Assignee: Sunpower Corporation

Location: San Jose, CA
No. of patents: 46

Number	Title	Issue Date
8172989	Prevention of substrate edge plating in a fountain plating process A plating apparatus and method for plating a surface of a substrate are described. Generally, the apparatus includes a double wall plating vessel having an inner cup and an outer cup peripherally surrounding and spaced apart from the inner cup. The inner cup has an ...	05/08/2012
8163638	Back side contact solar cell structures and fabrication processes In one embodiment, active diffusion junctions of a solar cell are formed by diffusing dopants from dopant sources selectively deposited on the back side of a wafer. The dopant sources may be selectively deposited using a printing method, for example. Multiple dopant...	04/24/2012
8158877	Localized power point optimizer for solar cell installations In one embodiment, a solar cell installation includes several groups of solar cells. Each group of solar cells has a local power point optimizer configured to control power generation of the group. The local power point optimizer may be configured to determine an op...	04/17/2012
8148627	Solar cell interconnect with multiple current paths Solar cell interconnects with multiple current paths. A solar cell interconnect may include a plurality of in-plane slits arranged in several rows. The in-plane slits may be spaced to provide strain relief without unduly increasing the electrical path resistance thr...	04/03/2012
8134217	Bypass diode for a solar cell Bypass diodes for solar cells are described. In one embodiment, a bypass diode for a solar cell includes a substrate of the solar cell. A first conductive region is disposed above the substrate, the first conductive region of a first conductivity type. A second cond...	03/13/2012
8108081	System and method for associating a load demand with a variable power generation Systems and methods for associating a load demand with a variable power generation are described. A system includes a renewable variable power generation module including a sensor, the sensor configured to determine an output power capability value for the renewable...	01/31/2012
8101849	Tilt assembly for tracking solar collector assembly A tilt assembly is used with a solar collector assembly of the type comprising a frame, supporting a solar collector, for movement about a tilt axis by pivoting a drive element between first and second orientations. The tilt assembly comprises a drive element couple...	01/24/2012
8065844	Ballasted photovoltaic module and module arrays A photovoltaic (PV) module assembly including a PV module and a ballast tray. The PV module includes a PV device and a frame. A PV laminate is assembled to the frame, and the frame includes an arm. The ballast tray is adapted for containing ballast and is removably ...	11/29/2011
8062693	Generation of contact masks for inkjet printing on solar cell substrates A contact mask for inkjet printing on a solar cell substrate may be generated by creating a printing bitmap of contacts to be printed on the solar cell substrate. The contacts may be located on the solar cell substrate by mapping coordinates of the printing bitmap t...	11/22/2011
8061091	Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation A PV module kit for non-penetrating rooftop installation, including a plurality of PV modules and a plurality of connectors. Each of the PV modules includes a PV laminate and a frame forming a mounting region assembled thereto. The connectors include a male connecto...	11/22/2011
8029683	Etching of solar cell materials A solar cell is fabricated by etching one or more of its layers without substantially etching another layer of the solar cell. In one embodiment, a copper layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching a topmost metallic layer comprising tin. For ex...	10/04/2011
8008575	Solar cell with reduced base diffusion area In one embodiment, a solar cell has base and emitter diffusion regions formed on the back side. The emitter diffusion region is configured to collect minority charge carriers in the solar cell, while the base diffusion region is configured to collect majority charge...	08/30/2011
7958886	Torque arm assembly and method A torque arm assembly, used with a solar collector mounted to a drive shaft, comprises a torque arm with first and second ends and a torque arm coupling assembly including a drive shaft enclosure defining an open-ended channel sized to house the drive shaft. The cha...	06/14/2011
7956281	Flexible wind deflector for photovoltaic array perimeter assembly A photovoltaic (“PV”) array includes a plurality of interconnected PV modules. A PV array perimeter assembly may be positioned along the perimeter of the PV array to restrain horizontal movement of the array. For improved wind performance, the PV array perimeter...	06/07/2011
7897867	Solar cell and method of manufacture A solar cell that is readily manufactured using processing techniques which are less expensive than microelectronic circuit processing. In preferred embodiments, printing techniques are utilized in selectively forming masks for use in etching of silicon oxide and di...	03/01/2011
7893409	Transient photoluminescence measurements A photoluminescence mapping system and method for use in fabricating solar cells that eliminates the need for complex and expensive light sources, filters and high sensitivity cameras. Generally, the method includes: (i) irradiating a surface of the substrate with r...	02/22/2011
7883343	Method of manufacturing solar cell A solar cell that is readily manufactured using processing techniques which are less expensive than microelectronic circuit processing. In preferred embodiments, printing techniques are utilized in selectively forming masks for use in etching of silicon oxide and di...	02/08/2011
7851698	Trench process and structure for backside contact solar cells with polysilicon doped regions A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. An interrupted trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region in some locations but allows the P-type doped regi...	12/14/2010
7838062	Array of small contacts for solar cell fabrication Fabrication of a solar cell using a printed contact mask. The contact mask may include dots formed by inkjet printing. The dots may be formed in openings between dielectric layers (e.g., polyimide). Intersections of overlapping dots may form gaps that define contact...	11/23/2010
7820475	Back side contact solar cell structures and fabrication processes In one embodiment, active diffusion junctions of a solar cell are formed by diffusing dopants from dopant sources selectively deposited on the back side of a wafer. The dopant sources may be selectively deposited using a printing method, for example. Multiple dopant...	10/26/2010
7812250	Trench process and structure for backside contact solar cells with polysilicon doped regions A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. A trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over...	10/12/2010
7804022	Solar cell contact fingers and solder pad arrangement for enhanced efficiency A solar cell includes negative metal contact fingers electrically connected to N-type diffusion regions of the solar cell and positive metal contact fingers electrically connected to P-type diffusion regions of the solar cell. Both the N-type and P-type diffusion re...	09/28/2010
7786375	Preventing harmful polarization of solar cells In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer...	08/31/2010
7774998	Ventilated photovoltaic module frame In one embodiment, a photovoltaic frame assembly comprises a photovoltaic module and a frame having a plurality of air vents. The air vents allow air to flow into the frame and thereby cool the photovoltaic module. The frame may be installed in-line with another suc...	08/17/2010
7737357	Solar cell having doped semiconductor heterojunction contacts A silicon solar cell has doped amorphous silicon contacts formed on a tunnel silicon oxide layer on a surface of a silicon substrate. High temperature processing is unnecessary in fabricating the solar cell. ...	06/15/2010
7718888	Solar cell having polymer heterojunction contacts A solar cell having backside contacts is economically fabricated through use of acceptor and donor polymers which are inkjet printed in interleaved patterns on the back surface as the carrier accepting electrodes of the solar cell. The polymers can be placed on a tu...	05/18/2010
7708578	Misalignment tolerant connector An electrical connector having a plug assembly and a socket assembly is described. The plug assembly includes a plug body and an outer barrel with an inner conductive receptacle electrically coupled to a first conductor in the plug body. The socket assembly includes...	05/04/2010
7705237	Solar cell having silicon nano-particle emitter A silicon solar cell having a silicon substrate includes p-type and n-type emitters on a surface of the substrate, the emitters being doped nano-particles of silicon. To reduce high interface recombination at the substrate surface, the nano-particle emitters are pre...	04/27/2010
7670638	Protection layer for fabricating a solar cell A method for fabricating a solar cell is described. The method includes first providing, in a process chamber, a substrate having a light-receiving surface. An anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer is then formed, in the process chamber, above the light-receiving surf...	03/02/2010
7633006	Back side contact solar cell with doped polysilicon regions In one embodiment, a back side contact solar cell includes a tunnel oxide layer formed on a back side of a substrate. A polysilicon layer is formed on the tunnel oxide layer, and dopant sources are formed on the polysilicon layer. Dopants from the dopant sources are...	12/15/2009
7622912	Method for enabling monitoring of power consumption Power consumption at a site is monitored. An electrical load is connected to a power source by an electrical conductor. A fuel-less energy producing device is electrically connected to a junction along the electrical conductor. A current sensor is electromagneticall...	11/24/2009
7554031	Preventing harmful polarization of solar cells In one embodiment, harmful solar cell polarization is prevented or minimized by providing a conductive path that bleeds charge from a front side of a solar cell to the bulk of a wafer. The conductive path may include patterned holes in a dielectric passivation layer...	06/30/2009
7530830	Misalignment tolerant connector An electrical connector having a plug assembly and a socket assembly is described. The plug assembly includes a plug body and an outer barrel with an inner conductive receptacle electrically coupled to a first conductor in the plug body. The socket assembly includes...	05/12/2009
D586737	Support structure for tracking solar collectors	02/17/2009
7468485	Back side contact solar cell with doped polysilicon regions In one embodiment, a back side contact solar cell includes a tunnel oxide layer formed on a back side of a substrate. A polysilicon layer is formed on the tunnel oxide layer, and dopant sources are formed on the polysilicon layer. Dopants from the dopant sources are...	12/23/2008
7455787	Etching of solar cell materials A solar cell is fabricated by etching one or more of its layers without substantially etching another layer of the solar cell. In one embodiment, a copper layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching a topmost metallic layer comprising tin. For ex...	11/25/2008
7390961	Interconnection of solar cells in a solar cell module In one embodiment, a solar cell module comprises a plurality of solar cells interconnected as a solar cell array. An interconnect assembly electrically connects the backsides of two adjacent solar cells. The interconnect assembly may have an interconnect that electr...	06/24/2008
7388147	Metal contact structure for solar cell and method of manufacture In a solar cell having p doped regions and n doped regions alternately formed in a surface of a semiconductor wafer in offset levels through use of masking and etching techniques, metal contacts are made to the p regions and n regions by first forming a base layer c...	06/17/2008
D565505	Tracking solar collector assembly	04/01/2008
D564958	Support base for solar collector assembly	03/25/2008

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Assignee: Sunpower Corporation