Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell
Patent
·
OSTI ID:6106387
A monolithic, quantum well, multilayer, multijunction photovoltaic cell is described which consists of: at least two p-n junctions electrically connected to each other; each p-n junction comprising a p-region on one side and an n-region on the other side, each of which regions comprises a series of at least three semiconductors layers, all p-type in the p-region and all n-type in the n-region, the layers forming a strained layer superlattice; each of the series of layers in each p-n junction comprising alternating barrier and quantum well layers, each barrier layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first bandgap when the semiconductor material is in bulk thickness, and each quantum well layer comprising a semiconductor material that has a second bandgap when the semiconductor material is in bulk thickness, the bandgap being narrower then the first bandgap, the barrier layers sandwiching each quantum well layer and each quantum well layer being present in less than bulk thickness and being sufficiently thin that the width of its operational bandgap in each p-n junction is between the first and second bandgaps, the operational bandgap being the effective bandgap of the p-n junction; the operational bandgap of at least one of the p-n junctions being different from that of at least one other p-n junction; whereby radiation incident on the cell and above an energy determined by the operational bandgap of at least one of the p-n junctions will be absorbed and will produce an electrical potential across the junction.
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4688068
- OSTI ID:
- 6106387
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
GRADED BAND GAPS
JUNCTIONS
LAYERS
MATERIALS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
P-N JUNCTIONS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUPERLATTICES
THICKNESS
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
GRADED BAND GAPS
JUNCTIONS
LAYERS
MATERIALS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
P-N JUNCTIONS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUPERLATTICES
THICKNESS