Solar antenna array and its fabrication
A solar antenna array may comprise an array of antennas that may capture and convert sunlight into electrical power. Methods for constructing the solar antenna array may use a stencil and self aligning semiconductor processing steps to minimize cost. Designs may be optimized for capturing a broad spectrum of visible light and non-polarized light. Testing and disconnecting, defective antennas from the array may also be performed.
1. A solar antenna array configured to convert sunlight into electrical power of the array comprising:
alternating substantially parallel power and ground lines oriented in a first direction;
rows of substantially parallel antennas, oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein ends of the antennas are aligned to the power and ground lines; and
two types of metal-oxide-metal (MOM) diodes, wherein the two respective types of MOM diodes are distinguished from each other by being composed of at least one material that is different in the two respective types of MOM diodes, wherein respective ones of a first type of the two types of MOM diodes are configured to connect respective ends of respective ones of the antennas to the power lines and respective ones of a second type of the two types of MOM diodes are configured to connect respective ends of respective ones of the antennas to the ground lines,
wherein the MOM diodes are coplanar with the antennas, the power lines and the ground lines, in a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction, and
wherein each of the power lines has a different width from each of the ground lines.
2. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein
the rows of substantially parallel antennas include antennas of different lengths.
3. The solar antenna array as in claim 2 , wherein
the antennas of different lengths are configured to cover at least two regions of the visible light spectrum.
4. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , further comprising:
a polymer material; and
a back plate,
wherein the back plate is configured to form a conductive ground plane, wherein the polymer material is configured to form an insulating layer with a dielectric constant and thickness such that the rows of substantially parallel antennas form strip-line antennas for a portion of the visible light spectrum.
5. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , further comprising:
an optically transparent polymer material; and
a reflective back plate,
wherein the reflective back plate and the optically transparent polymer material are arranged such that the rows of substantially parallel antennas are enabled to absorb both incident light and light reflected from the reflective back plate.
6. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein material for the antennas comprises nickel.
7. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 wherein material for the power lines comprises aluminum.
8. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein material for the ground lines comprises gold.
9. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein the plane is defined by the power and ground lines and by the antennas.
10. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein the first type of MOM diode comprises nickel, nickel oxide, and aluminum as a first metal, an oxide, and a second metal, respectively, forming a MOM diode of the first type.
11. The solar antenna array as in claim 10 , wherein the nickel corresponds to a material of the antennas and the aluminum corresponds to a material of the power lines.
12. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein the second type of MOM diode comprises nickel, nickel oxide, and gold as a first metal, an oxide, and a second metal, respectively, forming a MOM diode of the second type.
13. The solar antenna array as in claim 12 , wherein the nickel corresponds to a material of the antennas and the gold corresponds to a material of the ground lines.
14. The solar antenna array as in claim 1 , wherein the antennas are configured on and non-adherently removed from a stencil.