Patent · US Active

Nanostructure optoelectronic device having sidewall electrical contact

US8476637B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
23References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 8, 2010
Grant dateJul 2, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 20, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10H20/831
  • WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Nanostructure array optoelectronic devices are disclosed. The optoelectronic device may have a top electrical contact that is physically and electrically connected to sidewalls of the array of nanostructures (e.g., nanocolumns). The top electrical contact may be located such that light can enter or leave the nanostructures without passing through the top electrical contact. Therefore, the top electrical contact can be opaque to light having wavelengths that are absorbed or generated by active regions in the nanostructures. The top electrical contact can be made from a material that is highly conductive, as no tradeoff needs to be made between optical transparency and electrical conductivity. The device could be a solar cell, LED, photo-detector, etc.

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