Optoelectronic device with reflective face

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device comprising a substrate having a first and a second substantially planar face, a series of grooves in the first substantially planar face, and a first and a second electrical conductor on the second substantially planar face; wherein a first face of the first electrical conductor and a first face of the second electrical conductor are reflective.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a first and a second substantially planar face; a series of grooves in the first substantially planar face; and a first and a second electrical conductor on the second substantially planar face; wherein a first face of the first electrical conductor and a first face of the second electrical conductor are reflective, and wherein each groove of the series of grooves has a first and a second face, the first face of each groove is coated with a first semiconductor material so that the first semiconductor material coats from 20 to 80% of the first face, and the second face of each groove is coated with a conductor material so that the conductor material coats from 20 to 80% of the second face, wherein the first semiconductor material and the conductor material are in contact with a second semiconductor material at least partially filling each groove such that within each groove a junction is formed between the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor materials, and wherein the optoelectronic device further comprises a first outer electrical conductor and the first outer electrical conductor is spaced from the first and second electrical conductors by either a layer of capacitor material or by a layer of supercapacitor material.

2. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the layer of capacitor material or the layer of supercapacitor material is from 50 to 500 nm thick.

3. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical conductors also have second faces, the first faces of the first and second electrical conductors face and are on the second substantially planar face of the substrate, and either: the second faces of the first and second electrical conductors face and are in contact with the capacitor material; or the second faces of the first and second electrical conductors face and are in contact with the supercapacitor material.

4. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical conductors on the second substantially planar face are electrically insulated from one another.

5. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein there is a gap between the first and second electrical conductors.

6. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical conductors comprise one or more of aluminium, copper, silver, zinc, lead, antimony, gold, nickel, bismuth, and indium.

7. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first outer electrical conductor comprises one or more of aluminium, copper, silver, zinc, lead, antimony, gold, nickel, bismuth, and indium.

8. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical conductors on the second substantially planar face are busbars.

9. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical conductors are at least part of the positive and negative poles of an electrical circuit.

10. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the series of grooves includes a first outermost groove and a second outermost groove, the optoelectronic device further comprising a first and a second hole in the substrate, the first hole providing electrical communication between the first outermost groove and the second substantially planar face of the substrate and the second hole providing separate electrical communication between the second outermost groove and the second substantially planar face of the substrate.

11. An optoelectronic device according to claim 10, wherein the first and second holes have a diameter of from 100 to 500 microns.

12. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first face of each groove is longer than the second face of each groove.

13. An optoelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the optoelectronic device is a solar photovoltaic cell.

14. An optoelectronic device comprising: a substrate having a first and a second substantially planar face; a series of grooves in the first substantially planar face; and a first and a second electrical conductor on the second substantially planar face; wherein a first face of the first electrical conductor and a first face of the second electrical conductor are reflective, wherein each groove of the series of grooves has a first and a second face, the first face of each groove is coated with a first semiconductor material so that the first semiconductor material coats from 20 to 80% of the first face, and the second face of each groove is coated with a conductor material so that the conductor material coats from 20 to 80% of the second face, wherein the first semiconductor material and the conductor material are in contact with a second semiconductor material at least partially filling each groove such that within each groove a junction is formed between the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor materials, wherein the first face of the first electrical conductor and the first face of the second electrical conductor reflect light that has passed into the substrate back through the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor materials in each groove, and wherein the optoelectronic device further comprises a first outer electrical conductor, and the first outer electrical conductor is spaced from the first and second electrical conductors by either a layer of capacitor material or by a layer of supercapacitor material.

Description

(1) An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the optoelectronic device of the present invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an alternative optoelectronic device of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 1 shows an optoelectronic device 10 comprising a substrate 12 having a first 12a and a second 12b substantially planar face. The optoelectronic device 10 has a series of grooves 14 in the first substantially planar face 12a. There is a first 16a and a second 16b electrical conductor on the second 12b substantially planar face of the substrate 12. There is a first outer electrical conductor 19a spaced from the first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors by a capacitor material 18.

(5) There is a gap 23a between the first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors.

(6) The first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors on the second substantially planar face 12b are busbars. The first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors have first 17a and second 17b faces. The first faces 17a of the first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors are in contact with the substrate 12. The second faces 17b of the first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors are in contact with the capacitor material 18.

(7) The first faces 17a of the first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors are reflective. The first faces 17a of the first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors are mirrors.

(8) Each groove of the series of grooves of the first and second series of grooves has a first and a second face and a cavity therebetween. The first face is coated with a semiconductor material and the second face coated with a conductor material (not shown). The cavity is at least partially filled with another semiconductor material (not shown).

(9) Not all the incident light 20 that reaches the series of grooves 14 in the first substantially planar face 12a and normally the junction (not shown) between the semiconductor and the another semiconductor is absorbed and some of this light 20 passes into the surrounding substrate 12. The first 16a and second 16b electrical conductors on the second substantially planar face 12b of the substrate 12 reflect 22 some of the light that has passed into the surrounding substrate back through the series of grooves 14 and the semiconductor and the another semiconductor and the junction between the semiconductor and the another semiconductor. More electrical energy can therefore be generated.

(10) In use, the optoelectronic device is exposed to light. When a junction between the semiconductor and another semiconductor is exposed to the light, electrical energy is generated. The optoelectronic device is in electrical communication with a load (not shown). The load is an electrical component that consumes electrical energy. The load may for example be a light bulb.

(11) In use, the capacitor material stores the electrical energy or charge that the load does not consume. In this way, excess electrical energy is stored for future use by the load. There is therefore electrical energy available to the load when the optoelectronic device is not generating electrical energy.

(12) The optoelectronic device generates and stores electrical energy.

(13) FIG. 2 shows an optoelectronic device 110 comprising a substrate 112 having a first 112a and a second 112b substantially planar face. Many of the features of the optoelectronic device shown in FIG. 2 are also present in the optoelectronic device shown FIG. 1. Some of the same or similar features are not labelled again in FIG. 2 and when they are, they are given the same reference numeral +100.

(14) The optoelectronic device 110 has a series of grooves in the first substantially planar face 112a. There is a first 116a, a second 116b and a third 116c electrical conductor on the second 112b substantially planar face of the substrate 112. There is a first 119a and a second 119b outer electrical conductor spaced from the first 116a, second 116b and third 116c electrical conductors by a supercapacitor material 118.

(15) The first faces 117a of the first 116a, second 116b and third 116c electrical conductors are reflective like a mirror.

(16) There is a gap 123a between the first 116a and second 116b electrical conductors. There is a gap 123b between the second 116b and third 116c electrical conductors. There is a gap 124a between the first outer 119a and second 119b outer electrical conductors.

(17) It may be an advantage of the present invention that the shallower the depth of the supercapacitor material 118, that is the smaller the vertical distance between the first 116a, second 116b and third 116c electrical conductors and the first 119a and second 119b outer electrical conductors as shown in FIG. 2, the lower the charge permeation through the overall device and the greater the tortious path.

(18) It may be an advantage of the present invention that the smaller the gaps 123a, 123b and 124a, that is the smaller the horizontal distance between the first 116a, second 116b and third 116c electrical conductors and the first 119a and second 119b outer electrical conductors respectively, as shown in FIG. 2, the greater the environmental stability of the device.

(19) Electrical charge transfer through the device shown in FIG. 2 can be from the first electrical conductor 116a to the first outer electrical conductor 119a, then to the second electrical conductor 116b, then to the second outer electrical conductor 119b, and then to the third electrical conductor 116c. The device 110 may extend horizontally, as shown in FIG. 2, in both directions. There may be many more electrical conductors 116x and outer electrical conductors 119x. Electrical charge may therefore be transferred along the device 110, from for example left to right as shown in FIG. 2.

(20) Modifications and improvements can be incorporated herein without departing from the scope of the invention.