Solar cell having active region with nanostructures having energy wells
US7629532B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 20, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/544
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method and apparatus for solar cell having graded energy wells is provided. The active region of the solar cell comprises nanostructures. The nanostructures are formed from a material that comprises a III-V compound semiconductor and an element that alters the band gap of the III-V compound semiconductor. For example, the III-V compound semiconductor could be gallium nitride (GaN). As an example, the “band gap altering element” could be indium (In). The concentration of the indium in the active region is non-uniform such that the active region has a number of energy wells, separated by barriers. The energy wells may be “graded”, by which it is meant that the energy wells have a different band gap from one another, generally increasing or decreasing from one well to another monotonically.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.