NANOSTRUCTURED QUANTUM DOTS OR DASHES IN PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND METHODS THEREOF

• US 20100081228A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glenn Research Center, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Glenn Research Center, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Raffaele, Ryne P., Wilt, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/63
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035236 Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035263 Doping superlattices, e.g. nipi superlattices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic device includes one or more structures, an array of at least one of quantum dots and quantum dashes, at least one groove, and at least one conductor. Each of the structures comprises an intrinsic layer on one of an n type layer and a p type layer and the other one of the n type layer and the p type layer on the intrinsic layer. The array of at least one of quantum dots and quantum dashes is located in the intrinsic layer in at least one of the structures. The groove extends into at least one of the structures and the conductor is located along at least a portion of the groove.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A method for making a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

forming one or more structures, wherein the forming further comprises forming for each of the structures an intrinsic layer on one of an n type layer and a p type layer and forming the other one of the n type layer and the p type layer on the intrinsic layer;

incorporating an array of at least one of quantum dots and quantum dashes in the intrinsic layer in at least one of the structures;

forming at least one groove which extends into at least one of the structures; and

providing at least one conductor along at least a portion of the groove.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising forming one of an n type region and a p type region in at least one of the structures adjacent the groove.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the forming at least one groove further comprises forming two or more grooves that extend into at least one of the structures, the n type region in at least one of the structures is adjacent one of the grooves and the p type region in at least one of the structures is adjacent another one of the grooves and wherein the providing at least one conductor further comprises providing at least two conductors, each of the conductors is located along at least a portion of one of the grooves.

13. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the forming one or more structures further comprises forming another intrinsic layer, the one of the n type layer and the p type layer is formed on the another intrinsic layer and wherein the incorporating an array of at least one of quantum dots and quantum dashes further comprises incorporating an array of at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the another intrinsic layer.

14. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the forming one or more structures further comprises forming two or more of the structures which are stacked on each other.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the incorporating further comprises incorporating the array of at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layer in each of the structures which are substantially the same size.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the incorporating further comprises incorporating the array of at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layer in each of the structures wherein the array of at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layers in at least one of the structures have a different size than the array of the at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layer in another one of the structures.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the size of the array of the at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in each of the intrinsic layers in the structures decreases with depth into the structure.

18. The method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising providing a substrate, wherein the forming one or more structures further comprises forming at least one of the structures on the provided substrate.

19-27. -27. (canceled)