Apparatus and method for photovoltaic energy production based on internal charge emission in a solid-state heterostructure
US6956163B2 · kind B2 · utility
8Cited by
10References
2Claims
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Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 20, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 20, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for solar energy production comprises a multi-layer solid-state structure including a photosensitive layer, a thin conductor, a charge separation layer, and a back ohmic conductor, wherein light absorption occurs in a photosensitive layer and the charge carriers produced thereby are transported through the thin conductor through the adjacent potential energy barrier. The open circuit voltage of the solar cell can be manipulated by choosing from among a wide selection of materials making up the thin conductor, the charge separation layer, and the back ohmic layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.