Frank C Ho

US Patent:

6359210, Mar 19, 2002

Filed:

Jan 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/753492

Inventors:

Frank Ho - Yorba Linda CA
Milton Y. Yeh - Santa Monica CA
Chaw-Long Chu - Chino Hills CA
Peter A. Iles - Arcadia CA

Assignee:

Tecstar Power System, Inc. - City of Industry CA

International Classification:

H01L 3100

US Classification:

136256, 136255, 136261, 136262, 438 98

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for protecting a solar cell. The solar cell includes first solar cell portion. The first solar cell portion includes at least one junction and at least one solar cell contact on a backside of the first solar cell portion. At least one bypass diode portion is epitaxially grown on the first solar cell portion. The bypass diode has at least one contact. An interconnect couples the solar cell contact to the diode contact.

US Patent:

6600100, Jul 29, 2003

Filed:

Aug 21, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/934221

Inventors:

Frank Ho - Yorba Linda CA
Milton Y. Yeh - Santa Monica CA
Chaw-Long Chu - Chino Hills CA
Peter A. Iles - Arcadia CA

Assignee:

Emcore Corporation - Somerset NJ

International Classification:

H01L 31042

US Classification:

136255, 136256, 136261, 136262, 136293, 136249

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for protecting a solar cell. The solar cell includes first solar cell portion. The first solar cell portion includes at least one junction and at least one solar cell contact on a backside of the first solar cell portion. At least one bypass diode portion is epitaxially grown on the first solar cell portion. The bypass diode has at least one contact. An interconnect couples the solar cell contact to the diode contact.

US Patent:

6951819, Oct 4, 2005

Filed:

Dec 4, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/728103

Inventors:

Peter A. Iles - Arcadia CA, US
Frank F. Ho - Yorba Linda CA, US

Assignee:

Blue Photonics, Inc. - Walnut CA

International Classification:

H01L021/302

US Classification:

438705, 438718, 438745, 438752, 438753

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a method of forming a multijunction solar cell having lattice mismatched layers and lattice-matched layers comprises growing a top subcell having a first band gap over a growth semiconductor substrate. A middle subcell having a second band gap is grown over the top subcell, and a lower subcell having a third band gap is grown over the middle subcell. The lower subcell is substantially lattice-mismatched with respect to the growth semiconductor substrate. The first band gap of the top subcell is larger than the second band gap of the middle subcell. The second band gap of the middle subcell is larger than the third band gap of the lower subcell. A support substrate is formed over the lower subcell, and the growth semiconductor substrate is removed. In various embodiments, the multijunction solar cell may further comprise additional lower subcells. A parting layer may also be provided between the growth substrate and the top subcell in certain embodiments.

US Patent:

7115811, Oct 3, 2006

Filed:

Jan 3, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/336247

Inventors:

Frank Ho - Yorba Linda CA, US
Milton Y. Yeh - Santa Monica CA, US
Chaw-Long Chu - Chino Hills CA, US
Peter A. IIes - Arcadia CA, US

Assignee:

EMCORE Corporation - Somersert NJ

International Classification:

H01L 31/04
H01L 31/042
H01L 31/05

US Classification:

136255, 136256, 136249, 136261, 136262, 136252, 257431, 257461, 257466

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for protecting a solar cell. The solar cell includes first solar cell portion. The first solar cell portion includes at least one junction and at least one solar cell contact on a backside of the first solar cell portion. At least one bypass diode portion is epitaxially grown on the first solar cell portion. The bypass diode has at least one contact. An interconnect couples the solar cell contact to the diode contact.

US Patent:

7449630, Nov 11, 2008

Filed:

Apr 6, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/100066

Inventors:

Frank Ho - Yorba Linda CA, US
Milton Y. Yeh - Santa Monica CA, US
Chaw-Long Chu - Chino Hills CA, US
Peter A. Iles - Arcadia CA, US

Assignee:

Emcore Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

H01L 31/00
H01L 21/00

US Classification:

136255, 438 74

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for protecting a solar cell. The solar cell includes first solar cell portion. The first solar cell portion includes at least one junction and at least one solar cell contact on a backside of the first solar cell portion. At least one bypass diode portion is epitaxially grown on the first solar cell portion. The bypass diode has at least one contact. An interconnect couples the solar cell contact to the diode contact.

US Patent:

20110277820, Nov 17, 2011

Filed:

May 17, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/781219

Inventors:

Frank F. Ho - Yorba Linda CA, US
Charles Hyunsang Suh - Irvine CA, US

Assignee:

THE BOEING COMPANY - Chicago IL

International Classification:

H01L 31/05
H01L 31/0264
H01L 31/18
H01L 31/02

US Classification:

136249, 136256, 438 98, 257E31124

Abstract:

A solar cell structure including a silicon carrier defining a front side and a back side, and including an N-type portion having an exposed portion on the front side of the carrier and a P-type portion having an exposed portion on the front side of the carrier, the N-type portion and the P-type portion defining a P-N junction, and a solar cell defining a front side and a back side, wherein the solar cell is connected to the front side of the carrier such that the back side of the solar cell is electrically coupled to the exposed portion of the N-type portion, and wherein the front side of the solar cell is electrically coupled to the exposed portion of the P-type portion.

US Patent:

20130008493, Jan 10, 2013

Filed:

Jul 5, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/176325

Inventors:

Frank F. Ho - Yorba Linda CA, US

International Classification:

H01L 31/04
H01L 31/0304
H01L 31/0203
H01L 31/0264

US Classification:

136255, 438 65, 257E31117

Abstract:

An IMM solar cell and an associated method of fabricating an IMM solar cell are provided. In the context of a method, a first subcell may be formed upon a temporary substrate and a second subcell may be formed upon the first subcell. The second subcell may have a smaller band gap than the first subcell. The method may also bond the first and second subcells to a silicon subcell and then remove the temporary substrate. In the context of an IMM solar cell, the IMM solar cell includes first and second subcells with the first subcell disposed upon the second subcell and the second subcell having a smaller band gap than the first subcell. The IMM solar cell may also include a silicon subcell supporting the first and second subcells thereupon with a metal-to-metal bond between the silicon subcell and the second subcell.

US Patent:

54054532, Apr 11, 1995

Filed:

Nov 8, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/149052

Inventors:

Frank F. Ho - Yorba Linda CA
Milton Y. Yeh - Santa Monica CA

Assignee:

Applied Solar Energy Corporation - City of Industry CA

International Classification:

H01L 31068

US Classification:

136249

Abstract:

A high efficiency solar cell comprises: (a) a germanium substrate having a front surface and a back surface; (b) a back-metal contact on the back surface of the germanium substrate; (c) a first semiconductor cell comprising (1) a GaAs p-n junction formed from an n-GaAs and a p-GaAs layer, the n-GaAs layer formed on the front surface of the n-germanium substrate, and (2) a p-(Al,Ga)As window layer, the p-(Al,Ga)As window layer formed on the p-GaAs layer; (d) a tunnel diode comprising a GaAs p. sup. + -n. sup. + junction formed from a p. sup. + -GaAs layer and an n. sup. + -GaAs layer, the p. sup. + -GaAs layer formed on the p-(Al,Ga)As window layer; and (e) a second semiconductor cell comprising (1) a (Ga,In)P p-n junction formed from an n-(Ga,In)P layer and a p-(Ga,In)P layer, the n(Ga,In)P layer formed on the n. sup. + -GaAs layer of the tunnel diode, (2) a p-(Al,In)P window or contact layer formed on the p-(Ga,In)P layer, (3) metal grid lines contacting either the p-(Ga,In)P layer or the p-(Al,In)P layer, and (4) at least one anti-reflection coating layer covering the (Al,In)P layer. The cascade cell of the invention permits achieving actual efficiencies of over 23%.