Patent · US Expired

Photoresponsive materials

US5698048A · kind A · utility

43Cited by
1References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 8, 1995
Grant dateDec 16, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 8, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/31692
  • WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A photoresponsive material comprises molecular or polymeric semiconductors in which photogeneration of separated charge carriers proceeds substantially via an intermediate stage of a triplet exciton, where the generation of the triplet exciton may be facilitated by the presence of elements of high atomic number, and in which the generation of separated charges from the intermediate triplet excited states is facilitated by the presence of at least two semiconductive components, one of which is of high electron affinity and able to accept electrons, and the other of which is of low ionisation potential and therefore able to accept positive charge carriers, the difference between the electron affinity of the former and the ionisation potential of the latter being sufficiently low so as to allow the ionisation of a triplet exciton which is present on either of the two aforementioned semiconductive components or on a third component. The provision of contact electrodes allows charge to be collected by an external electrical circuit and allows light to be incident on the active photoresponsive material.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.