Protective seal for a solar sheet

Abstract

SOLUTION: A substrate; a photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; top and bottom electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the top and bottom electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of the photovoltaic module, the photovoltaic device wherein the protective encapsulant comprises a) at least one vacuum-processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200 °C or less, or b) at least one solution-processed metal oxide selected from molybdenum oxide (MoOx), tungsten trioxide (WO3), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiOx), and titanium dioxide (TiO2).EFFECT: The protective encapsulant of the present disclosure can eliminate the reaction of the photovoltaic layer with air, and thus can improve the lifetime of the photovoltaic module.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 / 942,897, filed December 3, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to photovoltaic modules that include at least one electrically insulating and chemically inert protective layer. [Background technology]

[0003] Photovoltaic modules are sensitive to moisture and oxygen, which can cause chemical and morphological degradation and significantly shorten their performance lifespan, significantly hindering their practical application. To mitigate the effects of moisture and oxygen, attempts have been made to encapsulate photovoltaic modules through the use of hermetic packaging in an inert environment. However, this encapsulation can complicate the manufacturing process and increase costs. Other methods to mitigate the effects of moisture and oxygen include encapsulation with hot-melt adhesives, epoxy adhesives, and / or pressure- or temperature-sensitive adhesives. However, encapsulation with these adhesives can lead to performance degradation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address these issues, the present disclosure is directed to at least one electrically insulating and chemically inert protective layer, referred to herein as a protective encapsulant, disposed directly over at least a portion of a completed photovoltaic module. The protective encapsulant of the present disclosure can eliminate reactions between the photovoltaic layer and air, thus improving the lifespan of the photovoltaic module. The protective encapsulant of the present disclosure can also prevent reactions between the photovoltaic material and existing encapsulant layers. Furthermore, the protective encapsulant of the present disclosure can encapsulate a photovoltaic device in air without degrading the photovoltaic layer.

[0005] The protective encapsulant of the present disclosure can alleviate the problem of adhesive chemical compatibility with photovoltaic layers, such as organic photovoltaic (OPV) layers, thus dramatically increasing the variety of additional encapsulants and laminates available for packaging photovoltaic devices. Furthermore, the materials used as protective encapsulants according to the present disclosure are inexpensive and can be deposited on a manufacturing scale.

[0006] The entire device, i.e., photovoltaic module and protective encapsulant, can then be laminated / further encapsulated / packaged in air, thereby producing a long-life, low-cost photovoltaic device.

[0007] The protective encapsulant according to the present disclosure can be used in any of a number of photovoltaic devices, such as OPV modules, to similarly isolate or protect the device and improve its performance. Further, non-limiting examples of photovoltaic devices include III-V (e.g., gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium indium phosphide (GaInP), and gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs)), silicon, cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), quantum dots (QDs), copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), and / or perovskite photovoltaic modules.

[0008] In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides a photovoltaic module comprising: a substrate; a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; upper and lower electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the upper and lower electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of ​​the photovoltaic module, the protective encapsulant being made of a) at least one vacuum-processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200° C. or less, or b) molybdenum oxide (MoO x ), tungsten trioxide (WO3), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO x), and titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0009] In certain embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an organic photovoltaic device comprising: a substrate; a photovoltaic module including a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; upper and lower electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the upper and lower electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant portion covering at least an active area of ​​the photovoltaic module, the protective encapsulant comprising at least one vacuum-processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200°C or less, the at least one vacuum-processed material being selected from MoO, WO, SiO, VO, AlF, LiF, MgF, bathophenanthroline, and 2,2',2"-(1,3,5-benzinetryl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole).

[0010] In a further embodiment, the present disclosure relates to an organic photovoltaic device comprising: a substrate; a photovoltaic module including a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; upper and lower electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the upper and lower electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of ​​the photovoltaic module, the protective encapsulant comprising at least one vacuum-processed metal oxide or metal fluoride selected from MoO3, WO3, SiO2, VO5, AlF3, LiF, and MgF2.

[0011] In further embodiments, the present disclosure provides a photovoltaic module including a substrate; a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; upper and lower electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the upper and lower electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of ​​the photovoltaic module, the protective encapsulant being molybdenum oxide (MoO x ), tungsten trioxide (WO3), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO x), and titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0012] Other embodiments of the present disclosure are described below.

[0013] 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]

[0014] 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] 1A, 1B, and 1C are cross-sectional views of a photovoltaic device having different degrees of coverage by a protective encapsulant. [Figure 2] Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C are cross-sectional views of a photovoltaic device having different degrees of coverage by two protective encapsulants. [Figure 3] Figure 3A shows the properties of a protective encapsulant layer disposed on an organic photovoltaic device. Figure 3B shows the properties of a protective encapsulant layer disposed on an organic photovoltaic device. Figure 3C shows the properties of a protective encapsulant layer disposed on an organic photovoltaic device. Figure 3D shows the properties of a protective encapsulant layer disposed on an organic photovoltaic device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The drawings described herein are for purposes of illustrating selected embodiments only, not all possible implementations, 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.

[0016] Detailed Description Certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a photovoltaic module including a substrate; a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; upper and lower electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the upper and lower electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of ​​the photovoltaic module, the protective encapsulant being made of a) at least one vacuum processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200° C. or less, or b) molybdenum oxide (MoO x ), tungsten trioxide (WO3), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO x ), and titanium dioxide (TiO2). In a further embodiment, the photovoltaic is an OPV.

[0017] As used herein, the term "active region" refers to the region in a photovoltaic device that produces photocurrent.

[0018] Photovoltaic devices according to the present disclosure, such as OPV devices, can be used in many downstream markets, including, but not limited to, agriculture, indoor farming, ecology, livestock tracking, home automation, Internet of Things (IoT), indoor light harvesters, outdoor light harvesters, recreation, wearable devices, smartphones / tablets / computers / watches, jewelry, energy infrastructure, healthcare, 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, tamper-resistant monitoring, alarm systems, automation, automotive and building integrated photovoltaics.

[0019] According to the present disclosure, a photovoltaic device is comprised of series and / or parallel photovoltaic cells arranged on a substrate, which can be organized into modules with current collection and sealing for long life. The photovoltaic device also includes a top electrode and a bottom electrode. The photovoltaic device may also include one or more junctions arranged in series.

[0020] In some embodiments, photovoltaic devices may be custom-shaped to serve functional and / or aesthetic purposes, for example, polygonal, circular, or any shape made from a combination of straight and curved edges.

[0021] In some embodiments, additional layers can be disposed on a photovoltaic device to enhance its performance, lifetime, manufacturability, aesthetics, and / or functionality. These layers can be semiconductor, metal, dielectric, and / or insulating layers. In some embodiments, additional layers added to a photovoltaic device can 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.

[0022] The photovoltaics may be comprised 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 dots (QDs), copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), and / or perovskite photovoltaic cells.

[0023] 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 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 selection of organic materials 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 photoactive materials. Polymer-based and / or organic molecule-based OPV modules can be solution-processed and require a carrier solvent and fabrication methods, including, but not limited to, blade coating, spin coating, and printing. Some small molecule OPV modules can also be fabricated by vacuum deposition. In some embodiments, OPV module fabrication 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, sol-gel, and photocrosslinking.

[0024] Organic photovoltaics can include materials such as organic molecules, pure carbon compounds, and / or polymers.

[0025] In certain embodiments, the protective encapsulant may be disposed over the photovoltaic in a vacuum. In some embodiments, the protective encapsulant may be disposed over the photovoltaic in an environment having a pressure ranging from low vacuum to atmospheric pressure (greater than 1 mTorr). In further embodiments, the protective encapsulant may be disposed over the photovoltaic by vacuum deposition methods, including, but not limited to, vacuum thermal evaporation, atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, vapor phase deposition, and physical vapor deposition.

[0026] Vacuum-processable protective encapsulant materials include glasses and metal oxides and / or metal fluorides having deposition temperatures of 1200°C or less, including, but not limited to, MoO3, WO3, SiO2, VO5, AlF3, LiF, MgF2, bathophenanthroline, and 2,2',2"-(1,3,5-benzyntriyl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole). In further embodiments, additional materials can be disposed on the vacuum-processable protective encapsulant material. These additional materials include, for example, metals and / or metal alloys, such as Al, Ag, Cu, and Au.

[0027] In other embodiments, the protective encapsulant may be disposed on the photovoltaic by solution processing methods including, but not limited to, sol-gel, spraying, brushing, spin coating, blade coating, dip coating, slot-die coating, bar coating, printing, and syringe / pipette / dropper dispensing. Solution processable protective encapsulant materials include MoO3, WO3, VO5, ZnO, NiO x Examples of suitable protective encapsulant materials include, but are not limited to, TiO. In further embodiments, additional materials can be disposed over the solution-processable protective encapsulant material. These additional materials include, for example, metals and / or metal alloys such as Al, Ag, Cu, and Au.

[0028] The protective encapsulant materials disclosed herein may be applied continuously or with intermediate layers. Additionally, the protective encapsulant layers may be applied by a batch (sheet-to-sheet) process or a continuous (roll-to-roll) process.

[0029] In some embodiments, the protective encapsulant may be placed on the photovoltaic in-situ as part of the manufacturing process for the photovoltaic component, while in other embodiments, the protective encapsulant may be placed ex-situ after manufacturing of the photovoltaic is complete.

[0030] In certain embodiments, the protective encapsulant may include, but is not limited to, an electrically insulating material, a glass, a metal oxide, a metal fluoride, a metal, and / or any combination thereof.

[0031] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic is flexible with low stiffness <5 N / m, including but not limited to glass, materials with Young's modulus <50 GPa. In other embodiments, the photovoltaic is rigid.

[0032] Substrates according to the present disclosure can include, but are not limited to, glass, willow glass, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyimide, silicon, mica, amorphous / crystalline / polycrystalline aluminum oxide and / or sapphire, silicon dioxide, and metal foils / sheets.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides a photovoltaic module comprising: a substrate; a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; upper and lower electrodes incorporated into the photovoltaic module, the upper and lower electrodes being at least partially exposed; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of ​​the photovoltaic module, the protective encapsulant being made of a) at least one vacuum processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200° C. or less, or b) molybdenum oxide (MoO x ), tungsten trioxide (WO3), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO x ), and titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0034] In a further embodiment, the protective encapsulant covering at least the active region of the organic photovoltaic module comprises at least one vacuum-processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200° C. or less, the at least one vacuum-processed material being selected from MoO3, WO3, SiO2, VO5, AlF3, LiF, MgF2, bathophenanthroline, and 2,2',2"-(1,3,5-benzyntriyl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole). In another embodiment, the protective encapsulant covering the active region of the organic photovoltaic module comprises at least one vacuum-processed metal oxide or metal fluoride selected from MoO3, WO3, SiO2, VO5, AlF3, LiF, and MgF2. In a further embodiment, the protective encapsulant covering the active region of the organic photovoltaic module comprises at least one vacuum-processed metal oxide or metal fluoride selected from molybdenum oxide (MoO x ), tungsten trioxide (WO3), vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO x ), and titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0035] In some embodiments, an optional encapsulant and / or packaging can be added to cover the entire photovoltaic device. The optional encapsulant may include, but is not limited to, a lamination, a potting coating, and / or a conformal coating. This optional encapsulant and / or packaging can provide protection against, for example, but not limited to, oxygen, moisture, rain, hail, snow, wind, temperature gradients / changes between -40°C and 85°C, storms, hurricanes, fire, scratches, scrapes, fractures, cracks, and shatters.

[0036] In some embodiments, any packaging may cover the photovoltaic using rigid and / or flexible barrier materials such as, but not limited to, glass, willow glass, metal foil, plastic, polymer, acrylic, composite film, plexiglass, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyimide, silicon, mica, amorphous / crystalline / polycrystalline aluminum oxide and / or sapphire, silicon dioxide, etc. These barrier materials may be attached to the photovoltaic using, for example, but not limited to, epoxies, resins, UV curable epoxies / resins / glues, heat activated adhesives, pressure activated adhesives, temperature and pressure activated adhesives, etc.

[0037] Lamination can include, but is not limited to, plastics, glass, metals, silicones, elastomers, etc. Lamination can be accomplished, for example, but not limited to, heat / pressure / vacuum lamination, UV cure, vacuum lamination, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, and solventless lamination.

[0038] 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.

[0039] The encapsulated photovoltaic can be integrated into an electronic device, which in some embodiments may be a sensor, a stand-alone energy harvester, a building integrated photovoltaic, a portable charging unit, or a wireless unit.

[0040] In other embodiments, the electronic device may include a supercapacitor, a fuel cell, 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 MEMS device, a varistor, an antenna, a transducer, a crystal, a resonator, a terminal, a vacuum tube, a photodetector / emitter, a heater, a circuit breaker, a fuse, a relay, a spark gap, a heat sink, a motor, a display (such as, but not limited to, LCD, LED, ELD, AMOLED, OLED, QLED, CRT, VFD, DLP, IMOD, DMS, plasma, neon, filament, etc.), a touch screen, an external connector, a data storage device, a piezoelectric device, a speaker, a microphone, a security chip, and user input controls such as, but not limited to, a button, a knob, a slider, a switch, a joystick, a directional pad, a keypad, and a pressure / touch sensor.

[0041] Sensors include: humidity, CO2, light level, vapor pressure deficit, heat index, water pH, soil moisture, soil water content, soil pH, accelerometer, temperature, pressure, gas sensing, GPS, UWB trilateration, parametric sensing, CO, oxygen, total volatile organic compounds, chemicals, pollutants, conductivity, resistivity, current sensing / measurement, electrical activity, metal detection, evapotranspiration, water usage, salinity, pest control, climate monitoring, stem diameter, radiation, rain, snow, wind, lightning, soil nutrients, occupancy, location / condition, smoke, fluid leak, power outage, total dissolved solids, flood, movement, door / window movement, photogate, tactile, haptic, displacement, level, acoustic / sound / vibration / frequency The following may be measured: number, airflow, Hall effect, fuel level, fluid level, radar, torque, speed, tire pressure, chemical, infrared, ozone, magnetic, radio wave detector, air pollution, moisture detection, seismometer, airspeed, depth, altimeter, free fall, position, angular velocity, impact, tilt, velocity, inertia, force, stress, strain, weight, fire, proximity / presence, stretch, heartbeat, heart rate, blood glucose, blood oxygen, insulin, body temperature, medication detection, blood pressure, sleep monitoring, respiratory rate, lactate, hydration, cholesterol, electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, hemoglobin, anemia.

[0042] 1A-1C are cross-sectional views of photovoltaic devices having different degrees of coverage provided by a protective encapsulant. As shown in FIG. 1A, photovoltaic device 110 may include a photovoltaic module 111, a top contact 112, a bottom contact 113, a substrate 114, and a protective encapsulant 115. Photovoltaic module 111 may be disposed on substrate 114 and may include top contact 112 and bottom contact 113. Top contact 112 and bottom contact 113 may be positive and negative, or negative and positive, respectively. Top contact 112 and bottom contact 113 may be positioned such that both are exposed to complete a connection with an electronic device.

[0043] The substrate 114 can comprise any known substrate, including plastic, glass, willow glass, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyimide, silicon, mica, amorphous / crystalline / polycrystalline aluminum oxide and / or sapphire, silicon dioxide, elastomer, resin, and / or metal foil / sheet. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 111 and substrate 114 may be encapsulated before being integrated with electronics via a protective encapsulant 115.

[0044] Fabrication methods for the photovoltaic device 110 can include, but are not limited to, electron beam evaporation, sputtering, vacuum thermal evaporation, vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, sol-gel, spraying, brushing, syringe / pipette / dropper dispensing, 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.

[0045] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 111 may include photovoltaic junctions (not shown), also referred to as photovoltaic subcells, disposed on the substrate 114. The photovoltaic module 111 may be comprised 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. In some embodiments, part or all of the photovoltaic module 111 may be referred to as the "active region," which is defined as the region in a photovoltaic device (e.g., photovoltaic device 110) that generates photocurrent.

[0046] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic device 110 can be flexible. The flexible photovoltaic device 110 may have a low stiffness (e.g., less than 5 N / m) and may include a material with a glass Young's modulus less than 50 GPa. In some embodiments, the flexible photovoltaic module 111 may be disposed on a flexible substrate 114, which 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. In other embodiments, the photovoltaic device 110 may be rigid.

[0047] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 111 can be optimized for any light spectrum, either sunlight or artificial light (e.g., LED, fluorescent, incandescent, grow light, neon light, mercury vapor, metal halide, high-intensity discharge, bioluminescence, chemiluminescence, etc.), 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 111 may be optimized for indoor light, ensuring that there is enough light to power the photovoltaic device 110 whether the photovoltaic device 110 is indoors or outdoors, even if the photovoltaic module 111 is not optimized for outdoor light.

[0048] In some embodiments, optimizing the photovoltaic module 111 may involve modifying the layer structure, changing layer thicknesses, and / or adding layers. For example, the photovoltaic module 111 may be highly tunable to the light spectrum for various applications. Internally, the color and transparency of the photovoltaic module 111 can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the device layer thickness, selecting photoactive materials based on their spectral absorption characteristics, changing the ratio of photoactive materials, and adding or removing layers. Externally, the photovoltaic module 111 may be tuned to a specific light spectrum using anti-reflective coatings, distributed Bragg reflectors, micropatterning, and other light-trapping structures. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 111 can be designed so that its absorption spectrum can accommodate the emission spectrum of the light source. This can be adjusted by changing the bandgap of an individual subcell (e.g., one of the junctions of the photovoltaic module 111) or by adding multiple junctions to the photovoltaic device 110 so that the combined absorption spectrum of the photovoltaic module 111 is matched to the light source, thereby increasing the efficiency of the photovoltaic module 111. For example, in inorganic photovoltaic cells, elements can be added to the base photovoltaic cell to adjust the bandgap (eg, N added to GaAs).

[0049] In some embodiments, the photovoltaic module 111 may be manufactured in a custom shape to serve functional and / or aesthetic purposes. The substrate 114, photovoltaic module 111, and protective encapsulant 115 may take 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 111 to enhance its performance, lifetime, manufacturability, aesthetics, and / or functionality. These layers may be semiconductor, metal, dielectric, and / or insulating layers.

[0050] In some embodiments, electronic devices connected to photovoltaic device 110 can include radios 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) radios. Different radios can be used for different applications. For example, some radios with shorter ranges and requiring lower power may be used indoors where long signal ranges are not required (e.g., BLE), while other radios with longer ranges and requiring more power may be used outdoors (e.g., LoRa radios for farms, or LTE for mobile vehicles).

[0051] In some embodiments, an electronic device can be attached to the back or top surface of the photovoltaic module 111, which is achieved by the exposed top contact 112 and bottom contact 113, including: a battery, a supercapacitor, a fuel cell, a heat generating 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, an oscillator, a terminal, a vacuum tube, a photodetector / emitter, a heater, a circuit breaker, a fuse, a relay, a spark gap, a heat sink, a motor, a display (liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED), a micro LED, an electroluminescent display), (ELD), electrophoretic displays, active matrix organic light emitting diodes (AMOLED), organic light emitting diodes (OLED), quantum dots (QD), quantum light emitting diodes (QLED), cathode ray tubes (CRT), vacuum fluorescent displays (VFD), digital light processing (DLP), interferometric modulator displays (IMOD), digital microshutter displays (DMS), plasma, neon, filament, surface conduction electron emission displays (SED), field emission displays (FED), laser TVs, and carbon nanotubes), touch screens, external connectors, data storage, piezoelectric devices, speakers, microphones, security chips, and user input controls such as, but not limited to, buttons, knobs, sliders, switches, joysticks, directional pads, keypads, and pressure / touch sensors.

[0052] 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 a flexible substrate 112 while maintaining the overall flexibility of the photovoltaic device 110.

[0053] The exposed top and bottom contacts 112, 113 may be electrically connected to the electronic device 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 electronic device can be attached to the photovoltaic module 111 by methods including, but not limited to, robotic pick-and-place of parts, manual attachment of parts, attachment of parts via adhesives, and / or attachment of the electronic device to printed electronics or substrate 114. Circuits can be assembled by printing, painting, using electrical connections, and / or any method for manufacturing circuits.

[0054] In some embodiments, the protective encapsulant 115 may be disposed over one or more of the substrate, photovoltaic module, top electrode, and bottom electrode in a vacuum and / or an environment having a pressure ranging from a low vacuum (e.g., 1 mTorr) to atmospheric pressure. The protective encapsulant 115 may be thinner, the same thickness as, or thicker than the substrate 114, photovoltaic module 111, top electrode 112, and bottom electrode 113.

[0055] As shown in Figure 1A, protective encapsulant 115 may be positioned such that only photovoltaic module 111 is covered by protective encapsulant 115, i.e., such that protective encapsulant 115 covers only the active area of ​​photovoltaic device 110. In Figure 1B, protective encapsulant 125 may instead be positioned such that photovoltaic module 121, top contact 122, and bottom contact 123 are covered by protective encapsulant 125. Alternatively, Figure 1C shows protective encapsulant 135 that may be positioned such that photovoltaic module 131, top contact 132, bottom contact 133, and substrate 134 are all covered by protective encapsulant 135. Both Figures 1B and 1C show protective encapsulants 125 and 135 covering more than the active areas of photovoltaic devices 120 and 130.

[0056] 2A-2C, and initially referring to FIG. 2A, once the protective encapsulant 215 is placed on the photovoltaic module 211, the photovoltaic device 210 may be encapsulated by an optional encapsulant 216. The optional encapsulant 216 may include, but is not limited to, laminations and potting / conformal coatings. Laminations may include, but are not limited to, plastic, glass, metal, silicone, and elastomers. Lamination may be achieved through, 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 photovoltaic device 210 with a material. Potting / conformal coatings may include, but are not limited to, urethane, parylene, polymer, resin, epoxy, acrylic, paint, tape, fluorocarbon, nanocoating, hybrid coating, water-based coating, solvent-based coating, and UV-cured coating. The optional sealant 216 may 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.

[0057] Photovoltaic device 210, once fabricated, may be self-contained or may allow for attachment 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 laminate to allow for simple installation of device 210. This may allow, for example, photovoltaic device 210 to include labels, sensors, and / or other electronic devices that may need to be placed on a box, shipping package, and / or other surface that would benefit from an easily adaptable device.

[0058] Figure 2A shows optional encapsulant 216 covering photovoltaic device 210, including protective encapsulant 215 covering photovoltaic module 211; i.e., protective encapsulant 215 covers only the active area of ​​photovoltaic device 210. Figure 2B, on the other hand, shows optional encapsulant 226 covering photovoltaic device 220, including protective encapsulant 225 covering photovoltaic module 221, top contact 222, and bottom contact 223. Figure 2C also shows optional encapsulant 236 covering photovoltaic device 230, including protective encapsulant 235 covering photovoltaic module 231, top contact 232, bottom contact 233, and substrate 234. Both Figures 2B and 2C show protective encapsulants 225 and 235 covering more than the active areas of photovoltaic devices 220 and 230.

[0059] As an example, Figures 3A-3D show a vacuum-processable MoO3 layer (e.g., protective encapsulant 215) successfully positioned on an organic photovoltaic (OPV) module (e.g., photovoltaic module 211) to prevent chemical degradation of the photovoltaic components caused by optional packing (e.g., optional encapsulant 216) and provide protection from oxygen and moisture during any packaging process. As shown in Figure 3A, the MoO3 protective encapsulant enables the OPV module to have stable performance in air for at least four hours. However, as shown in Figure 3B, if the MoO3 layer is not applied, the active components of the OPV module become insulators due to reaction with ambient air, and current-to-voltage rectification operation is lost within one hour after air exposure.

[0060] Another benefit of applying a protective encapsulant is that it provides protection from degradation due to parasitic reactions with any encapsulant, such as epoxy adhesive. That is, when a protective encapsulant is placed on a photovoltaic device before any encapsulation, the organic components of the photovoltaic device are preserved and parasitic reactions are prevented, as shown in FIG. 3C. In contrast, when an epoxy adhesive is placed on a photovoltaic device without a protective encapsulant, the organic components of the photovoltaic device are dissolved by the epoxy adhesive during any encapsulation process, as seen in FIG. 3D.

Claims

1. 1. A photovoltaic device comprising: substrate; an organic photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of organic photovoltaic cells disposed on the substrate; an upper electrode and a lower electrode; and a protective encapsulant covering at least an active area of ​​the organic photovoltaic module; the upper and lower electrodes are configured on the top and back surfaces of the organic photovoltaic module; At least a portion of the upper electrode and the lower electrode is not covered by the protective encapsulant; The protective encapsulant is a) at least one vacuum-processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200° C. or less; or b) Molybdenum oxide (MoO ｘ ), tungsten trioxide (WO ３ ), vanadium pentoxide (V ２ O ５ ), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO ｘ ), and titanium dioxide (TiO ２ 1. A photovoltaic device comprising at least one solution-processed metal oxide selected from:

2. The protective encapsulant covering the active area of ​​the organic photovoltaic module comprises at least one vacuum-processed material having a deposition temperature of 1200° C. or less, the at least one vacuum-processed material being MoO ３ , W.O. ３ , SiO ２ , V ２ O ５ , AlF ３ , LiF, MgF ２ 2. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the aryl group is selected from the group consisting of 2,2',2"-(1,3,5-benzyntriyl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole), bathophenanthroline, and 2,2',2"-(1,3,5-benzyntriyl)-tris(1-phenyl-1-H-benzimidazole).

3. The protective encapsulant covering the active area of ​​the organic photovoltaic module is MoO ３ , W.O. ３ , SiO ２ , V ２ O ５ , AlF ３ , LiF, and MgF ２ 10. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, comprising at least one vacuum-treated metal oxide or metal fluoride selected from:

4. The protective encapsulant covering the active area of ​​the organic photovoltaic module is made of molybdenum oxide (MoO ｘ ), tungsten trioxide (WO ３ ), vanadium pentoxide (V ２ O ５ ), zinc oxide (ZnO), nickel oxide (NiO ｘ ), and titanium dioxide (TiO ２ 10. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, comprising at least one solution-processed metal oxide selected from:

5. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of organic photovoltaic cells are arranged in series.

6. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the organic photovoltaic cell comprises one or more of an organic molecule, a pure carbon compound, and a polymer.

7. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic device is flexible with low stiffness.

8. The photovoltaic device of claim 7 , wherein a material included in the photovoltaic device has a Young's modulus of less than 50 GPa.

9. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic device is rigid.

10. 10. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises one or more of glass, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyimide, silicon, mica, amorphous aluminum oxide, crystalline aluminum oxide, polycrystalline aluminum oxide, amorphous sapphire, crystalline sapphire, polycrystalline sapphire, silicon dioxide, metal foil, and metal sheet.

11. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , further comprising a second encapsulant covering the entire photovoltaic device.

12. The photovoltaic device of claim 11 , wherein the second encapsulant comprises one or more of a laminate, a potting coating, and a conformal coating.

13. The photovoltaic device of claim 12 , wherein the laminate comprises one or more of plastic, glass, metal, silicon, and elastomer.

14. 13. The photovoltaic device of claim 12, wherein the lamination is achieved by one or more of heat lamination, pressure lamination, vacuum lamination, UV curing, flame lamination, hot melt lamination, extrusion lamination, dry bond lamination, wet bond lamination, and solventless lamination.

15. 13. The photovoltaic device of claim 12, wherein the potting coating comprises one or more of a urethane, a parylene, a polymer, a resin, an epoxy, an acrylic, a paint, a tape, a fluorocarbon, a nanocoating, a water-based coating, and a UV-cured coating.

16. 13. The photovoltaic device of claim 12, wherein the conformal coating comprises one or more of a urethane, a parylene, a polymer, a resin, an epoxy, an acrylic, a paint, a tape, a fluorocarbon, a nanocoating, a water-based coating, and a UV-cured coating.

17. 12. The photovoltaic device of claim 11, wherein the second encapsulant comprises a flexible barrier material, the flexible barrier material comprising one or more of glass, metal foil, plastic, polymer, acrylic, composite film, plexiglass, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyimide, silicon, mica, amorphous aluminum oxide, crystalline aluminum oxide, polycrystalline aluminum oxide, amorphous sapphire, crystalline sapphire, polycrystalline sapphire, and silicon dioxide.

18. 20. The photovoltaic device of claim 17, wherein the flexible barrier material is attached to the photovoltaic device by using one or more of an epoxy, a resin, a UV curable epoxy, a UV curable resin, a UV curable adhesive, a heat activated adhesive, a pressure activated adhesive, and a temperature and pressure activated adhesive.

19. 10. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the protective encapsulant is the same thickness as or thicker than the substrate, the organic photovoltaic module, the top electrode, and the bottom electrode.

20. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic device is integrated into an electronic device.

Images