SOLAR CELL STRUCTURE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF CONCENTRATOR ELEMENTS WITH A NOTCH DESIGN AND PREDETERMINED RADII AND METHOD
A solar cell concentrator structure includes a first concentrator element having a first aperture region and a first exit region including a first back surface region and a first corner region. The structure also includes a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element. The second concentrator element includes a second aperture region and a second exit region-including a second back surface region and a second corner region. Additionally, the structure includes a first radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing the first corner structure and the second corner structure, a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device. The structure further includes a second radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.
1 . A solar module comprising:
a solar cell concentrator structure comprising:
a thickness of glass material ranging from 5 mm to 7 mm, the thickness of glass material comprising a plurality of integrally formed concentrator elements including a first concentrator element configured in a first shape having a first curved wall region, the first concentrator element including a first aperture region and a first exit region, the first exit region including a first back surface region;
and a second concentrator element configured in a second shape having a second curved wall region and the second concentrator element being integrally formed with the first concentrator element, the second concentrator element including a second aperture region and a second exit region, the second exit region including a second back surface region;
a separation region provided between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element, the separation region being characterized by a width separating the first exit region from the second exit region;
a second radius of curvature characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element, the second radius of curvature being less than about 0.10 mm and greater than 0.001 mm;
a geometric concentration range from about 1.8 to 4.5 characterizing the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element;
a triangular shaped region including an apex defined by the second radius of curvature and a base defined by the separation region; and
a refractive index of about 1 characterizing the triangular region;
a plurality of photovoltaic devices comprising a first photovoltaic device comprising a first surface region coupled to the first exit region and a second photovoltaic device comprising a second surface region coupled to the second exit region.
2 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the second exit region includes a second corner region and the first exit region includes a first corner region and further comprising a first radius of curvature characterizing the first corner structure, the first radius of curvature being less than 0.10 mm and greater than 0.001 mm.
3 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the first concentrator element integrally formed with the second concentrator element are essentially a single piece of the glass material.
4 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the first concentrator element integrally formed with the second concentrator element is molded.
5 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element are characterized by a refractive index of about 1.4 and greater.
6 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the first concentrator is characterized by a first truncated pyramid shape and the second concentrator is characterized by a second truncated pyramid shape.
7 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the coupling region comprises an optical coupling material.
8 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the optical coupling material comprises an optical grade epoxy, or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or silicones, or polyurethanes.
9 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the first concentrator element is optically coupled to a first photovoltaic region and the second concentrator element is optically coupled to a second photovoltaic region.
10 . The solar module of claim 1 wherein the second radius of curvature is greater than an amount that causes a crack within a portion of a thickness of the glass material.
11 . A solar module apparatus comprising a cell concentrator structure, the solar cell concentrator structure comprising:
a piece of optical material made of glass characterized by a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction, the first spatial direction being normal to the second spatial direction;
a first concentrator element and a second concentrator element provided within a first portion of the piece of optical material and a second portion of the piece of optical material, respectively, defined along the second spatial direction, the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element having a thickness of 5 mm to 7 mm;
an aperture region provided on a first surface region of the piece of optical material, the aperture region being adapted to allow electromagnetic radiation to be illuminated thereon;
an exit region provided on a second surface region of the piece of optical material;
a separation region provided between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element, the separation region being characterized by a width;
a second radius of curvature of 0.10 mm and less within a predetermined depth of the piece of optical material, the second radius of curvature being provided between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element.
12 . The solar module apparatus of claim 11 wherein the piece of optical material is essentially the glass material; wherein the first concentrator element characterized by a first radius of curvature.
13 . The solar module apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second radius of curvature reduces an efficiency of the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element by about 50% and less.
14 . The solar module apparatus of claim 11 wherein the piece of optical material is characterized by a refractive index of about 1.4 and more.
15 . The solar module apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second radius of curvature is an apex of a triangular region having a base provided within a portion of a first exit region of the first concentrator element and a second exit region of the second concentrator element.
16 . The solar module apparatus of claim 11 wherein the second radius of curvature is an apex of a triangular region having a base provided within a portion of a first exit region of the first concentrator element and a second exit region of the second concentrator element, the triangular region having a refractive index of about 1.0.
17 . A solar module comprising a solar cell concentrator structure, the solar cell concentrator structure comprising:
a plurality of concentrator elements integrally formed with each other, the plurality of concentrator elements including a first concentrator element, the first concentrator element including a first aperture region and a first exit region, the first exit region including a first back surface region, the first concentrator element being characterized by a refractive index of about 1.4 and greater, and a second concentrator element integrally formed with the first concentrator element, the second concentrator element being characterized by a refractive index of about 1.4 and greater, the second concentrator element including a second aperture region and a second exit region, the second exit region including a second back surface region, the first concentrator element integrally formed with the second concentrator element being essentially a single piece of molded glass material, the first concentrator element being optically coupled to a first photovoltaic region and the second concentrator element being optically coupled to a second photovoltaic region;
a thickness of 5 mm to 7 mm characterizing the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element;
a first coupling region between the first exit region and a first surface region of a first photovoltaic device, the first coupling region including an optical coupling material comprising an EVA material;
a second coupling region between the second exit region and a second surface region of a second photovoltaic device;
a separation region provided between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element, the separation region being characterized by a width separating the first exit region from the second exit region;
a radius of curvature characterizing a region between the first concentrator element and the second concentrator element, the radius of curvature being about between 0.001 mm and 0.10 mm;
a triangular shaped region including an apex defined by the radius of curvature and a base defined by the separation region;
a refractive index of about 1 characterizing the triangular region; and
a plurality of photovoltaic devices including the first photovoltaic device and the second photovoltaic device.