Evaluating Solar Microsensors Packaged with MEMS Covers for Improving Light Tracking Efficiency

I-Nan Chang1, Hsing-Cheng Chang*2, San-Shan Hung2, Chi-Chih Lai2, Ya-Hui Chen1, Shih-Hsin Huang2 1 Ph.D. Program in Electrical and Communications Engineering, Feng-Chia University 2 Department of Automatic Control Engineering, Feng-Chia University 100, Wenhwa road, Seatwen, Taichung, Taiwan, 40724 E-mail: enchung@fcu.edu.tw, Tel.: +886-4-24517250-4906, Fax: +886-4-24510405 Abstract A novel solar microsensor with microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based packaging for improving solar tracking efficiency was proposed and a functional solar power sensing array was also developed. Solar energy as a renewable energy source in the world is the most important issue. The microsensor with different shapes of masks as light inlet was fabricated on silicon wafers to provide variable attenuation effect of the sunlight. To detect light incident elevation and azimuth accurately, a circuit module for a maximum power tracking system is developed conducting the automatic tracking function by feedback control technique. The best angle related sensitivity for the microsensors covered with inside-shrunk and inside-extended windows are 128.6 /degree and 150.2 /degree, respectively. The collimated process of the incident solar power by developed solar microsensor keeps maximum solar energy collection with the best long-term efficiency in photovoltaic energy conversion. The microsensor to sense collimated solar intensity is designed to promote solar energy collection efficiency and an intelligent bi-axes dynamic solar tracking device will develop in the future. Introduction Nowadays, the various technologies of green energy have been paid much attention to preserve the environment from industry pollution and abused petroleum. The solar power as an energy source for the Earth is the most abundant, permanent, convenient, pollution-free and renewable. Considering the issues of environmental protection, economy and energy saving, utilization of solar power is one of the important trends in the future. The efficiency of a solar energy generation system is enhanced mostly by utilizing optoelectronic sensors as sunlight alignment detectors to control solar cells shift in angle. Most conventional optoelectronic sensors used in light varied detection for improving sensitivity are difficult due to isotropic sensing characteristic. Using CCD or CMOS detectors as light sensors can be achieved in a wide measurement range with promising precision, but follow up signal processing circuits are complicated and power consumption is high that can inappropriate application in solar energy generation. For increasing sun power generation efficiency, the techniques of sunlight tracing have been surveyed for maximizing solar system output [1]. A one-axis sunlighttracking system had been developed using PLC control system to improve solar power generation efficiency more than 20% [2]. A bi-axes sun-tracking system guided by a closed-loop servo control system using four sensors was developed to show an effective work by a simple and cheap mechanism [3]. One-axis three-positions tracking solar photovoltaic module was designed in a simple and low cost way to show the optimal stopping angle to increase total power generation about 56 % [4]. A sun tracking system was proposed based on machine vision and data acquisition by using a web camera and a sound card, and the compound parabolic concentrator to obtain the maximum generation efficiency [5]. A maximum power tracking controller was designed and implemented to improve electrical power generation efficiency that obtains the maximum generation atmospheric conditions and related transient and steady state response [6]. Compared with solar systems using two stepping motors to control longitudinal and horizontal axes, a simple spherical motor which possesses capabilities of linear and circular movement was developed to improve output power efficiently [7]. A multi-axes sun-tracking system with PLC control for photovoltaic panels was executed that the azimuth and altitude of sun could be computed to raise output power 42.6 % [8]. Micro sun sensors fabricated by MEMS technology for micro/nano satellites applications had been developed to minimize cost, mass and power consumption [911]. A CMOS-type digital sun sensor with a shadow mask was used to detect the sunlight incident angle using an image centroiding algorithm [12]. A self-powered analog sun sensor had been designed based on shade profile on a 2 2 array of photodiodes to detect the sunlight incident angle [13]. To grow CdS thin films by chemical bath deposition and to characterize CdS thin film within UV, visible, and NIR radiation have been reported [14]. The fabrication of CdS thin film onto the glass substrates coated with indium tin oxide by metal organic chemical vapor deposition has been completed [15]. The concept presented in this paper aims at combining technologies of a shadow masking and a photoconductive sensor to enable the fabrication of developed solar sensor system. Processes of micro fabrication were simulated and executed that focused on the techniques of anisotropic deep bulk etching and simplified MEMS packaging. The aligned masked optical sun sensor is implemented and the operation principle as compared with the conventional solar sensor is described. Besides advantages of simple manufacture process, easy structure, small size and low cost, the solar sensors have well static and dynamic characteristic that have been accomplished to detect the sunlight incident angle and intensity accurately. The sensors are suitable for the purpose of automatic control to track incident sunlight on the

intelligent solar power generation system to detect the maximum solar power transformation. Principle and design In this paper, the photoconductive solar sensors packaged with shadow masks have been designed to measure sunlight incident angle. The device can be used to supply feedback control signal for adjusting sunlight tracking system based on light intensity-dependent sensing property and related threshold characteristic. The sunlight illuminated on the sensing area of the sensor to decide photocurrent value. Based on the characteristic of the sunlight traveling in a straight line, the shadow on sensing area is produced by MEMS-type masks and oblique incident light that reduces sunlight sensing gain due to increase dark current and decrease photocurrent simultaneously. The light illuminated on the sensing area is related to the light incident angle and the variation of shadowed area A. A light incident angle is calculated following the L-varied direction of the sensor. The schematic diagram exhibits the relation between developed sensor and sunlight as shown in Figure 1. The shadowed area can be given with sensing width W and length L and mask height h.

A = A0 A(t ) W L = W h cot

(1)

Where A0 is the designed sensing area and A(t) is the timedependent sensing area at a processing time t. If the width of the sensing device is constant, the shadowed area A is proportional to the masking height and cotangent of light incident angle. When light incident angle is 90, the illuminated sensing area and induced photocurrent are maximal. The decreased incident angle from oblique incident light can increase the shadow to short illumination area and to decrease photocurrent. The MEMS-type shadow masks with variable shielding height are important for creating light shadowing effect from Eq. (1). A light sensor without shielded mask can not sense the change of sunlight incident angle. For an improper design of the mask shielding height, the light shadow varies quickly to lose sensitivity for detecting light incidence variation. In accordance with the principle of geometrical optics, three types of shadowing masks have been designed and completed. The shadow mask can obstruct the oblique incident light effectively to measure the collimated light information accurately. This solar sensor can be applied to sense the collimated light for detecting and tracking the light source. The light sensor is a cadmium sulfide (CdS)-based photo conductor on a ceramic substrate. High sensitivity is obtained in the frequency range of visible light. The shadowing mask is fabricated using (100)-directional silicon wafer by silicon bulk etching and packaging technology. The connector is made up of different thickness of black acrylics used to bond a sensor and a shadowed mask. The packaged devices are coated with a darkened plastic material. The inside of the shadow mask is coated with a shined metal to enhance light reflect effect. The processes of device fabrication can be divided into three parts. First, the shadowing masks with special structures are fabricated. Second, the connectors with variable shielding heights are fabricated. Third, the devices

are integrated and packaged. The shadowing masks are designed with three types of windows as light inlets. There is vertical shape window, inside-shrunk shape window and inside-extended shape window as shown in Figure 2. A crosssectional view of a masking packaged solar sensor is show in Figure 3. Analysis of the sensors is described as follows. (a) For a shadowed mask with vertical opened windows: Some of obliquely incident light enters sensing area by reflecting from the vertical wall of the shadow mask. If the shadowed height of shielding connector increases, the vertical wall can obstruct most of oblique light to increase sensitivity of collimated incident light. But related light sensing response is possibly reduced. (b) For a shadowed mask with inside-shrunk opened windows: Whatever the size of the inside-shrunk window is, the collimated light is incident to solar sensor directly and most of the obliquely incident light is reflected. If the height of shielding connector increases, the masking structure with inside-shrunk window can obstruct almost oblique incident light to increase sensitivity in different sunlight source location. (c) For a shadowed mask with inside-extended opened windows: The variation of photosensitive areas is influenced by different window size of the inside-shrunk opening sensors. Some oblique incident light is reflected to the sensing area to improve response intensity of the incident light, nevertheless, the sensitivity of collimated light is deteriorated. But to increase connectors height is required. Otherwise, the experimental results of sensor with a shielding connector are similar to those without connector because the connector is too thin to absorb reflected light. For the collimated incident light, superior sensing feature is obtained for the sensor with inside-shrunk window than those with inside-extended window. As regards the relationship between the thickness of shielding connector and the sensing output has been experiment verified.

= 90 h

h L L L

Fig. 1 The cross section of a sensor bonded connector shows the light incident angel , the connectors shielding height h, and the length L of sensing area.

(a) (b) (c) Fig. 2 3D covers with different opened window, (a) inside shrunk opening, (b) vertical shape opening, and (c) inside-extended opening.

Fig. 3 The cross-sectional view of a solar microsensor covered with an inside-extended window mask and a connector. Results and discussion The dimensions of photoconductive solar microsensors are 7 mm in length and 3.5 mm in width. These sensors were packaged with different shapes of shadow masks and with different types of connectors in bonded height. The thickness of connectors was 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm and 4 mm. A sunlight simulator is a halide lamp which is calibrated at an intensity of 5950 Lux as a sunlight source. The magnitudes were unequal in width (W) and length (L) of microsensors as shown in Figure 4. A better direction of the sensing structure must be decided for adjusting light angle distributional experiments to find better application results. Light incident angle dependence of sensing resistance for the photoconductive solar sensors at different direction of light source was tested. The variation in resistances and the sensing gain show better results when the light source movement in L-direction as shown in Figure 5, and therefore the Ldirection in longer sensing side of sensors was used as an axis in sunlight simulator movement to promote sensitivity.

Fig. 5 Light incident angle dependence of sensing resistance for the photoconductive solar sensors at different direction of light source. A cross-sectional view of the packaged solar sensor with vertical shape window was shown as Figure 6. Experiments were done following the confirmed sensing orientation. Sensing results of light-directional tests from 80 to 100 were obtained. The sensors were bonded with different connectors that thickness is in the range from 0 to 4 mm. The experimental results in sensing resistance as a function of connector thickness are shown in Figure 7. By analyzing experimental results in the angular range of 88 to 92, the best sensitivity to sense collimated light is obtained for the solar sensor with a 4 mm thick connector and masked a vertical opened window. The cross-sectional view of a solar sensor with insideshrunk window, which has a broad 7 mm top opening and a shrunk 2.75 mm bottom opening, is shown in Figure 8. To calibrate data with collimated illumination at 90, the tests in directional light distribution, the sunlight simulator was experimented from 80 to 100. The sensors bonded with different connectors, in the thick from 0 to 4 mm, were tested and the sensing resistance as a function of connector thickness shows in Figure 9. After summarizing more than 60 times experiment results in the range of 88 to 92, the best sensitivity to sense collimated light was obtained for the solar sensor with a 4 mm thick connector. The cross-sectional view of a solar sensor with insideextended window, which has a shrunk 2.75 mm top opening and a broad 7 mm bottom opening, is shown in Figure 10. The sensitivity of light-directional distribution was tested from 80 to 100 around the collimated light direction 90. The sensors with different thicknesses of connectors, in the range of from 0 to 4 mm, were tested and their results in sensing resistance as a function of connector thickness shown in Figure 11. After more than 60 times experiments in the angle range of 88 to 92, the best sensitivity of collimated incident light is obtained for the solar sensor with a 4 mm thick connector. The measured sensitivity of three types of solar sensors is summarized in Table 1. Obviously, the solar sensor packaged to a shadow mask and a connector with inside-extended window has the best sensitivity for collimated light sensing.

Fig. 4 Experimental sensing direction of a sunlight simulator, (a) W-direction, and (b) L-direction.

Fig. 6 The cross-sectional view of a solar sensor packaged with a vertical opened mask and a connector. Fig. 10 The cross-sectional view of a solar sensor packaged with an inside-extended opened mask and a connector.

Fig. 7 Light incident angle dependence of sensing resistance for the vertical opening masked solar sensors.

Fig. 11 Light incident angle dependence of sensing resistance for the inside-extended masked solar sensors. Table 1 Compare the sensitivity of solar sensors with different masks and connectors. InsideInsideMask shape Vertical extended shrunk Thickness 4mm 4mm 4mm connectors Left incident sensitivity 2.3/deg 128.6/deg 142.5/deg (80~90degree) Right incident sensitivity 2.0/deg 117.0/deg 150.2/deg (90~100degree) Merit Poor Good Excellent Conclusions In this paper, the photoconductive microsensors packaged with three shapes of shadowing masks and connectors were designed and fabricated successfully. Results of experiments show that the solar sensor with inside-extended windows and bounded with a 4 mm thick connectors is the best device to sense collimated sunlight accurately. The sensitivity of collimated sunlight measurements from different oblique incident light has several tens fold higher than the conventional solar sensor has. The sensitivity is about 150.2

Fig. 8 The cross-sectional view of a solar sensor packaged with an inside-shrunk opened mask and a connector.

Fig. 9 Light incident angle dependence of sensing resistance for the inside-shrunk masked solar sensors.

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