Three-Dimensional Metamaterial Devices with Photovoltaic Bristles

摘要

A metamaterial of an array of photovoltaic bristles may enable each photovoltaic bristle to have a high probability of photon absorption. The high probability of photon absorption may lead to increased efficiency and more power generation from an array of photovoltaic bristles. A completed photovoltaic device may benefit from further total efficiency gains by implementing a corrugated structure in the metamaterial and/or an assembled solar panel of metamaterials. Various methods to manufacture these metamaterial devices may include utilize stamping methods, photolithographic techniques, etching techniques, deposition techniques, as well as the creation of vias to form arrays of photovoltaic bristles for the metamaterial photovoltaic devices.

主权项

1. A structure comprising:
a substrate having corrugated surfaces that include a flat substrate surface, a first slanted substrate surface adjoined to a first edge of the flat substrate surface, and a second slanted substrate surface adjoined to a second edge of the flat substrate surface; and an array of photovoltaic bristles extending from the first slanted substrate surface, each photovoltaic bristle comprises:
a core;an inner conductive layer;an absorber layer surrounding the inner conductive layer; andan outer conductive layer surrounding the absorption layer.