Means for effecting cooling within elements for a solar cell array

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
A semiconductor solar cell comprising spaced elongate parallel units formed from a common substrate and comprised of a first conductivity type, the body material of each of said units having the same spaced relation to the body material of other of said units as existed in the original substrate from which they are formed, each unit having upstanding sidewalls and having therebetween an upper surface adapted for exposure to receive incident radiation, and a lower surface, adjacent sidewalls of adjoining units having therebetween a first elongate passage adapted for the transmission of a heat transfer medium, each unit sidewall comprised of a localized region of a second conductivity type and ohmic connections extending between the second conductivity type region of one unit and the first conductivity type region of an adjacent unit, whereby the transmission of a heat transfer medium between the adjacent sidewalls of adjoining units maintains the temperature at said localized region of a second conductivity type less than the upper surface temperature of the semiconductor solar cell.
2.
A semiconductor solar cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein a second elongate passage adapted for the transmission of a heat transfer medium may be formed adjacent to the lower surface of each unit solar cell.
3.
A semiconductor solar cell in accordance with claim 1, wherein a ratio between the surface area of the sidewalls of the first elongate passage and the upper surface area may be at least approximately 2:1.
4.
A semiconductor solar cell in accordance with claim 2, wherein thermal insulation may be provided between the first elongate passage and the second elongate passage to maintain a temperature differential between said first and second passages.
5.
A semiconductor solar cell in accordance with claim 3, wherein said first passage includes upper and lower apertures, said upper and lower apertures being sealed with blocking walls, whereby said first passage is adapted to allow for the transmission of a heat transfer medium therethrough