Method for passing photovoltaic current between a subcell formed from a group II-VI semiconductor material and a subcell formed from a group IV semiconductor material
A method for passing photovoltaic current between a subcell formed from a single crystal Group ll-VI semiconductor material and a subcell formed from a single crystal Group IV semiconductor material, includes the steps of forming a first subcell by an epitaxial growth process, the first subcell having a first upper surface; forming a tunnel heterojunction between the first subcell and the second subcell, and tunneling carriers formed by light incident on the first and second subcells through the tunnel heterojunction, thereby permitting a photoelectric series current to flow through the first and second subcells.
H01L 31/0725 - Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
H01L 31/074 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices characterised by at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type comprising a heterojunction with an element of Group IV of the Periodic System, e.g. ITO/Si, GaAs/Si or CdTe/Si solar cells
H01L 31/0687 - Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
H01L 29/267 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, elements provided for in two or more of the groups , , , , in different semiconductor regions
H01L 31/18 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
2.
MBE GROWTH TECHNIQUE FOR GROUP II-VI INVERTED MULTIJUNCTION SOLAR CELLS
A method of forming a Group II-VI multijunction semiconductor device comprises providing a Group IV substrate, forming a first subcell from a first Group II-VI semiconductor material, forming a second subcell from a second Group II-VI semiconductor material, and removing the substrate. The first subcell is formed over the substrate and has a first bandgap, while the second subcell is formed over the first subcell and has a second bandgap which is smaller than the first bandgap. Additional subcells may be formed over the second subcell with the bandgap of each subcell smaller than that of the preceding subcell and with each subcell preferably separated from the preceding subcell by a tunnel junction. Prior to the removal of the substrate, a support layer is affixed to the last-formed subcell in opposition to the substrate.
H01L 29/22 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIBVI compounds
3.
TUNNEL HETEROJUNCTIONS IN GROUP IV / GOUP II-VI MULTIJUNCTION SOLAR CELLS
A photovoltaic cell comprises a first subcell formed of a Group IV semiconductor material, a second subcell formed of a Group II-VI semiconductor material, and a tunnel heterojunction interposed between the first and second subcells. A first side of the tunnel heterojunction is formed by a first layer that is adjacent to a top surface of the first subcell. The first layer is of a first conductivity type, is comprised of a highly doped Group IV semiconductor material. The other side of the tunnel heterojunction is formed by a second layer that adjoins the lower surface of the second subcell. The second layer is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and is comprised of a highly doped Group II-VI semiconductor material. The tunnel heterojunction permits photoelectric series current to flow through the subcells.
H01L 31/0336 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, semiconductor materials provided for in two or more of groups in different semiconductor regions, e.g. Cu2X/CdX hetero-junctions, X being an element of Group VI of the Periodic System
4.
Tunnel homojunctions in group IV / group II-VI multijunction solar cells
A photovoltaic cell comprises a first subcell formed of a Group IV semiconductor material, a second subcell formed of a Group II-VI semiconductor material, and a tunnel homojunction interposed between the first and second subcells. A first side of the tunnel homojunction is formed by a first layer that is adjacent to a top surface of the first subcell. The first layer is of a first conductivity type and is comprised of a highly doped Group IV semiconductor material. The other side of the tunnel homojunction is formed by a second layer that adjoins the lower surface of the second subcell. The second layer is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type and also is comprised of a highly doped Group IV semiconductor material. The tunnel homojunction permits photoelectric series current to flow through the subcells.
H01L 31/00 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof
H01L 31/078 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices characterised by at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier including different types of potential barriers provided for in two or more of groups
H01L 31/042 - PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
H01L 31/0296 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping material or other impurities, only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, HgCdTe
H01L 31/0725 - Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
H01L 31/0368 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including polycrystalline semiconductors
H01L 31/054 - Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
A method of forming a Group II-VI multijunction semiconductor device comprises providing a Group IV substrate, forming a first subcell from a first Group II-VI semiconductor material, forming a second subcell from a second Group II-VI semiconductor material, and removing the substrate. The first subcell is formed over the substrate and has a first bandgap, while the second subcell is formed over the first subcell and has a second bandgap which is smaller than the first bandgap. Additional subcells may be formed over the second subcell with the bandgap of each subcell smaller than that of the preceding subcell and with each subcell preferably separated from the preceding subcell by a tunnel junction. Prior to the removal of the substrate, a support layer is affixed to the last-formed subcell in opposition to the substrate.
H01L 21/06 - Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction, depletion layer, carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising selenium or tellurium in uncombined form other than as impurities in semiconductor bodies of other materials
H01L 31/0296 - Inorganic materials including, apart from doping material or other impurities, only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, HgCdTe
H01L 31/073 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices characterised by at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type comprising only AIIBVI compound semiconductors, e.g. CdS/CdTe solar cells
H01L 31/18 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
H01L 21/02 - Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
6.
Tunnel heterojunctions in Group IV/Group II-IV multijunction solar cells
A photovoltaic cell comprises a first subcell formed of a Group IV semiconductor material, a second subcell formed of a Group II-VI semiconductor material, and a tunnel heterojunction interposed between the first and second subcells. A first side of the tunnel heterojunction is formed by a first layer that is adjacent to a top surface of the first subcell. The first layer is of a first conductivity type, is comprised of a highly doped Group IV semiconductor material. The other side of the tunnel heterojunction is formed by a second layer that adjoins the lower surface of the second subcell. The second layer is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and is comprised of a highly doped Group II-VI semiconductor material. The tunnel heterojunction permits photoelectric series current to flow through the subcells.
H01L 29/267 - Semiconductor bodies characterised by the materials of which they are formed including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, elements provided for in two or more of the groups , , , , in different semiconductor regions
H01L 31/074 - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS - Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices characterised by at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type comprising a heterojunction with an element of Group IV of the Periodic System, e.g. ITO/Si, GaAs/Si or CdTe/Si solar cells
H01L 31/0687 - Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
H01L 31/0725 - Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
7.
Method for creating nonequilibrium photodetectors with single carrier species barriers
A method of forming a diode comprises the steps of forming an extraction region of a first conductivity type, forming an active region of a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type, and forming an exclusion region of the second conductivity type to be adjacent the active region. The active region is formed to be adjacent to the extraction region and along a reverse bias path of the extraction region and the exclusion region does not resupply minority carriers while removing majority carriers. At least one of the steps of forming the exclusion region and forming the extraction region includes the additional step of forming a barrier that substantially reduces the flow of the carriers that flow toward the active region, but does not rely on a diffusion length of the carriers to block the carriers.
G11C 11/36 - Digital stores characterised by the use of particular electric or magnetic storage elementsStorage elements therefor using electric elements using semiconductor devices using diodes, e.g. as threshold elements
H01L 21/00 - Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid-state devices, or of parts thereof
40 - Treatment of materials; recycling, air and water treatment,
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
custom fabrication of semiconductor materials for others, namely, epitaxial growth of semiconductor layers on silicon, silicon-on-insulator, and compound semiconductor substrates; the polishing for others of semiconductor substrates; and custom fabrication for others of solid state electronic devices research and development services in the fields of semiconductor materials and devices, biosensors and biocides
40 - Treatment of materials; recycling, air and water treatment,
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
custom fabrication of semiconductor materials for others, namely, epitaxial growth of semiconductor layers on silicon, silicon-on-insulator, and compound semiconductor substrates; the polishing for others of semiconductor substrates; and custom fabrication for others of solid state electronic devices research and development services in the fields of semiconductor materials and devices, biosensors and biocides
40 - Treatment of materials; recycling, air and water treatment,
Goods & Services
CUSTOM FABRICATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC AND PHOTOCONDUCTIVE DEVICES AND IMAGERS NAMELY, INFRARED FOCAL PLANE ARRAYS AND INFRARED DETECTORS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE OPERATION FOR OTHERS
