Trench process and structure for backside contact solar cells with polysilicon doped regions
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9231145
A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. A trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over a thin dielectric layer. The trench structure may include a textured surface for increased solar radiation collection. Among other advantages, the resulting structure increases efficiency by providing isolation between…
Photovoltaic installation with automatic disconnect device
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9225285
A PV installation comprises a PV array, an electrical interface connecting a utility power source to an electrical load, and a DC to AC inverter. A first set of wiring electrically connects the PV array to the inverter through a disconnect device and a second set of wiring electrically connects the inverter to the electrical interface. A control mechanism connects the disconnect device to the electrical interface so that when power from the electrical interface is removed, the PV array…
Apparatus and method for controlling DC-AC power conversion
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9225256
An apparatus and method for controlling the delivery of power from a DC source to an AC grid includes an inverter configured to deliver power from the unipolar input source to the AC grid and an inverter controller. The inverter includes an input converter, an active filter, and an output converter. The inverter controller includes an input converter controller, an active filter controller and an output converter controller. The input converter controller is configured to control a…
Solar cell having silicon nano-particle emitter
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9224902
A silicon solar cell having a silicon substrate includes p-type and n-type emitters on a surface of the substrate, the emitters being doped nano-particles of silicon. To reduce high interface recombination at the substrate surface, the nano-particle emitters are preferably formed over a thin interfacial tunnel oxide layer on the surface of the substrate.
Non-permeable substrate carrier for electroplating
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9222193
One embodiment relates to a substrate carrier for use in electroplating a plurality of substrates. The substrate carrier comprises a non-conductive carrier body on which the substrates are to be held. Electrically-conductive lines are embedded within the carrier body, and a plurality of contact clips are coupled to the electrically-conductive lines embedded within the carrier body. The contact clips hold the substrates in place and electrically couple the substrates to the…
Solar cell having an emitter region with wide bandgap semiconductor material
Granted: December 22, 2015
Patent Number:
9219173
Solar cells having emitter regions composed of wide bandgap semiconductor material are described. In an example, a method includes forming, in a process tool having a controlled atmosphere, a thin dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate of the solar cell. The semiconductor substrate has a bandgap. Without removing the semiconductor substrate from the controlled atmosphere of the process tool, a semiconductor layer is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The…
Enhanced porosification
Granted: December 22, 2015
Patent Number:
9217206
Forming a porous layer on a silicon substrate. Forming the porous layer can include placing a first silicon substrate in a solution, where a first electrode is within a threshold distance to an edge of the silicon substrate. It can further include conducting a first current through the silicon substrate, where the first electrode can be positioned relative to the edge allowing for substantially uniform porosification along the edge of the first silicon substrate.
Leakage pathway layer for solar cell
Granted: December 1, 2015
Patent Number:
9202960
Leakage pathway layers for solar cells and methods of forming leakage pathway layers for solar cells are described.
Anchor for solar module
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9193014
An anchor for mounting one or more solar modules to a roof is disclosed. The anchor can comprise a clamp body comprising a central surface and a first arm extending from the central surface. The first arm can have a first clamping face. The clamp body can be sized and shaped to receive at least a first web extending from at least a first solar module such that at least the first web can lie in proximity to the first clamping face. The anchor can further include a clamp member coupled to…
Solar cell emitter region fabrication with differentiated p-type and n-type region architectures
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9196758
Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type regions architectures, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a back contact solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a first conductivity type is disposed on a first thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the substrate. A second polycrystalline silicon emitter region of a…
Circuits and methods for limiting open circuit voltage of photovoltaic strings
Granted: November 17, 2015
Patent Number:
9190839
A photovoltaic string may include an open circuit voltage limiter that conducts current in one direction to provide a limiter voltage less than an open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic string, and that conducts current in the other direction. One or more open circuit voltage limiters may be connected across the photovoltaic string or across selected groups of solar cells of the photovoltaic string. The limiter voltage may be greater than a maximum power point voltage but less than the…
Induction soldering of photovoltaic system components
Granted: November 17, 2015
Patent Number:
9186741
A method comprises positioning a pair of photovoltaic wafers in a side-by-side arrangement. An interconnect is placed on the pair of wafers such that the interconnect overlaps both wafers of the pair, solder material being provided between the interconnect and the respective wafers. A solder head is then located adjacent the interconnect, and the coil is energized to effect inductive heating of the solder material. The solder head comprises an induction coil shaped to define an eye, and…
Formed photovoltaic module busbars
Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number:
9184327
A cell connection piece for a photovoltaic module is disclosed herein. The cell connection piece includes an interconnect bus, a plurality of bus tabs unitarily formed with the interconnect bus, and a terminal bus coupled with the interconnect bus. The plurality of bus tabs extend from the interconnect bus. The terminal bus includes a non-linear portion.
Sun tracking solar power system hardware and method of assembly
Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number:
9184324
A solar energy collection system can include improved mounting hardware for reducing hardware costs and labor required for assembly. For example, mounting hardware can include surfaces for supporting part or all of the weight of a solar module as it is brought into contact with mounting hardware and then moved into a final engaged position. In some systems, a torque tube can include saddle mount assemblies that allow a solar module to be partially engaged and a registered with the saddle…
Single-step metal bond and contact formation for solar cells
Granted: November 3, 2015
Patent Number:
9178104
A method for fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a first metal layer on the dielectric region. The method can also include forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer and locally heating a particular region of the second metal layer, where heating includes forming a metal bond between the first and second metal layer and forming a contact between the first metal layer and…
Light module with linear LED serial group drive device
Granted: October 27, 2015
Patent Number:
9173263
A light module with linear LED serial group drive device comprises an AC input rectifier unit having an input end coupled to an AC Power to convert an AC half-wave voltage signal into a DC full-wave voltage signal for output, and an intelligent control having a protection unit. when the input voltage is higher than the set start voltage of the LED serial group, the corresponding constant current control drive circuit switch is turned on immediately by the intelligent control to control…
Method of forming contacts for a back-contact solar cell
Granted: October 20, 2015
Patent Number:
9166079
Methods of forming contacts for solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a silicon layer above a substrate, forming and patterning a solid-state p-type dopant source on the silicon layer, forming an n-type dopant source layer over exposed regions of the silicon layer and over a plurality of regions of the solid-state p-type dopant source, and heating the substrate to provide a plurality of n-type doped silicon regions among a plurality of p-type doped…
System and method for establishing communication with an array of inverters
Granted: October 13, 2015
Patent Number:
9160408
A system and method for establishing communication between a controller and a plurality of inverters comprises determining a response time window length and broadcasting a response request to the array of inverters that includes the response time window length. Each inverter, in response to receiving the response requests, transmits a response to the controller at a randomly determined response time within the response time window. In response to receiving an acknowledgement from the…
Conductive contact for solar cell
Granted: October 6, 2015
Patent Number:
9153712
Conductive contacts for solar cells and methods of forming conductive contacts for solar cells are described. For example, a solar cell includes a substrate. A conductive contact is disposed on the substrate. The conductive contact includes a layer composed of a first metal species having a plurality of pores. The conductive contact also includes a second metal species disposed in the plurality of pores. Portions of both the first and second metal species are in contact with the…
Method of forming emitters for a back-contact solar cell
Granted: September 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9147795
Methods of forming emitters for back-contact solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a first solid-state dopant source above a substrate. The first solid-state dopant source includes a plurality of regions separated by gaps. Regions of a second solid-state dopant source are formed above the substrate by printing.
