公开(公告)号：US20250015218A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-09

申请号：US18710094

申请日：2022-11-16

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： James Becker ,  Vinodh Chandrasekaran ,  Casimir Kotarba ,  Andrei Los ,  Jialiu Ma

IPC: H01L31/0725 ,  H01L31/0224 ,  H01L31/0236

Abstract: Ways of making and using tandem photovoltaic devices are provided, where such devices can include a first submodule, a second submodule, and an interface between the first submodule and the second submodule. The interface permits a portion of light to pass therethrough and optically couples the first submodule and the second submodule. Optically coupling the first submodule and the second submodule includes reducing reflection of the portion of light passing through the interface.

公开(公告)号：US20250006855A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-02

申请号：US18828147

申请日：2024-09-09

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Erik Wallin ,  Olle Lundberg ,  Lars Stolt

IPC: H01L31/05 ,  H01L31/048 ,  H01L31/18

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic (PV) top module, to be used together with a PV bottom module, e.g. an SI-based PV bottom module, is provided. The method may include monolithically interconnecting a plurality of thin film based PV sub-cells, manufactured using a perovskite material and/or a CIGS material as solar absorbing material, in series on a substrate in order to create a PV top module including at least one first PV top sub-module, and arranging metal grid lines on top and bottom contact layers of the PV top module. The metal grid lines may be arranged either above or below the top and bottom contact layers of the PV top module.

公开(公告)号：USD1035565S1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-16

申请号：US29856379

申请日：2022-10-13

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Designer： Friedrich Hittner ,  Evan Nichols ,  Justin Roelant

Abstract: FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a deformable fastener for photovoltaic devices in accordance with the present design.
FIG. 2 is a left side elevational view of the deformable fastener of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the deformable fastener of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a front edge elevational view of the deformable fastener of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a back edge elevational view of the deformable fastener of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the deformable fastener of FIG. 1; and,
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the deformable fastener of FIG. 1.

公开(公告)号：US12021163B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-25

申请号：US17418532

申请日：2019-12-23

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Rick Powell ,  Jongwoo Choi

IPC: H01L31/044 ,  H01L31/073

CPC classification number: H01L31/073

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes an electron blocking layer (EBL) and an absorber layer. The EBL is positioned between the absorber layer and a back contact layer. A material of the EBL is a cadmium zinc telluride Cd(1-y)Zn(y)Te, and a material of the absorber layer is a cadmium telluride selenide CdTe(1-x)Se(x) producing a lattice mismatch between the materials of the EBL and between the materials of the absorber of less than about two tenths of a percent when x˜y and has a value less than about 0.4.

公开(公告)号：USD1023907S1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-23

申请号：US29771890

申请日：2021-02-25

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Designer： Joshua Conley ,  Benjamin DeFresart ,  Peter Hruby ,  Daniel Smith ,  Thomas Truman ,  Joseph Vaillant

Abstract: FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a support assembly for a photovoltaic device in accordance with the present design.
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.
FIG. 3 is a back elevational view thereof.
FIG. 4 is a left elevational view thereof.
FIG. 5 is a right elevational view thereof.
FIG. 6 is a top plan view thereof; and,
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view thereof.
The broken lines shown represent the portions of the support assembly for a photovoltaic device that form no part of the claimed design.

公开(公告)号：US20240014334A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US18035026

申请日：2021-11-03

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Nikhil Bhandari ,  Matthew Davis ,  Rhett Miller ,  Charles Wickersham

IPC: H01L31/0224

CPC classification number: H01L31/022441

Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a photovoltaic device can have one or more cells with a conducting layer interconnect.

公开(公告)号：US20230082682A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-16

申请号：US17801093

申请日：2021-02-19

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Le Chen ,  David Ho ,  Xiaoping Li ,  Rick Powell ,  Tze-Bin Song ,  Vera Steinmann ,  Aravamuthan Varadarajan ,  Dirk Weiss ,  Gang Xiong ,  Zhibo Zhao

IPC: H01G9/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/58 ,  C23C14/50 ,  C23C14/22 ,  H01G9/20 ,  H01L51/00 ,  H01L51/42 ,  H01L51/44

Abstract: Structures and methods for manufacturing photovoltaic devices by forming perovskite layers and perovskite precursor layers using vapor transport deposition (VTD) are described.

公开(公告)号：US11588069B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-21

申请号：US17466708

申请日：2021-09-03

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Kristian William Andreini ,  Holly Ann Blaydes ,  Jongwoo Choi ,  Adam Fraser Halverson ,  Eugene Thomas Hinners ,  William Hullinger Huber ,  Yong Liang ,  Joseph John Shiang

IPC: H01L31/18 ,  H01L31/0224 ,  H01L31/0296 ,  H01L31/065 ,  H01L31/073

Abstract: Embodiments of a photovoltaic device are provided herein. The photovoltaic device can include a layer stack and an absorber layer disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer can include a first region and a second region. Each of the first region of the absorber layer and the second region of the absorber layer can include a compound comprising cadmium, selenium, and tellurium. An atomic concentration of selenium can vary across the absorber layer. The first region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. The second region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. A ratio of an average atomic concentration of selenium in the first region of the absorber layer to an average atomic concentration of selenium in the second region of the absorber layer can be greater than 10.

公开(公告)号：US11502212B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-15

申请号：US16770388

申请日：2017-12-07

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Hongbo Cao ,  Sachit Grover ,  William Hullinger Huber ,  Xiaoping Li ,  Dingyuan Lu ,  Roger Malik ,  Hongying Peng ,  Joseph John Shiang ,  Qianqian Xin ,  Gang Xiong

IPC: H01L31/0296 ,  H01L31/073 ,  H01L31/18

Abstract: A photovoltaic device (100) can include an absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015 cm−3. The absorber layer (160) can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer (160). Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer (160) to an annealing compound in a reducing environment (220). The annealing compound (224) can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.

公开(公告)号：US11450778B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-20

申请号：US16305455

申请日：2017-05-31

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Kenneth Ring ,  William H. Huber ,  Hongying Peng ,  Markus Gloeckler ,  Gopal Mor ,  Feng Liao ,  Zhibo Zhao ,  Andrei Los

IPC: H01L31/0296 ,  H01L31/073 ,  H01L31/18

Abstract: A doped photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a semiconductor absorber layer or stack disposed between a front contact and a back contact. The absorber layer comprises cadmium, selenium, and tellurium doped with Ag, and optionally with Cu. The Ag dopant may be added to the absorber in amounts ranging from 5×1015/cm3 to 2.5×1017/cm3 via any of several methods of application before, during, or after deposition of the absorber layer. The photovoltaic device has improved Fill Factor and PMAX at higher Pr(=Isc*Voc product) values, e.g. about 160 W, which results in improved conversion efficiency compared to a device not doped with Ag. Improved PT may result from increased Isc, increased Voc, or both.