Transparent photovoltaic cells

Abstract

A transparent photovoltaic cell and method of making are disclosed. The photovoltaic cell may include a transparent substrate and a first active material overlying the substrate. The first active material may have a first absorption peak at a wavelength greater than about 650 nanometers. A second active material is disposed overlying the substrate, the second active material having a second absorption peak at a wavelength outside of the visible light spectrum. The photovoltaic cell may also include a transparent cathode and a transparent anode.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A transparent photovoltaic window comprising:
 a window pane having a first average visible transparency of 10% or more;   a photovoltaic device coupled to the window pane, wherein the photovoltaic device has a second average visible transparency of 10% or more, wherein the photovoltaic device comprises:
 a first electrode, wherein the first electrode has a third average visible transparency of 10% or more; 
 a second electrode, wherein the second electrode has a fourth average visible transparency of 10% or more; 
 a first active material between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first active material has a fifth average visible transparency of 10% or more, and wherein the first transparent active material has a first absorption peak at a near-infrared wavelength; 
 a second active material between the first electrode and the second electrode and in contact with the first active material, wherein the second active material has a sixth average visible transparency of 10% or more, and wherein the second active material has a second absorption peak at a wavelength outside of the visible light spectrum, 
 wherein a collective average visible transparency of the window pane and the photovoltaic device is 10% or more. 
   
     
     
         3 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the second average visible transparency, the fifth average visible transparency, the sixth average visible transparency, or the collective average visible transparency is 35% or more. 
     
     
         4 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the second absorption peak is at a near-infrared wavelength or at an ultraviolet wavelength. 
     
     
         5 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic cell further comprises:
 a near-infrared mirror disposed over the first electrode, the second electrode, the first active material and the second active material, wherein the near-infrared mirror is reflective to near-infrared light and has a seventh average visible transparency of 10% or more; and   an antireflection layer disposed over the near-infrared mirror, wherein the antireflection layer has an eighth average visible transparency of 10% or more.   
     
     
         6 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 5 , wherein the near-infrared mirror is a multilayer mirror. 
     
     
         7 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 5 , wherein the near-infrared mirror is a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR). 
     
     
         8 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the first absorption peak has a magnitude greater than absorption values of the first active material at any visible wavelength. 
     
     
         9 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the second absorption peak has a magnitude greater than absorption values of the second active material at any visible wavelength. 
     
     
         10 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein photovoltaic device is a tandem photovoltaic device, and wherein the photovoltaic device further comprises:
 a third active material between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the third active material has a seventh average visible transparency of 10% or more, and wherein the third transparent active material has a third absorption peak at a near-infrared wavelength;   a fourth active material between the first electrode and the second electrode and in contact with the third active material, wherein the fourth active material has an eighth average visible transparency of 10% or more, and wherein the fourth active material has a fourth absorption peak at a wavelength outside of the visible light spectrum; and   a recombination zone between the second active material and the third active material, wherein the recombination zone has a ninth average visible transparency of 10% or more.   
     
     
         11 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the first active material is a molecular excitonic material having an absorption peaks outside the visible light spectrum. 
     
     
         12 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the first transparent active material is an organic material. 
     
     
         13 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the first transparent active material comprises at least one of a phthalocyanine, a porphyrin, a naphthalocyanine dye, or nanotubes. 
     
     
         14 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the window pane is a glass window pane. 
     
     
         15 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode or the second electrode comprises a conducting oxide, indium tin oxide, molybdenum trioxide, tin oxide, fluorinated tin oxide, nanotubes, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)poly(styrenesulfonate), gallium doped zinc oxide, aluminum doped zinc oxide. 
     
     
         16 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein first electrode or the second electrode comprises indium tin oxide or a multilayer structure including indium tin oxide and molybdenum trioxide. 
     
     
         17 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the second active material is a molecular excitonic material having an absorption peaks outside the visible light spectrum. 
     
     
         18 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the second transparent active material is an organic material. 
     
     
         19 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the second transparent active material comprises at least one of carbon 60 (C 60 ) or a nanotube. 
     
     
         20 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic device is a single-junction photovoltaic device having an efficiency of up to about 12%. 
     
     
         21 . The transparent photovoltaic window of  claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic device is a multi junction photovoltaic device having an efficiency of up to about 20%.