Patent ID: 8138410
Filing Date: 2012-03-20
Classification: H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A solar energy conversion device comprising: a vertical stack of at least two solar cell panels stacked in a hierarchy from an upper solar cell panel to at least one lower solar cell panel; each of said solar cell panels including, respectively, an upper and a lower matching array of solar cells with each said solar cell of each said array having a different energy bandgap from energy bandgaps of solar cells in other solar cell panels in said vertical stack; said upper solar cell panel comprising a transparent, dielectric, upper substrate supporting said upper matching array of solar cells and a plurality of upper optically transparent electrical conductors, each of said upper optically transparent electrical conductors comprising an upper Transparent Conducting Oxide (TCO) pad formed directly on said substrate with each said upper TCO pad having thereon one solar cell of said upper matching array of solar cells and forming an upper TCO pad and upper solar cell pairs, and each said upper solar cell has a top electrode and a bottom electrode; each said bottom electrode of each said upper solar cell being in electrical and mechanical contact with a said upper TCO pad; said upper solar cells being connected in electrical series by an upper electrically conductive interconnect wherein an upper TCO pad of a first upper TCO pad and upper solar cell pair is connected via said upper electrically conductive interconnect to an upper to electrode of an upper solar cell of an adjacent said upper TCO pad and upper solar cell pair; said at least one lower solar cell panel positioned below said upper panel with said at least one lower solar cell panel comprising a lower substrate and said lower matching array of solar cells wherein each said lower solar cell has a bottom electrode and an upper electrode, wherein each said lower solar cell is formed on a separate lower TCO pad forming a lower TCO pad and lower solar cell pairs, and wherein each lower TCO pad is between each of said lower solar cells and said lower substrate; said lower solar cells being connected in electrical series by a lower electrically conductive interconnect wherein a lower TCO pad of a first said lower TCO pad and a lower solar cell pair is connected via said lower electrically conductive interconnect to a lower top electrode of a lower solar cell of an adjacent said lower TCO pad and said lower solar cell pair; wherein said upper solar cells have a higher enemy bandgap than said lower solar cells; a top surface of said device provided for receiving solar energy incident upon said upper solar cell panel; and said upper solar cell panel absorbing a fraction of sunlight having photon energies larger than the enemy bandgaps of said at least one lower solar panel.