Laminate structure with embedded cavities for use with solar cells and related method of manufacture

Abstract

An integrated laminate structure ( 702 a, 702 b, 801 ) adapted for application in the context of solar technology, includes a first carrier element ( 704, 804 ), such as a piece of plastic or glass, optionally including optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough, a second carrier element ( 702, 802 ) provided with at least one surface relief pattern ( 802 a ) including a number of surface relief forms ( 708 ) and having at least one predetermined optical function relative to incident light, the second carrier element including optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough, the first and second carrier elements being laminated together such that the at least one surface relief pattern has been embedded within the established laminate structure and a number of related cavities ( 709 ) have been formed at the interface of the first and second carrier elements. An applicable method of manufacture is presented.

1 . An integrated laminate structure adapted for application in the context of solar technology, comprising
 a first carrier element, such as a piece of plastic or glass, optionally comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,   a second carrier element provided with at least one surface relief pattern comprising a number of surface relief forms and having at least one predetermined optical function relative to incident light, said second carrier element comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,   the first and second carrier elements being laminated together such that the at least one surface relief pattern has been embedded within the established laminate structure and a number of related, optically functional cavities have been formed at the interface of said first and second carrier elements.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a cavity formed within the laminate comprises fluid or solid different from the material of the second and optionally first carrier element, preferably with different refractive index relative to either or both the carrier elements. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a cavity formed comprises substantially air or other gaseous medium, preferably with a refractive index different from the one of surrounding material such as the material of said second and/or first carrier elements. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein a cavity formed comprises liquid or gel, preferably with a refractive index different from the one of surrounding material. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein said second carrier element is a substantially a film, preferably substantially thinner than said first carrier element, optionally being a bendable film. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a functional, optionally optically functional, film. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the embedded surface relief pattern is configured to couple incident light such as sunlight having entered the structure, the incident angles coupled optionally defining a total range of at least about 130 degrees, the embedded surface relief pattern being configured to couple the incident light with a collimation function substantially towards a predetermined direction of a solar cell. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of: an embedded surface relief pattern or form configured for internal light trapping by back-coupling and/or redirecting light substantially back to the direction it arrived at the pattern or form from, and an embedded surface relief pattern or form configured for internal light coupling and/or redirecting optionally without reflective function. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising at least partially embedded multilayer pattern of surface relief forms with a common function or at least jointly designed multiple functions, wherein the multilayer pattern may be established by one or more elements laminated together in the laminate structure. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the preferably optical function of the embedded surface relief pattern includes at least one function selected from the group of: light directing function, light trapping function, reflective function, transmissive function, transreflective function, coupling function, incoupling function, outcoupling function, polarizing function, diffractive function, refractive function, anti-glare function, anti-clear function, anti-reflection function, collimating function, pre-collimation function, lens function, converging function, diverging function, wavelength modifying function, scattering function, coloring function, medium distribution function, and diffusing function. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second or a further carrier element comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: plastic, elastomer, polymer, glass, semiconductor, silicon, adhesive, resin, and ceramic material. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising a functional coating and/or surface structure such as a surface relief pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 12 , wherein the coating and/or surface structure has at least one function selected from the group consisting of: anti-reflection function, hydrophobic function, hydrophilic function, and self-cleaning function. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , comprising a number of forms in the embedded surface relief pattern of sub-micron size. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , wherein the surface relief pattern comprises at least one form selected from the group consisting of: a groove, a protrusion, a ridge, a recess, a binary form, a slanted form, a rectangular form, a quadratic form, a triangular form, a grating pixel form, a trapezoidal form, an isosceles trapezoidal form, and a lens form. 
     
     
         16 . A solar cell structure comprising the integrated laminate structure of  claim 1 , preferably as integrated, fixed part thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The solar cell structure of  claim 16 , comprising a semiconductor material-containing element provided with a surface relief pattern increasing the surface area thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The solar cell structure of  claim 17 , wherein the surface relief pattern is configured to enhance light absorption into the material and/or to reduce reflections therefrom in order to raise the efficiency of the solar cell. 
     
     
         19 . An integrated laminate structure adapted for application in the context of solar technology, said integrated laminate structure comprising at least two elements at least one of which, optionally both, comprising optically substantially transparent material and the elements being laminated together such that at least one surface relief pattern of either element has been embedded within the laminate structure. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising a solar cell structure and a laminate structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminate structure is disposed on and optionally secured, such as laminated, to the solar cell structure. 
     
     
         21 . A method for constructing an integrated structure for optical applications in the context of solar technology, such as a structure incorporating a solar cell or to be at least disposed over a solar cell, comprising
 obtaining a first carrier element, such as a piece of plastic or glass, optionally   
       comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough,
 obtaining a second carrier element provided with at least one surface relief pattern comprising a number of surface relief forms and having at least one predetermined optical function relative to incident light, said second carrier element comprising optically substantially transparent material enabling light transmission therethrough, 
 laminating, optionally in a roll-to-roll fashion, the first and second carrier elements together such that the at least one surface relief pattern is embedded within the established laminate structure and a number of cavities are formed at the interface of said first and second carrier elements. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein during manufacturing a master for surface relief production, a pre-master with a pattern of surface relief forms is established and the pattern is modulated to generate the master by inclusion of preferably removable material, such as ink, in the pattern to fill a number of forms thereof and to therefore prevent their introduction to the master. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a surface relief form is produced using at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: embossing, imprinting, lithography, molding, micro-molding, and casting. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein adhesive and/or curing is applied during the lamination and/or forming of the surface relief pattern. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second carrier element comprises or is provided with curable material such as curable lacquer that is adapted to host the at least one surface relief pattern.