WO2022249112A1 - Cellule photovoltaïque à emmisivité thermique accrue - Google Patents

Cellule photovoltaïque à emmisivité thermique accrue Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022249112A1
WO2022249112A1 PCT/IB2022/054933 IB2022054933W WO2022249112A1 WO 2022249112 A1 WO2022249112 A1 WO 2022249112A1 IB 2022054933 W IB2022054933 W IB 2022054933W WO 2022249112 A1 WO2022249112 A1 WO 2022249112A1
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Prior art keywords
layer
photovoltaic cell
film
absorptive layer
absorptive
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PCT/IB2022/054933
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English (en)
Inventor
Ragip Pala
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Metacontinental, Inc.
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Publication of WO2022249112A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022249112A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/052—Cooling means directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. integrated Peltier elements for active cooling or heat sinks directly associated with the PV cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/041—Provisions for preventing damage caused by corpuscular radiation, e.g. for space applications
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
    • H01L31/048—Encapsulation of modules
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/054—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
    • H01L31/0549—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means comprising spectrum splitting means, e.g. dichroic mirrors
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/52—PV systems with concentrators

Definitions

  • the present disclosure is in the field of absorptive films for photovoltaic cells. More specifically, this disclosure relates to radiation absorptive films and methods of producing absorptive films for photovoltaic cells.
  • Thermal management is important for solar modules to maintain high efficiency for converting light to electricity.
  • Conventional solar modules such as the ones used in residential photovoltaic applications have an outer glass layer for protection, which can provide cooling by combining two cooling mechanisms.
  • One mechanism is radiative cooling from the glass layer, where heat in the form of electromagnetic radiation (usually in the infrared spectrum) is transferred away from the solar module into the environment. This process can occur in vacuum.
  • Heat transfer via radiative cooling is measured via a material’s thermal emissivity, which is a metric between 0 and 1 that indicates a material’s efficiency in emitting thermal radiation, as compared to an ideal black body at the same temperature.
  • the second mechanism is convective heat dissipation through the surrounding atmosphere, where changes in the motion of the air molecules surrounding the panel carry away the heat.
  • cooling efficiency can be done by increasing the radiative cooling (e.g ., enhanced thermal emissivity). Without cooling, solar modules can heat up to over 100°C, which reduces their efficiency and can even cause damage to the solar module.
  • radiative cooling e.g ., enhanced thermal emissivity
  • Coatings that increase the thermal emissivity can improve radiative cooling to provide the low operational temperatures.
  • multi-layer coating stacks that are conventionally used to increase thermal emissivity.
  • many such multi-layer coating stacks are based on opaque systems that partially or completely block the sun light and thus are often not suitable for solar module applications.
  • Other solutions involve transparent systems, e.g., doped glass, but can have excess weight, which can result in a decrease in the overall solar conversion efficiency per unit weight.
  • Transparent materials e.g., glass, plastics, etc.
  • many inorganic transparent materials e.g, glass
  • a photovoltaic cell including a photovoltaic layer and a film for increasing the emissivity of the photovoltaic cell.
  • the film includes an absorptive layer for absorbing infrared radiation and the film is optically transparent.
  • the thickness of the film can be between 50 nm and 3 pm.
  • the absorptive layer may have an emissivity greater than 0.4, for example.
  • the absorptive layer may have an emissivity greater than 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, or 0.8.
  • the absorptive layer may have an emissivity between 0.4 and 0.95.
  • the emissivity of the absorptive layer varies with the wavelength of the radiation.
  • the absorptive layer may have an emissivity greater than 0.4 ( e.g ., for example between 0.4 and 0.95) for radiation with (free-space) wavelength between 5 pm and 13 pm, or within any of the wavelength ranges listed below.
  • the thickness of the film is between 50 nm and 3 pm, optionally between 50 nm and 1 pm. In some examples, the thickness of the film may be between 50 nm and 500 nm.
  • An advantage of such a thin film is that the weight of the film is reduced, thereby reducing the overall weight of the photovoltaic cell. This is particularly beneficial for photovoltaic cells to be used at high altitudes, where a reduced weight leads to a reduced cost in getting the photovoltaic cells into position (e.g., as a result of the reduced amount of fuel to be expended), whether in low earth orbit or outer space. A reduced weight also facilitates the cells being easier to operate while in orbit.
  • the thickness of the film may be between 50 nm and 200 nm, between 50 nm and 100 nm, between 50 nm and 1 pm, between 100 nm and 500 nm, or between 100 nm and 3 pm.
  • a thickness of the absorptive layer may be between 50 nm and 1 pm.
  • any specific combination of thicknesses of the absorptive layer and film, which includes the absorptive layer, are such that the thickness of the film is greater than the thickness of the absorptive layer.
  • the film includes an absorptive layer for absorbing infrared radiation.
  • the absorptive layer may include a plurality of surface structures, wherein one or more dimensions of each surface structure is between 200 nm and 5 pm. In some examples, the one or more dimensions of each surface structure is between 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • the absorptive layer including a plurality of surface structures can act as an impedance-matching layer, e.g, it has an effective refractive index which is between that of the material above the absorptive layer (e.g, air, or a vacuum in the case of outer space) and the material below the absorptive layer (which may be the photovoltaic layer or an intermediate layer, for example).
  • This impedance-matching has the effect of reducing reflection of incident IR radiation, thus increasing transmission into the absorptive layer, where the radiation is absorbed.
  • this increase in absorption means that the photovoltaic cell emits radiation more effectively when heated.
  • the surface structures may, alternatively or additionally, support resonances (for example Mie resonances) which further aids in reducing reflection of the mid-IR radiation.
  • the reduction in reflection of mid-IR radiation may be realized by the effective periodicity of the surface structures.
  • the periodicity may be between 3 pm and 10 pm ( e.g ., the pattern of surface structures may repeat itself over a length which is between 3 pm and 10 pm).
  • the periodicity used will depend on the refractive index of the absorptive layer and the operation temperature.
  • Such a periodic structure reduces reflection of the mid-IR radiation by providing a cavity or by acting as impedance-matching layer, e.g., it has an effective refractive index which is between that of air or vacuum (above the absorptive layer) and the layer(s) below it, as described above.
  • the way in which reflection is reduced will depend on the characteristics (e.g, the emissivity) of other layers in the film and/or the material underneath the film.
  • the one or more dimensions of the surface structures may be chosen according to factors including, the wavelength of radiation, the material from which the absorptive layer is made, the material from which surface structures themselves are made (if different from the material from which the absorptive layer is made), and the thickness of the absorptive layer.
  • a width of one or more of the surface structures in the plane of the absorptive layer may vary across a length of the respective surface structure in the plane of the absorptive layer.
  • each surface structure may be a cross shape, including two overlapping, elongated portions which are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to each other.
  • Each elongated portion may have a width (in the plane of the absorptive layer) which varies across its length.
  • each elongated portion may have a first width at one end and a second width, smaller than the first width, at the opposing end. The width of one or both elongated portions may decrease linearly between the first width and the second width.
  • This feature of a width of one or more of the surface structures in the plane of the absorptive layer varying across a length of the respective surface structure in the plane of the absorptive layer is advantageous because as a result, the absorptive layer reduces the reflection of a range of wavelengths of radiation, rather than a single wavelength. Accordingly, this feature affords the film wideband properties in increasing the emissivity of the photovoltaic cell.
  • the surface structures may have other shapes.
  • the surface structures could be cylinders, blocks (e.g ., cuboids or rectangular prisms), cross shapes, ‘V’ shapes or bars (e.g., elongated ridges).
  • Such resonant structures may be the surface structures discussed above.
  • a width of one or more of the surface structures may vary in the direction perpendicular to the absorption layer plane.
  • some of the surface structures may be a dome shape or a prism shape.
  • the surface structures combine features varying between 200 nm and 10 pm.
  • the absorptive layer with plurality of surface structures can act as an impedance-matching layer for visible (e.g., 380 nm to 750 nm) and mid-IR spectrum.
  • the absorptive layer may be arranged to resonate at the wavelength of the infrared radiation, wherein the wavelength is between 700 nm and 13 pm.
  • the absorptive layer may be arranged to resonate at a wavelength of the infrared radiation in the medium of the absorptive layer corresponding to a free-space wavelength between 700 nm and 13 pm (wherein the wavelength in the medium, l, is smaller than the free-space wavelength, lo, by a factor of the refractive index, n, of the medium).
  • the absorptive layer may be arranged to support Fabry-Perot and/or Mie resonances.
  • the absorptive layer may equally be arranged to resonate at a wavelength of the infrared radiation in the medium corresponding to a free-space wavelength between 5 pm and 13 pm.
  • the absorptive layer is arranged to form a vertical cavity.
  • the absorptive layer has a specific thickness (which depends on a number of factors) and the film includes a reflector, which results in Fabry-Perot resonances in the absorptive layer.
  • IR radiation is trapped in a vertical cavity (between the upper face of the absorptive layer and the reflector, underneath the absorptive layer). This has the advantage that the radiation is trapped inside the absorptive layer for longer, allowing for increased absorption of the radiation by the absorptive layer.
  • the thickness of the absorptive layer is selected to be an integer multiple of half the wavelength of the radiation (in the medium of the vertical cavity).
  • a thickness of the absorptive layer could be a multiple of 250 nm for a free space wavelength of 1.5 pm and example refractive index of 3 (since the wavelength in the medium of absorptive layer would be 500 nm). This condition results in the formation of a vertical cavity, with the associated advantages described above.
  • the absorptive layer may be arranged to support Mie resonances.
  • the absorptive layer may include a plurality of resonant structures which are configured to support Mie resonances.
  • Such structures are subwavelength in size and may be, for example, l/2 (e.g, they may have at least one dimension which is approximately half of the wavelength of the radiation of interest, in the medium of the resonant structures) or l/10 (e.g, they may have at least one dimension which is approximately one tenth of the wavelength of the radiation of interest, in the medium of the resonant structures).
  • the resonant structures may each have at least one dimension which is between 200 nm and 5 pm or between 300 nm and 5 pm. Each dimension of the resonant structures may fall within one or both of these ranges.
  • Such resonant structures could be cylinders, blocks (e.g, cuboids or rectangular prisms), cross-shapes, ‘V’ shapes or bars (e.g, elongated ridges).
  • Such resonant structures may be the surface structures discussed above. [0034]
  • the resonant structures may be included within the absorptive layer (instead of on the surface).
  • the absorptive layer is made of a first material with a given refractive index and the resonant structures are made of a second material with a refractive index which is higher than the refractive index of the first material.
  • the film may include a reflector which is disposed between the absorptive layer and the photovoltaic layer for reflecting infrared radiation back into the absorptive layer.
  • the reflector reflects IR radiation (either completely or partially reflective) and is optically transparent (so as not to hinder visible light from reaching the photovoltaic layer).
  • the upper surface of the absorptive layer also acts as a reflector due to a mismatch between the refractive indices of the absorptive layer and the medium above it (e.g, air or a vacuum, in the case of outer space) for the wavelengths of interest, namely infrared.
  • This upper surface and the reflector (disposed between the absorptive layer and the photovoltaic layer) reflect the IR radiation between them, forming a vertical cavity. Accordingly, the radiation is trapped within the absorptive layer, thus increasing absorption of the radiation.
  • the material for the reflector layer may be a passive material, e.g., ITO, or a phase change material, e.g, Ge2Sb2Te5, to actively control the emissivity and temperature of the surface.
  • a passive material e.g., ITO
  • a phase change material e.g, Ge2Sb2Te5
  • the spacer layers may have a thickness that is up to one quarter of the wavelength of interest. For a wavelength of 5 pm to 13 pm (in free space), the thickness of the spacer layers can be approximately 0.4 pm to 1.1 pm - using the refractive index of silicon, which is 3, e.g, the layers may be ((5 - 13)/3)/4 pm.
  • a node at the interface between the reflector and the adjacent material (e.g, the absorptive layer), and a spacer layer may be disposed adjacent to the reflector.
  • the absorptive layer may include a plurality of surface structures.
  • the absorptive layer is a planar layer of absorptive material which is in contact with a structured layer for reducing reflection of the infrared radiation.
  • the film may include a structured layer for reducing reflection of the infrared radiation, the structured layer including a plurality of surface structures each having one or more dimensions between 200 nm and 5 pm or 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • the absorptive layer may be in contact with the structured layer.
  • the absorptive layer may be disposed between the structured layer and the photovoltaic layer.
  • a photovoltaic cell as described herein may be one of a plurality which are part of a solar panel.
  • the film may include a support substrate for providing mechanical support to the film.
  • the film includes a plurality of layers and in these examples, the film may be described as a stack or film stack.
  • a method of producing a photovoltaic cell as described in any of the examples above includes selecting at least one dimension of the absorptive layer and/or at least one dimension of a feature of the absorptive layer to tune the absorption of the absorptive layer to a wavelength of infrared radiation; and producing the photovoltaic cell according to the selected dimension or dimensions.
  • the at least one dimension of the surface structures is between 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • IR radiation may have a wavelength between 700 nm and 18 pm, in free-space.
  • Specific IR wavelength ranges of interest are (in free-space) between 700 nm and 13 pm, between 4 pm and 13 pm, between 5 pm and 13 pm, between 4 pm and 18 pm, and between 5 pm and 18 pm.
  • the photovoltaic layer may be disposed below the film ( e.g ., in use, the IR radiation may be incident on an upper surface of the film and the photovoltaic layer is disposed underneath all layers of the film).
  • the photovoltaic layer may be within the film, e.g., one or more layers of the film may be above the photovoltaic layer and one or more layers of the film may be below the photovoltaic layer.
  • FIG. l is a schematic representation of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a photovoltaic cell according to the present disclosure
  • FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a photovoltaic cell with an exemplary design according to the present disclosure
  • FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c show schematic representations of an exemplary designs of surface structures according to the present disclosure
  • FIG. 5 shows a graphic representation of a method according to the present disclosure
  • FIG. 6 shows a graphic representation of a method according to the present disclosure.
  • the articles “a” and “an” refer to one or to more than one ( e.g to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article.
  • an element means one element or more than one element.
  • use of the term “including” as well as other forms, such as “include,” “includes,” and “included,” is not limiting. Any references to ‘above’ or ‘below’, ‘upper’ or ‘lower’ herein refer to an orientation of the photovoltaic cell in which the IR radiation is incident at the top of the film
  • a measurable value such as an amount, a temporal duration, and the like
  • the recitation of the value encompasses the precise value, approximately the value, and within ⁇ 10% of the value.
  • 100 nanometer (nm) includes precisely 100 nm, approximately 100 nm, and within ⁇ 10% of 100 nm.
  • optically transparent may mean that about 75% or more of incident visible radiation is transmitted through the material or layer. Alternatively, it may mean that about 90% or more of the visible radiation is transmitted through the material or layer.
  • the film 2 includes a layer of structured glass 6 and an absorptive layer 8.
  • the absorptive layer 8 is disposed between the structured glass 6 and the photovoltaic layer 4.
  • the layer of structured glass 6 is configured to reduce reflection of incident electromagnetic radiation in the IR spectrum (e.g ., 1 mm to 700 nm).
  • the layer of structured glass 6 includes a planar section 6a below a plurality of surface structures 10 (two of which are labelled 10a and 10b in FIG. 1).
  • Each surface structure 10 has at least one dimension in the range 200 nm to 5 pm, depending on a number of factors, which can include one or more of the following: the wavelength of incident radiation; the material from which the absorptive layer 8 is made - such as the refractive index of the material; the material from which surface structures 10 (e.g., surface structures 10a and 10b) are made (if different from the material from which the absorptive layer 8 is made) - such as the refractive index of the material; the operating temperature of the photovoltaic cell 1; and the thickness of the absorptive layer 8.
  • the planar section 6a of the layer of structured glass 6 is a result of the manufacturing process - the surface structures 10 are patterned into a planar piece of material and the planar section 6a holds the surface structures 10 in place.
  • the surface structures 10 are subwavelength in size.
  • the wavelength of incident IR radiation is l
  • the surface structures can be l/2 (e.g, they may have at least one dimension which is approximately half of the wavelength of the radiation of interest) or l/10 (e.g, they may have at least one dimension which is approximately one tenth of the wavelength of the radiation of interest).
  • the surface structures 10 each have at least one dimension which is between 200 nm and 5 pm or 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • This feature of a width of one or more of the surface structures 10 parallel with the plane of the absorptive layer 8, e.g, parallel to the plane of the layer of the structured glass 6, varying across a length of the respective surface structure 10 parallel with the plane of the absorptive layer 8 is advantageous because as a result, the absorptive layer 8 reduces the reflection of a range of wavelengths of radiation, rather than a single wavelength. Accordingly, this feature affords the film wideband properties in increasing the emissivity of the photovoltaic cell.
  • the structure is configured such that when IR radiation is incident on the layer of structured glass 6, it is transmitted through the glass (rather than being reflected) and is directed into the absorptive layer 8 where it is absorbed.
  • this effective absorption of IR radiation results in effective emission of IR radiation and hence effective cooling of the photovoltaic cell 1 (and any solar panel which it forms part of more generally).
  • FIG. 2 shows an example design of a film T and photovoltaic layer 4’ according to the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 2 shows a photovoltaic cell G including a film T in contact with a photovoltaic layer 4’.
  • the film T is configured to enhance the emissivity of the photovoltaic cell G (by enhancing the emissivity of the photovoltaic layer 4’ in combination with the film 2’).
  • the film T includes a layer of structured glass 6.
  • the layer of structured glass 6 acts as the absorptive layer, e.g, with a function similar to that of the absorptive layer 8 of FIG. 1.
  • the film 2 also includes a reflector 12, which is disposed between the layer of structured glass 6 and a substrate 16.
  • the function of the substrate 16 in the FIG. 2 example is to provide mechanical support.
  • Substrate 16 can be made of any of Si, S1O2, ZnS, T1O2, AI2O3, SiOCN, or SiN, or combinations thereof, or another material suitable for providing mechanical support. Such a substrate 16 may be dispensed with in some examples.
  • the thickness of the layer of structured glass 6 is chosen to support resonance of the IR radiation.
  • the absorptive layer (the layer of structured glass 6’) has a thickness that is one tenth of the wavelength of interest.
  • the thickness of the layer of structured glass 6’ can be approximately between 0.17 pm and 0.43 pm (assuming an example refractive index of 3).
  • Such a reflector may partially hinder emission of radiation from layers below it (e.g ., the photovoltaic layer 4’ and any layer or layers in between the reflector 12 and the photovoltaic layer 4’) but the benefit of increased transmission provided by the vertical cavity which is facilitated by the reflector 12 outweighs any hindrance in emission from lower layers.
  • each layer of the film T in FIG. 2 is optically transparent to visible wavelengths of light to ensure that the photovoltaic layer 4’ is exposed to radiation in the visible spectrum.
  • the surface structures 10’ can be dispensed with, and instead there can be a planar layer (e.g., a layer of glass) disposed on the reflector 12, such as the case of FIG. 2, or on the absorptive layer 8, such as in the case of FIG. 1.
  • the planar layer of glass can have a thickness of approximately one tenth of the wavelength of interest in the medium (e.g, for IR radiation in the range from 5 pm to 13 pm, the thickness of the layer of structured glass 6’ would be between 0.17 pm and 0.43 pm, assuming an example refractive index of 3). With this structure, the planar layer of glass forms a vertical cavity, thus increasing transmission of IR radiation into the absorptive layer and thus absorption in the absorptive layer.
  • FIG. 3 shows an example design of a photovoltaic cell 1” according to the present disclosure. It shares many features with the example shown in FIG. 2, except that the layer of structured glass 6 of FIG. 2 is replaced with a structured absorber 14 formed of, for example, NiCr, SiOCN, or ITO.
  • the photovoltaic cell 1” includes a film 2” in contact with a photovoltaic layer 4”. As in the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the film 2” is configured to enhance the emissivity of the photovoltaic cell 1” (by enhancing the emissivity of the photovoltaic layer 4” in combination with the film 2”).
  • the film 2 includes a layer of structured absorber 14, which acts as the absorptive layer.
  • the film 2” also includes a reflector 12”, which is disposed between the layer of structured absorber 14 and a substrate 16”.
  • the function of the substrate 16” in the FIG. 3 example is to provide mechanical support.
  • Substrate 16” can be made of any of Si, SiCk, ZnS, T1O2, AI2O3, SiOCN, or SiN, or combinations thereof, or another material suitable for providing mechanical support. Such a substrate 16” may be dispensed with in some examples.
  • the reflector 12 is reflective in at least a portion of the IR spectrum (e.g ., totally or partially reflective) and transparent in the visible spectrum.
  • the material for the reflector layer may be a passive material, e.g., ITO, or a phase change material, e.g, Ge2Sb2Tes, to control (e.g, actively control) the emissivity and temperature of the film 2” and photovoltaic cell 1”.
  • IR radiation incident on the reflector 12” is reflected back into the absorptive layer (the layer of structured absorber 14) and is absorbed. Specifically, a vertical cavity is formed between the reflector 12” and the upper surface of the film 2”.
  • the thickness of the layer of structured absorber 14 is chosen to support resonance of the IR radiation.
  • the absorptive layer (the layer of structured absorber 14) has a thickness that is one tenth of the wavelength of interest in the medium.
  • the thickness of the layer of structured absorber 14 can be between 0.17 pm and 0.43 pm for an example refractive index of 3.
  • each layer of the film 2 in FIG. 3 is optically transparent to visible wavelengths of light to ensure that the photovoltaic layer 4 is exposed to radiation in the visible spectrum.
  • FIGS. 1 to 3 show a particular configuration of the surface structures 10” (a cross shape, described above), which may be present in an absorptive layer (e.g, FIGS. 2 or 3) or a structured layer (e.g, FIG. 1).
  • the shape and configuration of the surface structures shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is merely an example and other configurations are also possible.
  • the surface structures can be cylinders, blocks (e.g, cuboids or rectangular prisms), ‘V’ shapes, bars (e.g, elongated ridges), or other suitable shapes or configurations. Examples of alternative configurations of the surface structures are shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c.
  • FIG. 4a shows an exemplary shape of surface structure 410.
  • the surface structures 410 are cylinders and have at least one dimension (e.g ., a diameter and/or height) which is between 200 nm and 5 pm, e.g., between 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • FIG. 4b shows an exemplary shape of surface structure 510.
  • the surface structures 510 are blocks (each one is, e.g, a cuboid or rectangular prism) arranged in on the surface, e.g, in an array or in a random arrangement.
  • the blocks may have differing orientations.
  • Each block has at least one dimension which is between 200 nm and 5 pm. The at least one dimension may alternatively be between 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • FIG. 4c shows an exemplary shape of surface structure 610.
  • the surface structures 610 (two of which are labelled 610a and 610b) are elongated ridges in the surface of the respective layer.
  • a height and/or width of the surface structures is between 200 nm and 5 pm.
  • the height and/or width of the surface structures may alternatively be between 300 nm and 5 pm.
  • the disclosure also provides an exemplary method of producing a photovoltaic cell such as those as described above.
  • the method includes in step 18, selecting at least one dimension of the absorptive layer and/or at least one dimension of a feature of the absorptive layer to tune the absorption of the absorptive layer to a wavelength of infrared radiation, and in step 20, producing the photovoltaic cell according to the selected dimension or dimensions.
  • the present disclosure also provides a method of producing a film absorptive at mid-IR wavelengths, the method being illustrated in FIG. 5.
  • the method 5 may involve, for example, selecting the thickness of the absorptive layer and/or the size and/or shape and/or the configuration of a plurality of surface structures on the absorptive layer.
  • the method may include selecting the material of the absorptive layer and/or that of any surface structures. The selecting may be done by simulation, for example.
  • FIG. 6 depicts another exemplary method of producing a photovoltaic cell including a structured layer, as described above.
  • the method includes in step 22, selecting at least one dimension of the structured layer and/or at least one dimension of each of the plurality of surface structures to tune the absorption of the absorptive layer to a wavelength of infrared radiation, and in step 24, producing the photovoltaic cell according to the selected dimension or dimensions.
  • FIG. 7 shows an exemplary design of a film is depicted in FIG. 7.
  • the film combines microstructures 100 with nanostructures 110 such that the width of the surface structures (e.g ., the microstructures and nanostructures) varies in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the absorption layer.
  • the microstructures 100 are dome-like, and have a dimension (e.g., a diameter) of 8 pm.
  • An exploded view of the nanostructures 110 are shown inset.
  • the nanostructures 110 have a dimension (e.g, a diameter) of 150 nm.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un film pour une cellule photovoltaïque ayant une absorptivité et une émissivité accrues, et des procédés de production d'un tel film.
PCT/IB2022/054933 2021-05-25 2022-05-25 Cellule photovoltaïque à emmisivité thermique accrue WO2022249112A1 (fr)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11908965B1 (en) * 2023-03-16 2024-02-20 Lumenco, Llc Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or devices with infrared (IR) reflecting films for enhanced efficiency

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1629543A1 (fr) * 2003-05-16 2006-03-01 E.I. Dupont De Nemours And Company Films barrieres pour substrats en plastique fabriques par depot de couches atomiques
US20060243320A1 (en) * 2005-05-02 2006-11-02 Kazunori Shimazaki Optical thin film for solar cells and method of forming the same
CA3021604A1 (fr) * 2016-04-29 2017-11-02 Solar Earth Technologies Ltd. Appareil de production d'energie photovoltaique

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1629543A1 (fr) * 2003-05-16 2006-03-01 E.I. Dupont De Nemours And Company Films barrieres pour substrats en plastique fabriques par depot de couches atomiques
US20060243320A1 (en) * 2005-05-02 2006-11-02 Kazunori Shimazaki Optical thin film for solar cells and method of forming the same
CA3021604A1 (fr) * 2016-04-29 2017-11-02 Solar Earth Technologies Ltd. Appareil de production d'energie photovoltaique

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11908965B1 (en) * 2023-03-16 2024-02-20 Lumenco, Llc Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or devices with infrared (IR) reflecting films for enhanced efficiency

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