Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell
Abstract
A monolithic, quantum well, multilayer photovoltaic cell comprises a 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 semiconductor layers, all p-type in the p-region and all n-type in the n-region; each of said series of layers comprising alternating barrier and quantum well layers, each barrier layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first bandgap and each quantum well layer comprising a semiconductor material having a second bandgap when in bulk thickness which is narrower than said first bandgap, the barrier layers sandwiching each quantum well layer and each quantum well layer being sufficiently thin that the width of its bandgap is between said first and second bandgaps, such that radiation incident on said cell and above an energy determined by the bandgap of the quantum well layers will be absorbed and will produce an electrical potential across said junction.
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- AT&T
- OSTI Identifier:
- 866347
- Patent Number(s):
- 4688068
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B82 - NANOTECHNOLOGY B82Y - SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- quantum; multijunction; photovoltaic; cell; monolithic; multilayer; comprises; p-n; junction; comprising; p-region; n-region; regions; series; semiconductor; layers; p-type; n-type; alternating; barrier; layer; material; bandgap; bulk; thickness; narrower; sandwiching; sufficiently; width; bandgaps; radiation; incident; energy; determined; absorbed; produce; electrical; potential; multijunction photovoltaic; layer comprising; p-n junction; cell comprises; electrical potential; semiconductor material; semiconductor layer; barrier layer; photovoltaic cell; radiation incident; barrier layers; semiconductor layers; comprising alternating; regions comprise; /136/257/
Citation Formats
Chaffin, Roger J, and Osbourn, Gordon C. Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell. United States: N. p., 1987.
Web.
Chaffin, Roger J, & Osbourn, Gordon C. Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell. United States.
Chaffin, Roger J, and Osbourn, Gordon C. Thu .
"Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/866347.
@article{osti_866347,
title = {Quantum well multijunction photovoltaic cell},
author = {Chaffin, Roger J and Osbourn, Gordon C},
abstractNote = {A monolithic, quantum well, multilayer photovoltaic cell comprises a 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 semiconductor layers, all p-type in the p-region and all n-type in the n-region; each of said series of layers comprising alternating barrier and quantum well layers, each barrier layer comprising a semiconductor material having a first bandgap and each quantum well layer comprising a semiconductor material having a second bandgap when in bulk thickness which is narrower than said first bandgap, the barrier layers sandwiching each quantum well layer and each quantum well layer being sufficiently thin that the width of its bandgap is between said first and second bandgaps, such that radiation incident on said cell and above an energy determined by the bandgap of the quantum well layers will be absorbed and will produce an electrical potential across said junction.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987}
}