Bastiaan A Korevaar

7893348, Feb 22, 2011

Aug 25, 2006

11/509886

Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Loucas Tsakalakos - Niskayuna NY, US

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

H01L 31/00

136255, 136258, 136261, 257431, 257461, 257465, 977712, 977720, 977762, 977948, 977954

In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to photovoltaic (PV) devices comprising silicon (Si) nanowires as active PV elements, wherein such devices are typically thin film Si solar cells. Generally, such solar cells are of the p-i-n type and can be fabricated for front and/or backside (i. e. , top and/or bottom) illumination. Additionally, the present invention is also directed at methods of making and using such devices, and to systems and modules (e. g. , solar panels) employing such devices.

7906723, Mar 15, 2011

Apr 30, 2008

12/113045

Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
James Neil Johnson - Scotia NY, US
Todd Ryan Tolliver - Clifton Park NY, US
Theodore Carlton Kreutz - Rensselaer NY, US
Xiaolan Zhang - Niskayuna NY, US

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

H01L 31/00

136255, 136258, 136261

A semiconductor structure is described, including a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer is both compositionally graded and structurally graded. Specifically, the semiconductor layer is compositionally graded through its thickness from substantially intrinsic at the interface with the substrate to substantially doped at an opposite surface. Further, the semiconductor layer is structurally graded through its thickness from substantially crystalline at the interface with the substrate to substantially amorphous at the opposite surface. Related methods are also described.

7939363, May 10, 2011

Oct 27, 2010

12/913296

James Neil Johnson - Scotia NY, US
Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Yu Zhao - Niskayuna NY, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

H01L 21/00

438 87, 136260, 438 94

A process for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device having an intermixed layer is provided. The process can include introducing a substrate into a deposition chamber, wherein a window layer (e. g. , a cadmium sulfide layer) is on a surface of the substrate. A sulfur-containing gas can be supplied to the deposition chamber. In addition, a source vapor can be supplied to the deposition chamber, wherein the source material comprises cadmium telluride. The sulfur-containing gas and the source vapor can be present within the deposition chamber to form an intermixed layer on the window layer. In one particular embodiment, for example, the intermixed layer generally can have an increasing tellurium concentration and decreasing sulfur concentration extending away from the window layer. An apparatus for sequential deposition of an intermixed thin film layer and a sublimated source material on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate is also provided.

7977568, Jul 12, 2011

Jan 11, 2007

11/622275

Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Loucas Tsakalakos - Niskayuna NY, US

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

H01L 31/00
H01L 27/14

136255, 136258, 136261, 257431, 257461, 257465, 977712, 977720, 977760, 977948, 977954

A photovoltaic device includes a substrate having at least two surfaces and a multilayered film disposed on at least a portion of at least one surface of the substrate. Elongated nanostructures are disposed on the multilayered film. The device incorporates a top layer of the multilayered film contacting the elongated nanostructures that is a tunnel junction. The device has at least one layer deposited over the elongated nanostructures defining a portion of a photoactive junction. A solar panel includes at least one photovoltaic device. The solar panel isolates each such devices from its surrounding atmospheric environment and permits the generation of electrical power.

8003883, Aug 23, 2011

Jan 11, 2007

11/622295

Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Loucas Tsakalakos - Niskayuna NY, US
Joleyn Balch - Schaghticoke NY, US

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

H01L 31/00

136255, 136258, 136261, 257431, 257461, 257465, 977712, 977720, 977762, 977948, 977954

A photovoltaic device that includes a substrate and a nanowall structure disposed on the substrate surface. The device also includes at least one layer conformally deposited over the nanowall structure. The conformal layer(s) is at least a portion of a photoactive junction. A method for making a photovoltaic device includes generating a nanowall structure on a substrate surface and conformally depositing at least one layer over the nanowall structure thereby forming at least one photoactive junction. A solar panel includes at least one photovoltaic device based on a nanowall structure. The solar panel isolates such devices from its surrounding atmospheric environment and permits the generation of electrical power. Optoelectronic device may also incorporate a photovoltaic device based on a nanowall structure.

8119513, Feb 21, 2012

Nov 22, 2010

12/951108

Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Robert Dwayne Gossman - Aurora CO, US

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

H01L 21/28
H01L 21/3205

438603, 438 86, 257E29099, 257E21543, 257E21603, 257 78

A method for making a cadmium sulfide layer is provided. The method includes a number of steps including providing a substrate and disposing a layer containing cadmium on the substrate followed by sulfurization of the cadmium-containing layer.

8349084, Jan 8, 2013

Apr 5, 2011

13/080029

James Neil Johnson - Scotia NY, US
Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Yu Zhao - Niskayuna NY, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

C23C 16/54
C23C 16/455
C23F 1/00
H01L 21/306
C23C 16/06
C23C 16/22

118718, 118719, 118726, 118729, 15634533, 15634534, 15634554

An apparatus for sequential deposition of an intermixed thin film layer and a sublimated source material on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate is provided, along with associated processes. The process can include introducing a substrate into a deposition chamber, wherein a window layer (e. g. , a cadmium sulfide layer) is on a surface of the substrate. A sulfur-containing gas can be supplied to the deposition chamber. In addition, a source vapor can be supplied to the deposition chamber, wherein the source material comprises cadmium telluride. The sulfur-containing gas and the source vapor can be present within the deposition chamber to form an intermixed layer on the window layer. In one particular embodiment, for example, the intermixed layer generally can have an increasing tellurium concentration and decreasing sulfur concentration extending away from the window layer.

8435825, May 7, 2013

Jul 14, 2011

13/182485

Bastiaan Arie Korevaar - Schenectady NY, US
Loucas Tsakalakos - Niskayuna NY, US
Joleyn Eileen Brewer - Schaghticoke NY, US

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

H01L 21/00

438 73, 438 93, 438 96, 438 97

A photovoltaic device that includes a substrate and a nanowall structure disposed on the substrate surface. The device also includes at least one layer conformally deposited over the nanowall structure. The conformal layer(s) is at least a portion of a photoactive junction. A method for making a photovoltaic device includes generating a nanowall structure on a substrate surface and conformally depositing at least one layer over the nanowall structure thereby forming at least one photoactive junction. A solar panel includes at least one photovoltaic device based on a nanowall structure. The solar panel isolates such devices from its surrounding atmospheric environment and permits the generation of electrical power. Optoelectronic device may also incorporate a photovoltaic device based on a nanowall structure.