallization between said rear surface and said other solar cell thereby forming a multibandgap cell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a solar cell assembly of the type having contact metallization on the front light receiving surface of a solar cell with a cover glass for protecting the same, the improvement comprising means for recessing said contact metallization in both the front light receiving surface of said solar cell and the facing surface of the cover glass thereby providing a smooth interface therebetween for electrostatic bonding, and a plurality of grooves in the cover glass for refracting incident light away from the contact metallization.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a solar cell assembly of the type having contact metallization on the front light receiving surface of a solar cell with a cover glass for protecting the same, the improvement comprising means for recessing said contact metallization in both the front light receiving surface of said solar cell and the facing surface of the cover glass thereby providing a smooth interface therebetween for electrostatic bonding, and a plurality of grooves in the cover glass for refracting incident light away from the contact metallization.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the contact metallization has an interdigitated pattern.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the contact metallization in contained in aligned recesses in both the front surface of the solar cell and the surface of the cover glass opposite the surface having the light refractory grooves, said recesses containing the contact metallization being in substantial alignment with the light refractory grooves.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the grooves have triangular V configurations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 11 including an antireflection coating between the front light receiving surface and the cover glass.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly of a semiconductor wafer having a light receiving surface protected by a cover glass comprising the steps of producing p + regions and n + regions in said semiconductor wafer by diffusing dopants into said light receiving surface, forming a plurality of triangular light refractory grooves in one surface of said cover glass, masking said light receiving surface of said wafer and another surface of said cover glass opposite said one surface thereof, forming a plurality of recesses in said masked surfaces of said wafer and said cover glass, depositing metal contacting material into said recesses up to said surfaces thereby creating a smooth interface therebetween, aligning the filled recesses in the cover glass with the filled recesses in the wafer so that the metal contacting materials coincide, joining the cover glass to the wafer by electrostatic bonding of the smooth interface, and covering the surface of the wafer that is opposite the light receiving surface.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly of a semiconductor wafer having a light receiving surface protected by a cover glass comprising the steps of producing p + regions and n + regions in said semiconductor wafer by diffusing dopants into said light receiving surface, forming a plurality of triangular light refractory grooves in one surface of said cover glass, masking said light receiving surface of said wafer and another surface of said cover glass opposite said one surface thereof, forming a plurality of recesses in said masked surfaces of said wafer and said cover glass, depositing metal contacting material into said recesses up to said surfaces thereby creating a smooth interface therebetween, aligning the filled recesses in the cover glass with the filled recesses in the wafer so that the metal contacting materials coincide, joining the cover glass to the wafer by electrostatic bonding of the smooth interface, and covering the surface of the wafer that is opposite the light receiving surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the dopants are diffused into the semiconductor wafer by using photolithographic masking techniques.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein an antireflection coating is deposited on the light receiving surface after the dopants are diffused thereinto.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the recesses are formed in an interdigitated pattern.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the recesses are formed by etching.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the recesses are formed by laser scribing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the metal contacting material is deposited in the recess by plating.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the metal contacting material is deposited in the recesses by evaporation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the recesses are formed in the cover glass in substantial alignment with the triangular light refractory V-grooves.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the surface of the wafer opposite the light receiving surface is covered by attaching a backing material thereto.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of making a solar cell assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein the surface of the wafer opposite the light receiving surface is covered by depositing a glass-like layer therein.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-27 | 1994-11-26 | 1995-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-27 | 1998-11-26 | 1999-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-27 | 2002-11-26 | 2003-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |