Interband cascade (IC) photovoltaic (PV) architecture for PV devices

US9166084B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma · US

Inventors

• Rui Yang · Jiaocheng District, CN
• Zhaobing Tian · Albuquerque, US
• Tetsuya Mishima · Norman, US
• Michael B. Santos · Norman, US
• Matthew B. Johnson · Norman, US
• John F. Klem · Albuquerque, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 9, 2011
• Grant date: Oct 20, 2015
• Expiry date: May 13, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/544
• WIPO field: Micro-structural and nano-technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) device, comprising a PV interband cascade (IC) stage, wherein the IC PV stage comprises an absorption region with a band gap, the absorption region configured to absorb photons, an intraband transport region configured to act as a hole barrier, and an interband tunneling region configured to act as an electron barrier. An IC PV architecture for a photovoltaic device, the IC PV architecture comprising an absorption region, an intraband transport region coupled to the absorption region, and an interband tunneling region coupled to the intraband transport region and to the adjacent absorption region, wherein the absorption region, the intraband transport region, and the interband tunneling region are positioned such that electrons will flow from the absorption region to the intraband transport region to the interband tunneling region.