Textured III-V Photovoltaic and LED Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for compact, high-voltage photovoltaic devices integrated with light emitting diodes (LEDs) for applications such as IoT and memory cell operations, which require efficient energy harvesting and communication, while maintaining a small footprint and minimizing size and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a photovoltaic device with a textured surface and a light emitting diode, where the photovoltaic device is formed using epitaxially grown III-V semiconductor materials with a textured surface to enhance voltage and power output, and the LED is formed using a conformal deposition process to maintain the texture, ensuring efficient energy conversion and light emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a planar surface is used for the photovoltaic device, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the voltage and power output are lower
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies surface texturing that creates curved triangular pyramidal structures on the photovoltaic device surface. This curvature modifies light interaction, increasing light trapping and absorption, which directly enhances voltage and power output while maintaining a manufacturable structure through standard texturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface geometry parameter from planar to textured with specific triangular pyramidal shapes. This parameter change optimizes light coupling and electrical output characteristics, achieving higher voltage and power without requiring fundamentally new manufacturing approaches.
2Productivity
If the photovoltaic device and LED are formed separately, then each component can be optimized independently, but the integrated device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the photovoltaic device and LED into a single integrated structure where the LED is formed directly on the textured surface of the PV device. This combination enables direct energy transfer and improves overall system efficiency while maintaining a compact footprint suitable for IoT applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated structure serves multiple functions: the textured surface simultaneously acts as the PV active surface for energy harvesting and as the substrate for LED formation for light emission. This multi-functionality improves energy conversion efficiency while reducing the number of separate components needed.
3Power
If a textured surface is formed on the photovoltaic device, then light trapping and voltage output are enhanced, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved triangular pyramidal texturing that can be achieved through standard semiconductor processing techniques. The specific geometric parameters of the triangles are optimized to maximize light trapping while remaining compatible with existing manufacturing capabilities, thus enhancing voltage output without excessive manufacturing complexity.
4Shape
If the LED is formed using a conformal deposition process, then the textured surface is preserved, but the deposition process requires precise control
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal deposition process is specifically tailored to follow the curved triangular pyramidal surface geometry. By controlling deposition parameters such as temperature, pressure, and material flux, the process uniformly coats the textured surface while preserving its light-trapping morphology, achieving both surface preservation and controlled deposition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the creation of compact, high-voltage photovoltaic devices that efficiently power LEDs, meeting the requirements for IoT and memory cell applications by optimizing energy harvesting and communication capabilities within a small footprint.
Implementation Method 1
A photovoltaic device is a device that converts the energy of incident photons to electromotive force (e.m.f.).
Implementation Method 2
When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads to the LED, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence
Implementation Method 3
the texture of the plurality of triangular shaped islands extends through the layer of the type III-V semiconductor material having the second conductivity type to provide a textured surface of a photovoltaic device
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming an electrical device that includes epitaxially growing a first conductivity type semiconductor material of a type III-V semiconductor on a semiconductor substrate. The first conductivity type semiconductor material continuously extending along an entirety of the semiconductor substrate in a plurality of triangular shaped islands; and conformally forming a layer of type III-V semiconductor material having a second conductivity type on the plurality of triangular shaped islands to provide a textured surface of a photovoltaic device. A light emitting diode is formed on the textured surface of the photovoltaic device.