Solar cell modules integrated into flexible hybrid electronic devices

Abstract

To provide a sensing and / or beacon device that does not require an external power source.SOLUTION: The photovoltaic module 102 includes an illumination side 106 and an electronics side 109 opposite the illumination side 106, wherein the illumination side 106 includes photovoltaic junctions 110A, 110B, 110C, and 110D disposed on a substrate 112, and wherein the electronics side 108 can include the substrate 112 and optionally an encapsulant (not shown) and can be modified to expose top contacts 114 and bottom contacts 116 to produce the modified electronics side 108. The electronic device 104 is then placed on the back side of the substrate 112 or encapsulant (not shown) in line with the top contact 114 and bottom contact 116 such that there is an electrical connection between the electronic device 104 and the photovoltaic module 102.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 916,532, filed October 17, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to photovoltaic modules integrated into flexible hybrid electronic devices. [Background technology]

[0003] The present disclosure is directed to devices that integrate photovoltaic modules with electronic devices by exposing and utilizing shared electrical contacts. Photovoltaic cells have myriad uses and can be used to power most devices. However, photovoltaic cells can be limited by size, especially when placed on large, fixed solar panels. Photovoltaic cells can also be limited by power consumption and / or rigidity.

[0004] To overcome these limitations, devices are provided herein in which a photovoltaic module and an electronic device are stacked and / or encapsulated together. This solution would expand the use of photovoltaic cell modules for powering electronic devices, as the electronic device could be powered solely by the photovoltaic cell module and would not require an external source. An on-board photovoltaic module could also increase available energy and / or extend the lifespan of the device over other solutions, including those using batteries and / or capacitors. This would facilitate a variety of potential improvements, including, for example, more frequent or constant communication, the ability to power a larger number of electronic devices, and / or the ability to power more power-hungry electronic devices. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the combination of a photovoltaic module and a flexible hybrid electronic device opens up the possibility of dramatically reducing manufacturing costs through roll-to-roll manufacturing of both the flexible hybrid electronic device and the flexible photovoltaic module.

[0005] The devices disclosed herein can be used in downstream markets, including, but not limited to, agriculture, indoor growing, ecology, livestock tracking, home automation, Internet of Things (IoT), recreation, wearable devices, smartphones, tablets, computers, watches, jewelry, energy infrastructure, medical monitoring devices and biomedical patches, retail, cold chain, food transportation / packaging / storage / preparation / delivery, logistics, air / land / water transportation, aerospace, marine, asset tracking, location / movement / vibration monitoring, architecture, military, defense and surveillance, radar and remote sensing, modular power harvesting and / or wireless devices, building / home monitoring, anti-tamper monitoring, alarm systems, automation, automotive, and building-integrated solar cells. For example, the proposed devices can be used as flexible smart labels, such as shipping labels and product labels in stores, which are fully powered by an integrated photovoltaic module and can be attached to any surface, including curved or irregular surfaces.

[0006] The present invention is developed to integrate photovoltaic cell modules directly with electronic devices. The technique shown is for exposing and using shared electrical contacts between two devices. The photovoltaic module has top and bottom contacts exposed by removing the substrate and / or encapsulant material, and then electronics are printed and / or attached to the side opposite the photovoltaic module. The entire device (photovoltaic module and electronics device) is laminated / encapsulated together, creating a thin, potentially completely self-contained device.

[0007] In some embodiments, mounting flexible electronics on a flexible photovoltaic module makes the entire device flexible. For example, the device may be a solar-powered sensor or label. The device may sense and transmit data wirelessly using an onboard radio. Onboard solar power can increase available energy and / or extend the lifespan of the device over other solutions, such as, but not limited to, using only batteries and / or capacitors. This facilitates, for example, more frequent or constant communication and / or the ability to power more electronic devices that use more energy.

[0008] In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a sensing and / or beacon device comprising: a flexible organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including a flexible substrate and a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate; top and bottom electrodes integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module and having a portion removed to at least partially expose the top and bottom electrodes; a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) device disposed on the first encapsulant, the FHE device having flexible electronics and die components including conductive traces and in electrical contact with the top and bottom electrodes; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0009] Further provided herein is a method for manufacturing a sensing and / or beacon device in the form of an attachable label, the method comprising: fabricating a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of OPV cells by providing an organic film using one or more of solution processing and vacuum deposition; providing the top and bottom electrodes on the flexible OPV module by one or more of vacuum deposition, printing, screen printing, soldering, or painting, such that both top and bottom electrodes are at least partially exposed; providing the flexible OPV module on a flexible substrate; providing a first encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module and the flexible substrate; removing a portion of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; and fabricating a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) having flexible electronics and die components including conductive traces. A method is disclosed that includes fabricating a flexible OPV module (OPV) (electronic device); establishing electrical contact between the FHE device and the top electrode and the bottom electrode; attaching the FHE device to one or more of the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; providing a second encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module, the flexible substrate, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and providing an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0010] It also features flexible Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in the form of attachable labels. a flexible organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including a flexible substrate, a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate; top and bottom electrodes integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module, with a portion of the first encapsulant removed to at least partially expose the top and bottom electrodes; a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) device disposed on the first encapsulant, the FHE device having flexible electronics and a die component including conductive traces and in electrical contact with the top and bottom electrodes; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0011] Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing a flexible Internet of Things (IoT) sensing and / or beacon device in the form of an attachable label, comprising: fabricating a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of OPV cells by providing an organic film using one or more of solution processing and vacuum deposition; providing the top and bottom electrodes on the flexible OPV module by one or more of vacuum deposition, printing, screen printing, soldering, or painting so that both top and bottom electrodes are at least partially exposed; providing the flexible OPV module on a flexible substrate; providing a first encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module and the flexible substrate; removing a portion of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; and fabricating a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) having flexible electronics and die components including conductive traces. A method is disclosed that includes fabricating a flexible OPV module (OPV) (electronic device); establishing electrical contact between the FHE device and the top electrode and the bottom electrode; attaching the FHE device to one or more of the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; providing a second encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module, the flexible substrate, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and providing an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0012] Also disclosed is a flexible Internet of Things (IoT) wireless device in the form of an attachable label, the flexible Internet of Things (IoT) wireless device comprising: a flexible substrate; a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate; top and bottom electrodes integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module, with portions removed to at least partially expose the top and bottom electrodes; a flexible hybrid electronics (FEH) device disposed on the first encapsulant, the FEH device having flexible electronics including conductive traces and a die component including a radio, and in electrical contact with the top and bottom electrodes; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0013] Further, a method for fabricating a flexible Internet of Things (IoT) wireless device in the form of an attachable label is provided, comprising: forming a plurality of organic photovoltaic (OPV) films by applying an organic film using one or more of solution processing and vacuum deposition. aic) cells; providing the top electrode and the bottom electrode on the flexible OPV module by one or more of vacuum deposition, printing, screen printing, soldering, or painting so that both the top electrode and the bottom electrode are at least partially exposed; providing the flexible OPV module on a flexible substrate; providing a first encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module and the flexible substrate; removing portions of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; fabricating a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) device having flexible electronics including conductive traces and a die component including a radio; establishing electrical contact between the FHE device and the top electrode and the bottom electrode; attaching the FHE device to one or more of the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; providing a second encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module, the flexible substrate, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and providing an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0014] Other embodiments of the present disclosure are as follows.

[0015] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a photovoltaic module directly integrated with electronics. [Figure 2A]1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the top side, illustrating the process of placing an electronic device on the substrate. [Figure 2B] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the top side, illustrating the process of placing an electronic device on the substrate. [Figure 2C] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the top side, illustrating the process of placing an electronic device on the substrate. [Figure 2D] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the top side, illustrating the process of placing an electronic device on the substrate. [Figure 3A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the backside, illustrating the process of depositing electronic devices on the substrate. [Figure 3B] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the backside, illustrating the process of depositing electronic devices on the substrate. [Figure 3C] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the backside, illustrating the process of depositing electronic devices on the substrate. [Figure 3D] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the backside, illustrating the process of depositing electronic devices on the substrate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The drawings described herein are for purposes of illustrating selected embodiments only, not all possible configurations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

[0018] <Detailed explanation> Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device with a sensor in the form of an attachable label, the device comprising a flexible substrate and a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate. a flexible organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including: a flexible organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including: a top electrode and a bottom electrode integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module, with a portion of the first encapsulant removed to at least partially expose the top electrode and the bottom electrode; a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) device disposed on the first encapsulant, the FHE device having flexible electronics and a die component including conductive traces and in electrical contact with the top electrode and the bottom electrode; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0019] The labels disclosed herein can be used in a variety of applications, a non-limiting list of examples being described in more detail below.

[0020] Agriculture where sensors can be used to monitor and automate growing conditions such as temperature, humidity, CO2, Lux, photosynthetic photon flux (PAR), soil moisture, soil pH, water pH, VPD (vapor deficit), oxygen, and / or stem diameter.

[0021] Indoor agriculture where sensors can be used to monitor and automate growing conditions such as temperature, humidity, CO2, Lux, PAR, soil moisture, soil pH, water pH, VPD, oxygen, and / or stem diameter.

[0022] Ecology: Temperature, soil moisture, and other climate parameters, such as O2, CO2, methane, etc., can be monitored to generate integrated measurements of ecological phenomena, VPD, and / or TVOC (total volatile organic compounds).

[0023] For example, livestock tracking, where location tracking sensors and / or beacons such as location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration) can be fitted to livestock to track their movements, such as if they are sick and immobile or if they move off-site.

[0024] Home automation and Internet of Things, where sensors to monitor temperature, light (intensity and / or color), motion, humidity, position (e.g., window open / closed), CO, fire, leaks, moisture, and other sensors are used to trigger automation such as turning on / off lights, air conditioning, fans, heating, alarms, cameras, mobile alerts, etc.

[0025] Sensors can be used to measure speed, rotation / swing rate, position, impact, pressure, acceleration, and / or concussion monitoring.

[0026] Wearable devices that can use sensors to monitor temperature, pulse, altitude, biomechanical forces, injury detection, linear / rotational acceleration, impact forces, and inertial sensors.

[0027] A smartphone / tablet / computer / watch that can use sensors to monitor temperature and / or humidity.

[0028] Jewelry that may use sensors and / or beacons to monitor temperature, light, humidity, sound, movement, vibration, location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration, etc.).

[0029] Energy infrastructure that can use sensors and / or beacons to monitor methane and other gases, location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration), and leak repair actions. Leak repair actions include leak detection with automation, for example, turning on fans, closing pipes, sending alerts, etc.

[0030] Medical / healthcare monitoring devices and biomedical patches, which may use sensors to monitor heart rate, blood glucose, blood oxygen, insulin, body temperature, medical chemical detection, blood pressure, sleep monitoring, respiratory rate, lactate, hydration, cholesterol, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, hemoglobin, and / or anemia.

[0031] A retail business where sensors may be used to monitor temperature, humidity, location, light, proximity, and / or position of products being sold and / or transmit data including product specifications.

[0032] By measuring temperature, humidity, light, proximity, location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration), sensors and / or beacons can be used to monitor the refrigerated transport of food, medical supplies / vaccines, etc. along the cold chain.

[0033] Sensors and / or beacons may be used to monitor temperature, humidity, light, proximity, location (e.g. GPS) and / or proximity (e.g. BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration), food transportation / packaging / storage / preparation / supply.

[0034] Air / land / water transportation that can use sensors to monitor temperature and / or leaks.

[0035] Remote site sensing, which allows sensors to be used in the field to monitor wildlife activity and unauthorized intrusion.

[0036] Energy harvesting and / or wireless devices in the module that can use sensors to provide power and communication capabilities.

[0037] Building / home monitoring integrated with smart home automation, where sensors can be used to monitor temperature, humidity, light levels, proximity, etc.

[0038] Tamper-evident monitoring can use sensors and / or beacons to ensure the box has not been opened during shipping by placing a stretch sensor on the box along with a drop and GPS sensor.

[0039] Alarm systems that can use sensors to trigger alarm systems and / or send alerts, such as email messages, text messages, SMS (Short Message Service), and automated calls when certain events occur.

[0040] Automation and alerts can be triggered from any of the sensors listed here, for example climate control for agriculture, turning on fans if a methane leak is detected, etc.

[0041] Automobiles that can use sensors to monitor driving conditions inside and outside the vehicle.

[0042] Building integrated photovoltaic cells with integrated electronics, sensors and radios, where sensors can be used to integrate flex OPV (organic photovoltaics) onto buildings.

[0043] Aerospace sensors can be used to measure inertia, acceleration, velocity / second, position and / or pressure.

[0044] Transportation / logistics where sensors and / or beacons can be used to monitor drop, acceleration, temperature / humidity (food tracking), stretch (to ensure a package hasn't been opened during transport), location (GPS, etc.) and / or proximity (BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration, etc.).

[0045] Asset tracking, where sensors and / or beacons may be used to monitor location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration), and / or measure temperature, humidity, and / or acceleration.

[0046] Position / motion / vibration monitoring, where sensors can be used for asset tracking and for drop events (e.g., transportation of electronics and fragile items).

[0047] An architecture in which sensors can be used to monitor conditions such as light, temperature and / or humidity and to control automation such as motion-activated lighting.

[0048] Military / defense and surveillance where the sensors can be used for asset tracking, monitoring temperature / humidity / position / vibration / acceleration, laser activity and weather.

[0049] In certain embodiments, the flexible OPV module included in the label is one or more of translucent, highly reflective, or opaque.

[0050] OPV modules can be made from any combination of OPV cells in series and / or parallel, arranged to produce the voltage and current combinations required for electronic devices.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the flexible OPV module included in the label includes organic photovoltaic cells that include one or more junctions arranged in series.

[0052] In certain embodiments, the flexible OPV module included in the label comprises a photoactive material, which comprises a polymer, an organic molecule (including pure carbon compounds), or both a polymer and an organic molecule.

[0053] In certain embodiments, the flexible OPV module included in the label can be optimized for light levels ranging from 1 lux to 150,000 lux by one or more of tuning the cell color, tuning the cell transparency, adding anti-reflective coatings, adding distributed Bragg reflectors, adding micropatterning, adding light trapping structures, tuning the bandgap, adding junctions, and adding elements. In certain embodiments, the optimizeable levels of light can range from 1 lux to 100 lux, 100 lux to 1000 lux, 1000 lux to 10,000 lux, 500 lux to 2000 lux, 1000 lux to 50,000 lux, 10,000 lux to 50,000 lux, 50,000 lux to 140,000 lux, and 100,000 lux to 130,000 lux.

[0054] In certain embodiments, the flexible OPV module included in the label is The layer may include one or more of a photo-insulating coating, a UV protective layer, a superlattice, a Bragg reflector, an infrared reflective layer, a ceramic layer, an oxide layer, a metal oxide layer, a micropatterned layer, quantum dots, a growth buffer layer, a cap layer, and a metamorphic layer.

[0055] In certain embodiments, the flexible substrate included in the label comprises one or more materials selected from polymers, thermoplastics, composite films, multilayer films, willow glass, acrylic, metal foils, metal alloy foils, paper, fabrics, and woven textiles.

[0056] The FHE device according to the present disclosure includes flexible printed electronics and die components. In certain embodiments, the FHE device further includes other small components that do not impair the overall flexibility of the label. For example, the FHE device can further include small resistors that are currently commonly used in automotive applications but are not considered die components.

[0057] Flexible printed electronics according to the present disclosure include conductive traces, and these conductive traces can be included in a non-limiting and conventional manner. In certain embodiments, the conductive traces can be printed, screen printed, and / or deposited, or the conductive traces can be soldered.

[0058] In certain embodiments, the FHE device contained in the label is wrapped around a first encapsulant, and the electronic device makes first electrical contact with an upper electrode on a first side of the first encapsulant and makes second electrical contact with a lower electrode on a second side of the first encapsulant (the second side being opposite the first side).

[0059] In certain embodiments, the FHE device included in the label may monitor humidity, CO2, light level, saturation deficit, heat index, water, pH, soil moisture, volumetric soil moisture, soil pH, accelerometer, temperature, pressure, gas detection, global positioning system (GPS), ultra-wideband (UWB), trilateration, parametric sensing, CO, oxygen, total volatile organic compounds, chemicals, pollutants, conductivity, resistivity, current detection, current measurement, electrical activity, metal detection, transpiration, water usage, salinity, pest control, climate monitoring, stem diameter, radiation, rain, snow, wind, lightning, soil nutrients, occupancy, location, condition, smoke, leak, power outage, total dissolved solids, flood, movement, door movement, window movement, light gate, tactile, haptic the sensor comprises one or more sensors selected from sensors for Haptic, displacement level, sound frequency, audio frequency, vibration frequency, airflow, Hall effect, fuel level, liquid level, radar, torque, speed, tire pressure, chemical, infrared, ozone, magnetic, radio direction finder, air pollution, moisture detection, seismometer, airspeed, depth, altimeter, free fall, position, angular velocity, shock, tilt, velocity, inertia, force, stress, strain, weight, fire, proximity, presence, extension, heart rate, heart rate, blood glucose, blood oxygen, insulin, body temperature, medication detection, blood pressure, sleep monitoring, respiration rate, lactate, hydration, cholesterol, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, hemoglobin, and anemia.

[0060] In certain embodiments, the FHE device included on the label comprises one or more radios selected from Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Long Term Evolution (LTE), or cellular, 4G and 5G cellular, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or IEEE 802.11, Long Range (LoRa), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Infrared (IR), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Active Radio Frequency Identification (ARFID), or other Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Band (ISM Band) radios.

[0061] In certain embodiments, the FHE device included in the label may be a battery, a supercapacitor, a thermoelectric device, a light emitting device, an LED, a power management chip, a logic circuit, a microprocessor, Processor, microcontroller, integrated circuit, resistor, capacitor, transistor, inductor, diode, semiconductor, optoelectronic device, memristor, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, varistor, antenna, transducer, crystal, resonator, terminal, photodetector, photoemitter, heater, circuit breaker, fuse, relay, spark gap, heat sink, motor, display, liquid crystal display (LCD), light emitting diode display (LED), micro LED, electroluminescent display (ELD), electrophoretic display, active matrix organic light emitting diode display (AMOLED), organic light emitting diode display (OLED), quantum dot display (QD), quantum The display may include one or more of: a QLED, a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), a digital light processing display (DLP), an interferometric modulator display (IMOD), a digital microshutter display (DMS), a plasma display, a neon display, a filament display, a surface conduction electron emitter display (SED), a field emission display (FED), a laser TV, a carbon nanotube display, a touch screen, an external connector, data storage, a piezoelectric device, a speaker, a microphone, a security chip, and user input controls including buttons, knobs, sliders, switches, joysticks, directional pads, keypads, and pressure / touch sensors.

[0062] In certain embodiments, the electrical contacts included in the label are established via one or more of soldering, ultrasonic soldering, conductive epoxy, conductive paste, conductive paint, spot welding, welding, wire bonding, printed conductive ink, mechanical contact, nanowire mesh, graphene, and graphite.

[0063] In certain embodiments, the electrical contact included in the label is established via printed conductive ink in contact with a bus bar in the flexible OPV module. In further embodiments, the bus bar can include a combination of vacuum deposited metal and ultrasonically soldered bus bars.

[0064] In certain embodiments, the label includes a second encapsulant that includes a lamination, the lamination including one or more materials selected from plastic, glass, metal, silicone, and elastomer, and that are applied by one or more of thermal lamination, pressure lamination, vacuum lamination, UV curing, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, and solventless lamination. In further embodiments, the second encapsulant includes a potting coating, the potting coating including urethane, parylene, polymer, resin, epoxy, acrylic, paint, tape, fluorocarbon, nanocoating, hybrid coating, water-based coating, and UV coating.

[0065] In further embodiments, the second seal included in the label is applied by one or more of spraying, brushing, vacuum coating, vacuum sealing, vacuum deposition, blade coating, screen printing, dipping, syringe dispensing, pipette dispensing, dropper dispensing, curing, and selective coating.

[0066] In further embodiments, the process for manufacturing the OPV module in the label includes one or more of solution processing, vacuum deposition, photocrosslinking, vacuum thermal evaporation, organic vapor phase deposition, organic vapor phase jet printing, atomic layer deposition, drop casting, blade coating, inkjet printing, slot die coating, dip coating, bar coating, and spin coating. In further embodiments, the process for manufacturing the OPV module includes a batch or roll-to-roll manufacturing process. in which the FHE device is attached directly to the OPV module or laminated to the OPV module using heat or an adhesive.

[0067] In certain embodiments, the labels disclosed herein are used in agriculture, where sensors can be used to monitor and automate growing conditions such as, for example, temperature, humidity, CO2, lux, photosynthetic photon flux (PAR), soil moisture, soil pH, water pH, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), oxygen, and / or stem diameter. In further embodiments, the labels disclosed herein are used in indoor agriculture, where sensors can be used to monitor and automate growing conditions such as, for example, temperature, humidity, CO2, lux, PAR, soil moisture, soil pH, water pH, VPD, oxygen, and / or stem diameter.

[0068] In other embodiments, the labels disclosed herein are used for livestock tracking, where, for example, location tracking sensors and / or beacons, such as location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration), can be placed on livestock to track their movements. This tracking allows a user to determine if livestock are sick and immobile and / or if livestock are moving off-site.

[0069] In other embodiments, the labels disclosed herein are used in home automation and Internet of Things applications, where sensors are used to monitor temperature, light (intensity and / or color), motion, humidity, position (e.g., window open / closed), CO, fire, leaks, moisture, and other sensors to trigger automated tasks such as, for example, turning on or off lights, air conditioning, fans, heating, alarms, cameras, and / or mobile alerts.

[0070] In further embodiments, the labels disclosed herein are used in cold chain management, and sensors and / or beacons may be used to monitor cold transport of food, medical supplies / vaccines, etc. by measuring temperature, humidity, light, location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration).

[0071] In further embodiments, the disclosed labels are used in the transportation / packaging / storage / preparation / serving of food products, where sensors and / or beacons may be used to monitor temperature, humidity, light, location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration).

[0072] In further embodiments of the present disclosure, the sensors and / or beacons disclosed herein are integrated with smart home automation and used to monitor temperature, humidity, light levels, proximity, etc. Additionally, the present disclosure contemplates the disclosed sensors triggering automation and alerts from any of the sensors enumerated herein, including, for example, climate control for agriculture, or turning on a fan if a methane leak is detected.

[0073] Additionally, the disclosed labels can be used in transportation and logistics applications to monitor GPS location, drop, acceleration, temperature / humidity (food tracking), proximity (e.g., BLE beacons or trilateration) and / or stretch (to ensure the package has not been opened during transport).

[0074] Additionally, the disclosed labels can be used in asset tracking, where sensors and / or beacons measure location (e.g., GPS) and / or proximity (e.g., BLE triangulation). It can be used to monitor satellite signals (e.g., trilateration, LoRa trilateration, ISM band trilateration).

[0075] The OPV modules disclosed herein have many potential advantages over inorganic photovoltaics due to their non-toxicity, relatively small energy investment for manufacturing, adaptability to non-planar surfaces, and large-area adaptability, high-throughput manufacturing processes.

[0076] OPV modules can be made semi-transparent, highly reflective, or opaque, depending on the application specifications. Semi-transparent OPV modules can be achieved by using semi-transparent conductive materials (such as indium tin oxide or thin metals) for both the top and bottom electrodes. Reflectance and hue can be controlled by the choice of organic material and the thickness of the organic layers within the OPV module.

[0077] In certain embodiments, OPV modules include polymers and / or organic molecules (including pure carbon compounds) as photoactive materials. Polymer-based and / or organic molecule-based OPV modules are solution-processed, requiring a carrier solvent and methods such as blade coating, spin coating, and printing, but not limited to these. Some small molecule OPV modules can also be fabricated by vacuum deposition. Further embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to OPV modules fabricated using small molecule materials deposited by vacuum thermal evaporation, organic vapor jet printing, or organic vapor phase deposition. OPV module fabrication techniques also include, for example, vacuum deposition, printing, and solution processing.

[0078] In certain embodiments, organic films for OPV module applications are applied by solution processing and / or vacuum deposition. Fabrication methods include, but are not limited to, vacuum thermal evaporation, organic vapor phase deposition, organic vapor jet printing, atomic layer deposition, drop casting, blade coating, inkjet printing, slot-die coating, dip coating, bar coating, and spin coating. Polymer fabrication may also include photocrosslinking.

[0079] In certain embodiments, the OPV module is flexible with low stiffness of <100 N / m, including but not limited to, materials having a Young's modulus <150 GPa.

[0080] In some embodiments, the flexible OPV module may be disposed on a flexible substrate such as, but not limited to, polymers / thermoplastics (e.g., polyimide and polyester films, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polycarbonate), composite / multilayer films, willow glass, acrylic, metal / metal alloy foils, paper, fabrics / textiles, etc.

[0081] OPV modules may be optimized for any light spectrum, e.g., sunlight or indoor lighting, such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes), fluorescent, incandescent, grow lights, neon lights, mercury vapor, metal halide, high-intensity discharge, bioluminescence, and chemiluminescence, to increase energy harvest from the sun for the target spectrum. For a given light spectrum, optimization may target a specific level of light ranging from 1 lux to 150,000 lux. Non-limiting exemplary ranges of optimized levels of light include, for example, 100 lux to 1,000 lux for indoor applications using artificial light sources, 100 lux to 75,000 lux for grow house applications, such as 5,000 lux to 7,000 lux for seeding, and 15,000 lux to 75,000 lux for vegetable growing; 1,000 lux to 30,000 lux for cloudy outdoor applications; and 100,000 lux to 140,000 lux for bright sunlight applications.

[0082] In certain embodiments, the OPV module is designed to collect most of the light in low light environments. In such an embodiment, even if the OPV module is not optimized for outdoor light, there will still be enough light to power the device when taken outside.

[0083] For example, OPV modules are highly tunable to the light spectrum for a variety of applications. Internally, the color and transparency of OPVs can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the thickness of device layers, selecting photoactive materials based on their spectral absorption characteristics, varying the ratio of photoactive materials, and adding or removing layers and / or junctions. Externally, OPV modules can be tuned to specific light spectra using antireflective coatings, distributed Bragg reflectors, micropatterning, and other light-trapping structures.

[0084] Generally, photovoltaic cells are designed so that their absorption spectrum accommodates the emission spectrum of a light source. Tuning can be achieved by changing the bandgap of individual junctions (or subcells), or by adding multiple junctions (or subcells) to the device so that the combined absorption spectrum of the photovoltaic cell matches the light source, thereby increasing photovoltaic efficiency. For example, elements can be added to the base photovoltaic cell (e.g., N added to GaAs) to adjust the bandgap.

[0085] In some embodiments, OPV modules can be manufactured in custom shapes to serve functional and / or aesthetic purposes.

[0086] The substrate, OPV module, and electronic device can be any shape, including but not limited to, polygonal, circular, or any shape made from a combination of straight and curved edges. In certain embodiments, the substrate, OPV module, and electronic device can be square and rectangular for use as a label.

[0087] In some embodiments, additional layers can be placed on the photovoltaic cell module to enhance its performance, lifespan, manufacturability, aesthetics, and / or additional functionality. These layers can be semiconductor, metallic, dielectric, and / or insulating layers.

[0088] In some embodiments, additional layers to the photovoltaic module may include, but are not limited to, anti-reflective coatings, ultraviolet (UV) protective layers, superlattices, Bragg reflectors, IR (infrared) reflective layers, ceramic layers, oxide layers, metal oxide layers, micropatterned layers, quantum dots, growth buffer and cap layers, and metamorphic layers.

[0089] In some embodiments, the electronics device may be configured to measure a variety of parameters, including but not limited to humidity, CO2, light level, vapor pressure deficit, heat index, water pH, soil moisture, volumetric pH, volumetric soil moisture, soil pH, accelerometer, temperature, pressure, gas detection, GPS, ultra-wide band (UWB), trilateration, parametric sensing, CO, oxygen, total volatile organic compounds, chemicals, pollutants, conductivity, resistivity, current detection / measurement, electrical activity, metal detection, transpiration, water usage, salinity, pest control, climate monitoring, stem diameter, radiation, rain, snow, wind, lightning, soil nutrients, occupancy, location / condition, smoke, liquid leaks, power outages, total dissolved solids, flood, movement, door / window movement, light gate, tactile, haptic, displacement, level, sound / audible / vibration / frequency. , airflow, hall effect, fuel level, fluid level, radar, torque, speed, tire pressure, chemicals, infrared, ozone, magnetic, radio direction finder, air pollution, moisture detection, seismometer, airspeed, depth, altimeter, free fall, position, angular velocity, shock, tilt, speed, inertia, force, stress, strain, weight, fire, proximity / presence, stretch, heart rate, blood glucose, blood oxygen, insulin, body temperature, medication detection, blood pressure, sleep monitoring, respiratory rate, lactate, hydration, cholesterol, These sensors monitor electrocardiograms, electroencephalograms, electromyograms, hemoglobin levels, anemia, and more.

[0090] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the entire device may include one or more sensors, a radio (e.g., Bluetooth, BLE, active RFID, LoRa, or LTE, etc.), necessary circuitry (e.g., a power management chip), and firmware.

[0091] In other embodiments, the entire device may include radios such as, but not limited to, Bluetooth, BLE, LTE, or cellular, Wi-Fi or IEEE 802.11, LoRa, UWB, IR, RFID (radio frequency identification), or other ISM bands (industrial, scientific, and medical). Different radios are used for different applications. For example, some radios are short-range and require lower power, while others are longer-range and require more power. In certain embodiments aimed at indoor applications, low-power radios such as Bluetooth and BLE are used when the signal range within a building is not long-range. In other embodiments for outdoor applications, higher-power, long-range radios such as LoRa radios for farms or LTE for mobile vehicles are used.

[0092] In other embodiments, electronic devices can have the following components attached to the photovoltaic backside enabled by the exposed photovoltaic contacts: batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, thermoelectric devices, light emitting devices, LEDs, power management chips, logic circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, integrated circuits, resistors, capacitors, transistors, inductors, diodes, semiconductors, optoelectronic devices, memristors, MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) devices, varistors, antennas, transducers, crystals, resonator devices, terminals, vacuum tubes, photodetectors / emitters, heaters, circuit breakers, fuses, relays, spark gaps, heat sinks, motors, displays (LCD (liquid crystal display), LED (light emitting diode), micro LED, ELD (electroluminescent display), electrophoretic display, AMOLED (active matrix organic light emitting diode), (Crystal Light Emitting Diode), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), QD (Quantum Dot), QLED (Quantum Light Emitting Diode), CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display), DLP (Digital Light Processing), IMOD (Interferometric Modulator Display), DMS (Digital Microshutter Display), Plasma, Neon, Filament, SED (Surface Conduction Electron Emitter Display), FED (Field Emission Display), Laser TV, Carbon Nanotube Touchscreens, External Connectors, Data Storage, Piezoelectric Devices, Speakers, Microphones, Security Chips, and User Input Control Devices such as Buttons, Knobs, Sliders, Switches, Joysticks, Directional Pads, Keypads, and Pressure / Touch Sensors.

[0093] Lamination can include, but is not limited to, plastics, glass, metals, silicones, elastomers, etc. Lamination can be achieved by, for example, but not limited to, heat / pressure / vacuum lamination, UV curing, vacuum lamination, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, and solventless lamination.

[0094] Potting / conformal coatings may include, but are not limited to, urethanes, parylenes, polymers, resins, epoxies, acrylics, paints, tapes, fluorocarbons, nanocoatings, hybrid coatings, water-based coatings, and UV-cured coatings.

[0095] The encapsulant may be applied by, for example, but not limited to, spraying, brushing, vacuum coating, vacuum sealing, vacuum deposition, blade coating, screen printing, dipping, syringe / pipette / dropper dispensing, curing, and selective coating. do not have.

[0096] Further embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a device including a sensor in the form of an attachable label, the device including: a substrate; an organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; top and bottom electrodes integrated into the OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the substrate and the OPV module and having a portion removed to at least partially expose the top and bottom electrodes; a hybrid electronics device disposed on the first encapsulant, the hybrid electronics device including electronics and die components and in electrical contact with the top and bottom electrodes; a second encapsulant covering the substrate, the OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the hybrid electronics device; and an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

[0097] In further embodiments, at least one of the substrate, the OPV module, and the hybrid electronic device is rigid. In additional embodiments, at least one of the substrate, the OPV module, and the hybrid electronic device is flexible. It is also contemplated that the flexible sensors and labels disclosed herein may have small rigid components, such as sensors, chips, and die components, on the flexible substrate.

[0098] FIG. 1 is an exploded schematic diagram of a photovoltaic module directly integrated with electronics through exposure and the use of shared electrical contacts between the photovoltaic module and an electronics device. As illustrated in FIG. 1, device 100 may include a photovoltaic module 102 and an electronics device 104. Photovoltaic module 102 may include an illumination side 106 corresponding to the side of photovoltaic module 102 facing light and an electronics side 108 opposite illumination side 106. Illumination side 106 may include photovoltaic junctions 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d disposed on a substrate 112. Electronics side 108 may include substrate 112 and optional encapsulant (not shown), and may be modified to expose top contact 114 and bottom contact 116 to create modified electronics side 109. The electronic device 104 may then be placed on the backside of the substrate 112 or encapsulant, aligned with the top contact 114 and bottom contact 116, such that an electrical connection exists between the electronic device 104 and the photovoltaic module 102.

[0099] The photovoltaic module 102 may be composed of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, III-V (such as, but not limited to, gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium indium phosphide (GaInP), gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs)), silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), quantum dot (QD), copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), and / or perovskite photovoltaic cells. Organic photovoltaic cells have many potential advantages over inorganic photovoltaic cells due to their non-toxicity, relatively low energy investment for fabrication, adaptability to non-planar surfaces, and compatibility with large-area, high-throughput manufacturing processes. In some embodiments, OPV modules may be fabricated to be semi-transparent, highly reflective, or opaque. Semi-transparent OPV modules may be made by using semi-transparent conductive materials, such as indium tin oxide or thin metals, for both the top and bottom electrodes. The reflectance and hue can be controlled by the choice of organic material and the thickness of the organic layers within the OPV module. OPV modules can contain polymers and / or organic molecules (including pure carbon compounds) as the photoactive material. Polymer-based and / or organic molecule-based OPV modules can be solution-processed, requiring a carrier solvent and fabrication methods such as blade coating, spin coating, and printing. Fabrication methods are not limited to these. Some small molecule OPV modules can also be fabricated by vacuum deposition. In some embodiments, fabrication of OPV modules can include small molecule materials deposited by vacuum thermal evaporation, organic vapor jet printing, or organic vapor deposition. Other fabrication methods can include atomic layer deposition, drop casting, inkjet printing, slot die coating, dip coating, bar coating, and photocrosslinking.

[0100] In some embodiments, the device 100 may be configured to be flexible by attaching the flexible electronics 104 to the flexible photovoltaic module 102. The flexible device 100 may have a low stiffness (e.g., less than 100 N / m) and may include a material with a glassy Young's modulus (e.g., less than 150 GPa). In some embodiments, the flexible photovoltaic module 102 may be disposed on a flexible substrate 112. This flexible substrate 112 may be made from polymers / thermoplastics (e.g., polyimide and polyester films, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polycarbonate), composite / multilayer films, willow glass, acrylic, metal / metal alloy foils, paper, fabrics / textiles, and / or other flexible materials.

[0101] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 102 can be optimized for any light spectrum, such as sunlight or artificial light (e.g., LED, fluorescent, incandescent, grow light, neon light, mercury vapor, metal halide, high-intensity discharge, bioluminescence, chemiluminescence), to increase energy harvest from the sun for the target spectrum. For example, for a given light spectrum, the optimization can target a specific level of light ranging from 1 lux to 150,000 lux. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 102 may be optimized for indoor light, ensuring that there is enough light to power the device 100 whether the device 100 is indoors or outdoors, even if the photovoltaic module 102 is not optimized for outdoor light.

[0102] In some embodiments, optimizing the photovoltaic module 102 can involve modifying the layer structure, changing layer thicknesses, and / or adding layers. For example, OPV modules can be highly tunable to the light spectrum for a variety of applications. Internally, the color and transparency of an OPV module can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the thickness of device layers, selecting photoactive materials based on their spectral absorption properties, changing the ratio of photoactive materials, and adding or removing layers. Externally, OPV modules can be tuned to specific light spectra using antireflective coatings, distributed Bragg reflectors, micropatterning, and other light-trapping structures. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 102 can be designed so that its absorption spectrum can accommodate the emission spectrum of a light source. This can be done by changing the bandgap of an individual subcell (e.g., one of the junctions 110a-d) or by adding multiple junctions to the device 100, so that the combined absorption spectrum of the photovoltaic module 102 can be tailored to match the light source, thereby increasing the efficiency of the photovoltaic module 102. For example, in inorganic photovoltaic cells, elements can be added to the base photovoltaic cell to adjust the bandgap (eg, N added to GaAs).

[0103] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 102 may be fabricated in custom shapes to serve functional and / or aesthetic purposes. The substrate 112, OPV module, and flexible electronics device may be any shape, for example, polygonal, circular, or any shape made from a combination of straight and curved edges. In some embodiments, additional layers may be disposed on the photovoltaic cell module 102 to enhance its performance, lifetime, manufacturability, aesthetics, and / or additional functionality. These layers may be semiconductor, metal, dielectric, and / or insulating layers. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 102 may be fabricated in a variety of shapes, including polygonal, circular, or any shape made from a combination of straight and curved edges. In embodiments, additional layers added to the photovoltaic cell module 102 may include, but are not limited to, anti-reflective coatings, UV protection layers, superlattices, Bragg reflectors, infrared reflective layers, ceramic layers, oxide layers, metal oxide layers, micropatterned layers, quantum dots, growth buffer and cap layers, and metamorphic layers.

[0104] In some embodiments, the electronics device 104 monitors humidity, CO2, light level, vapor pressure deficit, heat index, water, pH, soil moisture, soil pH, soil water content, accelerometer, temperature, pressure, gas detection, global positioning system (GPS), ultra-wideband (UWB), trilateration, parametric sensing, CO, oxygen, total volatile organic compounds, chemicals, pollutants, conductivity, resistivity, current detection / measurement, electrical activity, metal detection, transpiration, water usage, salinity, pest control, climate monitoring, stem diameter, radiation, rain, snow, wind, lightning, soil nutrients, occupancy, location / condition, smoke, liquid leak, power outage, total dissolved solids, flood, movement, door / window movement, light gate, The sensors may be one of: sensors that monitor touch, haptic, displacement, level, acoustic / sound (audible) / vibration / frequency, airflow, Hall effect, fuel level, liquid level, radar, torque, speed, tire pressure, chemical, infrared, ozone, magnetic, radio direction finder, air pollution, moisture detection, seismometer, airspeed, depth, altimeter, free fall, position, angular velocity, shock, tilt, velocity, inertia, force, stress, strain, weight, fire, proximity / presence, extension, heart rate, blood glucose, blood oxygen, insulin, body temperature, medication detection, blood pressure, sleep monitoring, respiration rate, lactate, hydration, cholesterol, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, hemoglobin, and anemia, etc. In some embodiments, electronics device 104 can be tailored for each application by modifying the sensors and / or radio included in the electronics circuitry and firmware.

[0105] In some embodiments, electronics device 104 may include a radio, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Long Term Evolution (LTE) or cellular, Wi-Fi or IEEE 802.11, Long Range (LoRa), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Infrared (IR), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), or other Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Band (ISM Band) radio. Different radios may be used for different applications. For example, some radios that have shorter ranges and require lower power may be used indoors where a long signal range is not required (e.g., BLE), while other radios that have longer ranges and require more power may be used outdoors (e.g., LoRa radios for farms, or LTE for mobile vehicles).

[0106] In some embodiments, the electronic device 104 can be attached to the back or top surface of the photovoltaic module 102 with the exposed top contact 114 and bottom contact 116, including but not limited to: batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, thermoelectric devices, light emitting devices, LEDs, power management chips, logic circuits, microprocessors, microcontrollers, integrated circuits, resistors, capacitors, transistors, inductors, diodes, semiconductors, optoelectronic devices, memristors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices, varistors, antennas, transducers, crystals, resonators, terminals, vacuum tubes, photodetectors / emitters, heaters, circuit breakers, fuses, relays, spark gaps, heat sinks, motors, displays (including but not limited to liquid crystal displays (LCDs)), and the like. D), light emitting diode, micro LED, electroluminescent display (ELD), electronically movable display, active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED), organic light emitting diode (OLED), quantum dot (QD), quantum light emitting diode (QLED), cathode ray tube (CRT), vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), digital light processing (DLP), interferometric modulator display (IMOD), digital microshutter display (DMS), plasma, neon, filament, surface conduction electron emission display (SED), field emission display (FED), laser TV, carbon nanotube tubing), touchscreens, external connectors, data storage, piezo devices, speakers, microphones, security chips, and user input controls such as buttons, knobs, sliders, switches, joysticks, directional pads, keypads, and pressure / touch sensors.

[0107] In some embodiments, the electronic components may be flexible or may be rigid components such as die electronic components or larger chips consistent with the disclosed embodiments. Rigid components may be disposed on the flexible substrate 112 while maintaining the overall flexibility of the device 100.

[0108] The exposed top and bottom contacts 114, 116 can be electrically connected to the electronics device 104 by any means, including, but not limited to, soldering, ultrasonic soldering, conductive epoxy, conductive paste, conductive paint, spot welding, welding, wire bonding, printed conductive ink, mechanical contact, nanowire mesh, graphene, and graphite. The electronics device 104 can be attached to the photovoltaic module 102 by methods, including, but not limited to, robotic pick-and-place of parts, manual attachment of parts, adhesive attachment of parts, and / or attachment of printed electronics or substrate 112 to the electronics device 104. Circuits can be assembled by printing, painting, using electrical connections, and / or any method for manufacturing circuits.

[0109] Once the electronic device 104 is integrated with the photovoltaic module 102, the device 100 can be encapsulated by an encapsulant, shown as encapsulation electronics 118. The encapsulant can include, but is not limited to, lamination and potting / conformal coating. Lamination can include, but is not limited to, plastic, glass, metal, silicone, and elastomer. Lamination can be achieved by, for example, heat / pressure / vacuum lamination, UV curing, vacuum lamination, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, solventless lamination, and / or any method for sealing the device 100 with a material. The potting / conformal coating can include, but is not limited to, urethane, parylene, polymer, resin, epoxy, acrylic, paint, tape, fluorocarbon, nanocoating, hybrid coating, water-based coating, solvent-based coating, and UV-curable coating. The encapsulant can also be applied by, for example, spraying, brushing, vacuum coating, vacuum sealing, vacuum deposition, blade coating, screen printing, dipping, syringe / pipette / dropper dispensing, curing, and selective coating.

[0110] Once device 100 has undergone the manufacturing process, it may be self-contained or may be attached to other devices via exposed leads and / or external connectors. In some embodiments, adhesive or adhesive strips may be placed on the back or top surface of the lamination to allow for simple installation of device 100. This may allow, for example, the device to include labels, sensors, and / or other electronic devices 104 that may be flexible and need to be placed on boxes, shipping packages, and / or other surfaces that benefit from an easily adaptable flexible device.

[0111] 2A-2D are cross-sectional views of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the top side, illustrating the process of disposing an electronic device on a substrate. As shown in FIG. 2A, device 210 includes photovoltaic module 211, top contact 212, bottom contact 213, substrate 214, and encapsulation. The photovoltaic module 211 may include a stopper 215 and, optionally, an encapsulant 216. The photovoltaic module 211 may be disposed on a substrate 214 and may include a top contact 212 and a bottom contact 213. The top contact 212 and the bottom contact 213 may be positive and negative, or negative and positive, respectively. The top contact 212 and the bottom contact 213 may be positioned such that both are exposed and can complete a connection with an electronic device. The top contact 212 may extend beyond the bottom contact 213 such that the top contact 212 is exposed when the substrate 214 is removed. For top-side illumination, the top contact 212 and the bottom contact 213 may be exposed on the back side of the device 210 and may be used to make electrical contact with a flexible electronic device for power. The substrate 214 may include plastic, glass, elastomer, resin, and / or metal. In some embodiments, photovoltaic module 211 and substrate 214 may be encapsulated via encapsulant 215 and optional encapsulant 216 before integration with electronics. Methods for fabricating device 210 may include, but are not limited to, electron beam evaporation, sputtering, vacuum thermal evaporation, vapor deposition, vapor jet printing, atomic layer deposition, drop casting, blade coating, screen printing, inkjet printing, slot die coating, dip coating, bar coating, spin coating, painting, and / or soldering.

[0112] 2B , one or both of the top contact 222 and the bottom contact 223 may be made accessible from the backside of the device 220 and exposed by removing some or all of the substrate 224 and the encapsulant 226, which may be optionally disposed below the substrate 224. Methods for removing some or all of the substrate 224 and / or encapsulant 226 may include, but are not limited to, laser ablation, chemical removal, mechanical removal, and / or pre-patterning of the substrate 224. In some embodiments, the device 220 may include active organic layers, metal layers, and metal oxide layers, as well as bus bars. Removing some or all of the substrate 224 and / or encapsulant 226 removes any material above the bus bars, exposing the top contact 222 and the bottom contact 223. In some embodiments, the top contact 222 is exposed by removing all layers below the top contact 222, which may include the photovoltaic module 221, the bottom contact 223, the substrate 224, the encapsulant 226, and / or any additional layers. In some embodiments, the top contact 222 may extend outside the photovoltaic module 221 such that the top contact 222 can be exposed by removal of the substrate 224 and / or the encapsulant 226 .

[0113] FIG. 2C shows an electronic device 237 that can be disposed on the backside of the substrate 234 and / or encapsulant 236 once the top contacts 232 and bottom contacts 233 are exposed on the backside. In some embodiments, circuitry, wires, and / or leads can be printed on the substrate 234 and / or encapsulant 236, and die components (e.g., sensors, radios, and / or chips) can be subsequently disposed. In some embodiments, the electronic device 237 can be flexible, such as a flexible label, flexible sensor, and / or flexible tracking device. Flexible printed electronics for the flexible electronic device 237 can be fabricated via an etching process similar to traditional printed electronics or using additive techniques in which conductive traces are printed onto the non-conductive substrate 234. Flexible printed electronics can be printed by providing conductive lines using one of several methods, including, but not limited to, screen, gravure, inkjet, flexography, and other printing methods. To complete the flexible electronic device 237, bare die electronic components can be integrated with flexible circuitry. Although some electronic components may be rigid, they may have both a low-profile and / or small footprints that maintain the overall flexibility of device 230.

[0114] 2D shows another way in which electronic device 247 can be disposed on the backside of substrate 244. In this embodiment, top contacts 242 may be exposed on the top side, and electronic device 247 may include electrical connections that wrap around device 240 from the backside to the topside to complete the connection with contacts 242.

[0115] 3A-3D are cross-sectional views of a photovoltaic module illuminated from the backside, illustrating the process of disposing an electronic device on a substrate. As shown in FIG. 3A, device 310 can include photovoltaic module 311, top contact 312, bottom contact 313, substrate 314, encapsulant 315, and optional encapsulant 316. Photovoltaic module 311 can be disposed on substrate 314 and can include top contact 312 and bottom contact 313. Top contact 312 and bottom contact 313 can be positive and negative, or negative and positive, respectively. Top contact 312 and bottom contact 313 can be positioned such that both are exposed to complete a connection with an electronic device. Bottom contact 313 can extend beyond top contact 312 so that bottom contact 313 is exposed when encapsulant 315 is removed. For backside illumination, top contact 312 and top contact 313 may be exposed on the top side of device 310 and may be used to make electrical contact with the flexible electronics device for power. Substrate 314 may include plastic, glass, elastomer, resin, and / or metal. In some embodiments, photovoltaic module 311 and substrate 314 may be encapsulated via encapsulant 315 and optional encapsulant 316 before integration with electronics. Fabrication methods for device 310 may include, but are not limited to, electron beam evaporation, sputtering, vacuum thermal evaporation, vapor deposition, vapor jet printing, atomic layer deposition, drop casting, blade coating, inkjet printing, slot-die coating, dip coating, bar coating, spin coating, painting, and / or soldering.

[0116] 3B , one or both of the top contact 322 and the bottom contact 323 can be made accessible from the top side of the device 320 and exposed by removing some or all of the encapsulant 325. Methods for removing some or all of the encapsulant 325 can include, but are not limited to, laser ablation, chemical removal, mechanical removal, and / or pre-patterning. In some embodiments, the device 320 can include active organic layers and metal oxide layers as well as a bus bar. When removing some or all of the encapsulant 325, any material above the bus bar can be removed to expose the top contact 322 and the bottom contact 323. In some embodiments, the bottom contact 323 can be exposed by removing all layers above the bottom contact 323, which can include the photovoltaic module 321, the top contact 322, the encapsulant 325, and / or any additional layers. In some embodiments, the bottom contact 323 can extend outside the photovoltaic module 321 such that removal of the encapsulant 326 can expose the bottom contact 323.

[0117] 3C shows an electronic device 337 that may be placed on top of the encapsulant 335 once the top contacts 332 and bottom contacts 333 are exposed on the top side. In some embodiments, the electronic device 337 may be flexible, such as a flexible label, a flexible sensor, and / or a flexible tracking device. As an illustrative example, FIG. 3D shows another way in which the electronic device 347 may be placed on top of the encapsulant 345. In this embodiment, the bottom contacts 343 may be exposed on the backside, and the electronic device 347 may include electrical connections that wrap around the device 340 from the top side to the backside to complete the connection with the contacts 344.

Claims

1. A flexible Internet of Things (IoT) sensing and / or beacon device in the form of an attachable label, comprising: A flexible substrate; a flexible organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate; an upper electrode and a lower electrode integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module, a portion of which is removed to at least partially expose the upper electrode and the lower electrode; a flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) device disposed on the first encapsulant, the flexible hybrid electronics device having a die component and a conductive trace, the die component being in electrical contact with the top electrode and the bottom electrode; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; an adhesive on the second encapsulant; Label with.

2. The label of claim 1 , wherein the flexible OPV module comprises photovoltaic cells including one or more junctions arranged in series.

3. The label of claim 1 , wherein the flexible OPV module comprises a photoactive material, the photoactive material comprising a polymer, an organic molecule, or both a polymer and an organic molecule.

4. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein a process for manufacturing the OPV module includes one or more of solution processing, vacuum deposition, photocrosslinking, vacuum thermal evaporation, organic vapor phase deposition, organic vapor phase jet printing, atomic layer deposition, drop casting, blade coating, inkjet printing, slot die coating, dip coating, bar coating, and spin coating.

5. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the process for manufacturing the OPV module includes one or more of a batch or roll-to-roll manufacturing process, in which the FHE device is directly attached to the OPV module or laminated to the OPV module using heat or an adhesive.

6. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the OPV module can be optimized for light levels ranging from 1 lux to 150,000 lux by one or more of tuning the color of the cell, tuning the transparency of the cell, adding an anti-reflective coating, adding a distributed Bragg reflector, adding micro-patterning, adding a light trapping structure, tuning the band gap, adding junctions, and adding elements.

7. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the OPV module includes one or more of an anti-reflective coating, an ultraviolet protection layer, a superlattice, a Bragg reflector, an infrared reflective layer, a ceramic layer, an oxide layer, a metal oxide layer, a micropatterned layer, quantum dots, a growth buffer layer, a cap layer, and a metamorphic layer.

8. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate comprises one or more materials selected from polymers, thermoplastics, composite films, multilayer films, willow glass, acrylic, metal foils, metal alloy foils, paper, fabrics, and woven fabrics.

9. 2. The label of claim 1, wherein the FHE device is wrapped around the first encapsulant, the FHE device making first electrical contact with the upper electrode in a first direction of the first encapsulant and making second electrical contact with the lower electrode in a second direction of the first encapsulant opposite the first direction.

10. The FHE device measures humidity, CO ２ , light level, saturation deficit, heat index, water, pH, soil moisture, volumetric soil moisture, soil pH, accelerometer, temperature, pressure, gas detection, global positioning system (GPS), ultra-wideband (UWB), trilateration, parametric sensing, CO, oxygen, total volatile organic compounds, chemicals, pollutants, conductivity, resistivity, current detection, current measurement, electrical activity, metal detection, transpiration, water usage, salinity, pest control, climate monitoring, stem diameter, radiation, rain, snow, wind, lightning, soil nutrients, occupancy, location, condition, smoke, leaks, power outages, total dissolved solids, floods, movement, door movement, window movement, light gate, tactile, haptic, displacement level, sound frequency , audio frequency, vibration frequency, airflow, Hall effect, fuel level, liquid level, radar, torque, speed, tire pressure, chemical, infrared, ozone, magnetic, radio direction finder, air pollution, moisture detection, seismometer, airspeed, depth, altimeter, free fall, position, angular velocity, shock, tilt, velocity, inertia, force, stress, strain, weight, fire, proximity, presence, extension, heart rate, heart rate, blood glucose, blood oxygen, insulin, body temperature, medication detection, blood pressure, sleep monitoring, respiration rate, lactate, hydration, cholesterol, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, hemoglobin, and anemia.

11. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the FHE device includes one or more radios selected from Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Long Term Evolution (LTE), or cellular, 4G and 5G cellular, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or IEEE 802.11, Long Range (LoRa), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Infrared (IR), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Active Radio Frequency Identification (ARFID), or other Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Band (ISM Band) radios.

12. The FHE device may be a battery, a supercapacitor, a thermoelectric device, a light emitting device, an LED, a power management chip, a logic circuit, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an integrated circuit, a resistor, a capacitor, a transistor, an inductor, a diode, a semiconductor, an optoelectronic device, a memristor, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device, a varistor, an antenna, a transducer, a crystal, a resonator, a terminal, a photodetector, a photoemitter, a heater, a circuit breaker, a fuse, a relay, a spark gap, a heat sink, a motor, a display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode display (LED), a micro LED, an electroluminescent display (ELD), an electrophoretic display (EPD), a Active matrix organic light emitting diode displays (AMOLED), organic light emitting diode displays (OLED), quantum dot displays (QD), quantum light emitting diode displays (QLED), vacuum fluorescent displays (VFD), digital light processing displays (DLP), interferometric modulator displays (IMOD), digital microshutter displays (DMS), plasma displays, neon displays, filament displays, surface conduction electron emitter displays (SED), field emission displays (FED), laser TVs, carbon nanotube displays, touch screens, external connectors, data storage, piezoelectric devices, speakers, microphones, security 10. The label of claim 1, comprising a tip and one or more of user input controls including buttons, knobs, sliders, switches, joysticks, directional pads, keypads, and pressure / touch sensors.

13. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is established via one or more of soldering, ultrasonic soldering, conductive epoxy, conductive paste, conductive paint, spot welding, welding, wire bonding, printed conductive ink, mechanical contact, nanowire mesh, graphene, and graphite.

14. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is established via printed conductive ink in contact with a bus bar in the flexible OPV module.

15. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the second sealing body comprises a lamination, the lamination comprising one or more materials selected from plastic, glass, metal, silicone, and elastomer, and the one or more materials are provided by one or more of thermal lamination, pressure lamination, vacuum lamination, ultraviolet curing, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, and solventless lamination.

16. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the second encapsulant comprises a potting coating comprising a urethane, parylene, polymer, resin, epoxy, acrylic, paint, tape, fluorocarbon, nanocoating, hybrid coating, water-based coating, solvent-based coating, and ultraviolet coating.

17. 10. The label of claim 1, wherein the second encapsulant is applied by one or more of spraying, brushing, vacuum coating, vacuum sealing, vacuum deposition, blade coating, screen printing, dipping, syringe dispensing, pipette dispensing, dropper dispensing, curing, and selective coating.

18. 1. A method for manufacturing a flexible Internet of Things (IoT) sensing and / or beacon device in the form of an attachable label, comprising: fabricating a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of OPV cells by providing an organic film using one or more of solution processing and vacuum deposition; providing the top electrode and the bottom electrode on the flexible OPV module by one or more of vacuum deposition, printing, screen printing, soldering, or painting, so that both the top electrode and the bottom electrode are at least partially exposed; providing the flexible OPV module on a flexible substrate; providing a first encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module and the flexible substrate; removing a portion of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; Fabricating a flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) device having flexible electronics and die components including conductive traces; establishing electrical contact between the FHE device and the upper and lower electrodes; Attaching the FHE device to one or more of the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; the flexible OPV module, the flexible substrate, the first encapsulant, and and providing a second encapsulant covering the FHE device; and providing an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

19. fabricating the FHE device includes: printing conductive traces on the backside of said flexible OPV module by an etching process using additive techniques; and integrating the die parts, which may be rigid, to a backside of the flexible OPV module.

20. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein removing a portion of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate comprises one or more of laser ablation, chemical removal, mechanical removal, and pre-patterning.

21. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the first encapsulant and the second encapsulant comprises one or more of thermal lamination, pressure lamination, vacuum lamination, ultraviolet curing, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, solventless lamination, spraying, brushing, vacuum coating, vacuum sealing, vacuum deposition, blade coating, screen printing, dipping, syringe dispensing, pipette dispensing, dropper dispensing, curing, and selective coating.

22. A flexible Internet of Things (IoT) wireless device in the form of an attachable label, comprising: A flexible substrate; a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate; an upper electrode and a lower electrode integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module, a portion of which is removed to at least partially expose the upper electrode and the lower electrode; a flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) device provided on the first encapsulant side, the flexible hybrid electronics device having a die component including a radio and flexible electronics including conductive traces, the die component being in electrical contact with the upper electrode and the lower electrode; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; an adhesive on the second encapsulant; A label comprising:

23. 23. The label of claim 22, wherein the FHE device has one or more radios selected from Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Long Term Evolution (LTE), or cellular, 4G and 5G cellular, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or IEEE 802.11, long range (LoRa), ultra-wideband (UWB), infrared (IR), radio frequency identification (RFID), active radio frequency identification (ARFID), or other industrial, scientific, and medical band (ISM band) radio.

24. 1. A method of manufacturing a flexible Internet of Things (IoT) wireless device in the form of an attachable label, comprising: providing an organic film using one or more of solution processing and vacuum deposition; Fabricating a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of OPV cells; providing the top electrode and the bottom electrode on the flexible OPV module by one or more of vacuum deposition, printing, screen printing, soldering, or painting, so that both the top electrode and the bottom electrode are at least partially exposed; providing the flexible OPV module on a flexible substrate; providing a first encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module and the flexible substrate; removing a portion of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; Fabricating a flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) device having flexible electronics including conductive traces and a die component including a radio; establishing electrical contact between the FHE device and the upper and lower electrodes; Attaching the FHE device to one or more of the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; providing a second encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module, the flexible substrate, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and providing an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

25. 25. The label of claim 24, wherein the FHE device has one or more radios selected from Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Long Term Evolution (LTE), or cellular, 4G and 5G cellular, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) or IEEE 802.11, long range (LoRa), ultra-wideband (UWB), infrared (IR), radio frequency identification (RFID), active radio frequency identification (ARFID), or other industrial, scientific, and medical band (ISM band) radio.

26. A flexible Internet of Things (IoT) automated control system in the form of an attachable label, comprising: A flexible substrate; a flexible organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) module including a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the flexible substrate; an upper electrode and a lower electrode integrated into the flexible OPV module and at least partially exposed; a first encapsulant covering the flexible substrate and the flexible OPV module, a portion of which is removed to at least partially expose the upper electrode and the lower electrode; A flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) is provided on the first encapsulant side and has a die component including a conductive trace and a programmable controller, and is electrically connected to the upper electrode and the lower electrode. an electronics device; a second encapsulant covering the flexible substrate, the flexible OPV module, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; an adhesive on the second encapsulant; A system with.

27. 1. A method for manufacturing a flexible Internet of Things (IoT) automated control system in the form of an attachable label, comprising: fabricating a flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) module including a plurality of OPV cells by providing an organic film using one or more of solution processing and vacuum deposition; providing the top electrode and the bottom electrode on the flexible OPV module by one or more of vacuum deposition, printing, screen printing, soldering, or painting, so that both the top electrode and the bottom electrode are at least partially exposed; providing the flexible OPV module on a flexible substrate; providing a first encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module and the flexible substrate; removing a portion of the first encapsulant, the flexible substrate, or both the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; Fabricating a flexible hybrid electronic (FHE) device having flexible electronics including conductive traces and a die component including a programmable controller; establishing electrical contact between the FHE device and the upper and lower electrodes; Attaching the FHE device to one or more of the first encapsulant and the flexible substrate; providing a second encapsulant covering the flexible OPV module, the flexible substrate, the first encapsulant, and the FHE device; and providing an adhesive on the second encapsulant.

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