Patent · US Expired

Optical energy conversion apparatus

US7199303B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 13, 2001
Grant dateApr 3, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 13, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/548

Abstract

An optical energy conversion apparatus 10 includes a first impurity doped semiconductor layer 5, formed on a substrate, and which is of a semiconductor material admixed with a first impurity, an optically active layer 6, formed on the first impurity doped semiconductor layer 5, and which is of a hydrogen-containing amorphous semiconductor material, and a second impurity doped semiconductor layer 7, admixed with a second impurity and formed on the optically active semiconductor layer 6. The second impurity doped semiconductor layer is of a polycrystallized semiconductor material lower in hydrogen concentration than the material of the optically active semiconductor layer 6. The average crystal grain size in the depth-wise direction in an interfacing structure between the optically active semiconductor layer 6 and the second impurity doped semiconductor layer 7 is decreased stepwise in a direction proceeding from the surface of the second impurity doped semiconductor layer towards the substrate 1. By controlling the hydrogen concentration of the second impurity doped semiconductor layer 7, the number of dangling bonds in the second impurity doped semiconductor layer 7 is significantl…

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