Solar cell

US6534704B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. · JP

Inventors

• Yasuhiro Hashimoto · Osaka, JP
• Takayuki Negami · Osaka, JP
• Shigeo Hayashi · Tokyo, JP
• Takuya Satoh · Hamamatsu, JP

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 5, 2001
• Grant date: Mar 18, 2003
• Expiry date: Oct 5, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/548

Abstract

A solar cell includes a first semiconductor layer that is p-type, and a second semiconductor layer that is n-type formed over the first semiconductor layer. The solar cell includes a layer A made of a semiconductor different from the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer or an insulator between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The band gap Eg1 of the first semiconductor layer and the band gap Eg2 of the second semiconductor layer satisfy the relationship Eg1<Eg2. The electron affinity &khgr;1 (eV) of the first semiconductor layer and the electron affinity &khgr;2 (eV) of the second semiconductor layer satisfy the relationship 0&lE;(&khgr;1&#8722;&khgr;2)<0.5, and the average layer thickness of the layer A is 1 nm or more and 20 nm or less.