Title: Semiconductor ferroelectric compositions and their use in photovoltaic devices

Abstract

Disclosed herein are ferroelectric perovskites characterized as having a band gap, Egap, of less than 2.5 eV. Also disclosed are compounds comprising a solid solution of KNbO3 and BaNi1/2Nb1/2O3-delta, wherein delta is in the range of from 0 to about 1. The specification also discloses photovoltaic devices comprising one or more solar absorbing layers, wherein at least one of the solar absorbing layers comprises a semiconducting ferroelectric layer. Finally, this patent application provides solar cell, comprising: a heterojunction of n- and p-type semiconductors characterized as comprising an interface layer disposed between the n- and p-type semiconductors, the interface layer comprising a semiconducting ferroelectric absorber layer capable of enhancing light absorption and carrier separation.

Inventors:

Rappe, Andrew M; Davies, Peter K; Spanier, Jonathan E; Grinberg, Ilya; West, Don Vincent

Issue Date:

2016-11-01

Research Org.:

Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1330710

Patent Number(s):

9484475

Application Number:

13/649,154

Assignee:

The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

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C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

C04B2235/3298 - Bismuth oxides, bismuthates or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. zinc bismuthate

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/50 - Photovoltaic [PV] energy

C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

C04B2235/3215 - Barium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E10/542 - Dye sensitized solar cells

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01P - INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

C01P2002/50 - Solid solutions
C01P2006/40 - Electric properties

C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

C04B2235/79 - Non-stoichiometric products, e.g. perovskites
C04B2235/664 - Reductive annealing
C04B2235/3201 - Alkali metal oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01G - COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F

C01G53/66 - {containing alkaline earth metals, e.g. SrNiO3, SrNiO2}
C01G33/00 - Compounds of niobium

C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

C04B2235/3279 - Nickel oxides, nickalates, or oxide-forming salts thereof

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/03529 - {Shape of the potential jump barrier or surface barrier}

C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

C04B35/495 - based on vanadium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum or tungsten oxides or solid solutions thereof with other oxides, e.g. vanadates, niobates, tantalates, molybdates or tungstates

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/032 - including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only compounds not provided for in groups H01L31/0272 - H01L31/0312

C - CHEMISTRY C01 - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY C01P - INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

C01P2002/34 - perovskite-type

C - CHEMISTRY C04 - CEMENTS C04B - LIME, MAGNESIA

C04B2235/768 - Perovskite structure ABO3

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

H01L31/072 - the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type

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DOE Contract Number:  

FG02-07ER46431

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2012 Oct 11

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY