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Title: Semiconductor ferroelectric compositions and their use in photovoltaic devices

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1330710

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.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-07ER46431
Assignee:
The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
Patent Number(s):
9,484,475
Application Number:
13/649,154
OSTI ID:
1330710
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2012 Oct 11
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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