Metamorphic solar cell having improved current generation
US10170652B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 22, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jan 1, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 14, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/547
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A semiconductor device structure having increased photogenerated current density, and increased current output is disclosed. The device includes low bandgap absorber regions that increase the range of wavelengths at which photogeneration of charge carriers takes place, and for which useful current can be collected. The low bandgap absorber regions may be strain balanced by strain-compensation regions, and the low bandgap absorber regions and strain-compensation regions may be formed from the same ternary semiconductor family. The device may be a solar cell, subcell, or other optoelectronic device with a metamorphic or lattice-mismatched base layer, for which the low bandgap absorber region improves the effective bandgap combination of subcells and current balance within the multijunction cell, for higher efficiency conversion of the solar spectrum.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.