Superstrate Solar Cell with Nanostructures

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The patent describes a superstrate solar cell featuring nanostructures, specifically metal oxide nanorods (like ZnO, TiO2, or MgO) arranged on a conductive transparent layer (such as FTO, ITO, or AZO) atop a glass substrate. These nanorods have a cross section that narrows toward the metal contact and are completely covered by the absorber layer (which can be silicon, chalcogenide, or organic). This arrangement textures the absorber layer and enables precise control over its refractive index, reducing reflection and enhancing light absorption. The invention aims to improve solar cell efficiency with a simpler manufacturing process compared to existing techniques.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• High-efficiency solar panels for residential or commercial energy generation.
• Lightweight, thin-film solar cells for portable and wearable electronics.
• Solar modules integrated into building materials (building-integrated photovoltaics).
• Flexible solar cells for use on irregular surfaces or lightweight structures.
• Photovoltaic devices for vehicles, drones, or remote applications where maximizing efficiency is critical.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Increases absorption of sunlight and reduces light reflection for better energy conversion.
• Enables fine-tuning of optical properties through nanorod geometry and material choice.
• Potentially reduces the material costs and complexity by eliminating the need for conventional buffer layers.
• Compatible with a range of absorber and transparent conductor materials, making it versatile for different technologies.
• Simplifies the manufacturing process compared to textured or multilayer structures requiring additional steps.
• Opens the possibility for thinner, lighter, and potentially more flexible solar cell designs.

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Patent Abstract

In a superstrate solar cell with nanostructures, at least comprising a glass substrate (1), on which a conductive transparent layer (2) is arranged, on which the absorber layer (4) is situated, which is provided with a metal contact (5), according to the invention metal oxide nanorods (3) having a cross section that tapers in the direction of the metal contact (5) are arranged on the conductive transparent layer (2) and the absorber layer (4), like a matrix, covers the nanorods (5) completely in the height thereof. The absorber layer (4) is textured by the metal oxide nanorods (5), as a result of which a targeted change in the reflection index of the absorber layer (4) over the height thereof is achieved.