SOLAR CELL
First Claim
1. A method for generating electric power with use of a solar cell, the method comprising steps of:
- (a) preparing the solar cell comprising a condensing lens and a solar cell element, whereinthe solar cell element comprises an n-type GaAs layer, a p-type GaAs layer, a quantum tunneling layer, an n-type InGaP layer, a p-type InGaP layer, a p-type window layer, an n-side electrode, and a p-side electrode;
a Z-direction denotes the direction of the normal line of the p-type GaAs layer;
an X-direction denotes a direction orthogonal to the Z-direction,the n-type GaAs layer, the p-type GaAs layer, the quantum tunneling layer, the n-type InGaP layer, the p-type InGaP layer, and the p-type window layer are stacked along the Z-direction in this order;
the p-type window layer is made of a p-type compound semiconductor having a wider bandgap than InGaP,the n-side electrode is electrically connected with the n-type GaAs layer;
the p-side electrode is electrically connected with the p-type InGaP layer;
the n-type GaAs layer is divided into a GaAs center part, a first GaAs peripheral part, and a second GaAs peripheral part;
the GaAs center part is interposed between the first GaAs peripheral part and the second GaAs peripheral part along the X-direction;
the first GaAs peripheral part and the second GaAs peripheral part have a shape of a layer,the n-type InGaP layer is divided into an InGaP center part, a first InGaP peripheral part, and a second InGaP peripheral part;
the InGaP center part is interposed between the first InGaP peripheral part and the second InGaP peripheral part along the X-direction;
the first InGaP peripheral part and the second InGaP peripheral part have a shape of a layer,the following inequation set (I) is satisfied;
d2<
d1,d3<
d1,1 nanometer≦
d2≦
4 nanometers,1 nanometer≦
d3≦
4 nanometers,d5<
d4,d6<
d4,1 nanometer≦
d5≦
5 nanometers,1 nanometer≦
d6≦
5 nanometers,100 nanometers≦
w2,100 nanometers≦
w3,100 nanometers≦
w4, and 100 nanometers≦
w5
(I);
wherein d1 represents a thickness of the GaAs center part along the Z-direction;
d2 represents a thickness of the first GaAs peripheral part along the Z-direction;
d3 represents a thickness of the second GaAs peripheral part along the Z-direction;
d4 represents a thickness of the InGaP center part along the Z-direction;
d5 represents a thickness of the first InGaP peripheral part along the Z-direction;
d6 represents a thickness of the second InGaP peripheral part along the Z-direction;
w2 represents a width of the first GaAs peripheral part along the X-direction;
w3 represents a width of the second GaAs peripheral part along the X-direction;
w4 represents a width of the first InGaP peripheral part along the X-direction; and
w5 represents a width of the second InGaP peripheral part along the X-direction; and
(b) irradiating a region S which is included in the surface of the p-type window layer through the condensing lens with light in such a manner that the following inequation (II) is satisfied so as to generate a potential difference between the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode;
w6≦
w1
(II);
wherein w1 represents a width of the GaAs center part along the X-direction;
w6 represents a width of the region S along the X-direction in the cross-sectional view which includes the Z-direction; and
the first GaAs center part overlaps the region (S) when seen from the Z-direction.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for generating electric power including the steps of: (a) preparing a solar cell having a condensing lens and a solar cell element, wherein the solar cell element includes an n-type GaAs layer, a p-type GaAs layer, a quantum tunneling layer, an n-type InGaP layer, a p-type InGaP layer, a p-type window layer, an n-side electrode, and a p-side electrode, and satisfies the following equation (I): d2<d1, d3<d1, 1 nanometer≦d2≦4 nanometers, 1 nanometer≦d3≦4 nanometers, d5<d4, d6<d4, 1 nanometer≦d5≦5 nanometers, 1 nanometer≦d6≦5 nanometers, 100 nanometers≦w2, 100 nanometers≦w3, 100 nanometers≦w4, and 100 nanometers≦w5 . . . (I); and (b) irradiating a region S which is included in the surface of the p-type window layer through the condensing lens with light to satisfy the following equation (II) in order to generate a potential difference between the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode: w6≦w1 . . . (II).
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for generating electric power with use of a solar cell, the method comprising steps of:
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(a) preparing the solar cell comprising a condensing lens and a solar cell element, wherein the solar cell element comprises an n-type GaAs layer, a p-type GaAs layer, a quantum tunneling layer, an n-type InGaP layer, a p-type InGaP layer, a p-type window layer, an n-side electrode, and a p-side electrode; a Z-direction denotes the direction of the normal line of the p-type GaAs layer; an X-direction denotes a direction orthogonal to the Z-direction, the n-type GaAs layer, the p-type GaAs layer, the quantum tunneling layer, the n-type InGaP layer, the p-type InGaP layer, and the p-type window layer are stacked along the Z-direction in this order; the p-type window layer is made of a p-type compound semiconductor having a wider bandgap than InGaP, the n-side electrode is electrically connected with the n-type GaAs layer; the p-side electrode is electrically connected with the p-type InGaP layer; the n-type GaAs layer is divided into a GaAs center part, a first GaAs peripheral part, and a second GaAs peripheral part; the GaAs center part is interposed between the first GaAs peripheral part and the second GaAs peripheral part along the X-direction; the first GaAs peripheral part and the second GaAs peripheral part have a shape of a layer, the n-type InGaP layer is divided into an InGaP center part, a first InGaP peripheral part, and a second InGaP peripheral part; the InGaP center part is interposed between the first InGaP peripheral part and the second InGaP peripheral part along the X-direction; the first InGaP peripheral part and the second InGaP peripheral part have a shape of a layer, the following inequation set (I) is satisfied;
d2<
d1,d3<
d1,1 nanometer≦
d2≦
4 nanometers,1 nanometer≦
d3≦
4 nanometers,d5<
d4,d6<
d4,1 nanometer≦
d5≦
5 nanometers,1 nanometer≦
d6≦
5 nanometers,100 nanometers≦
w2,100 nanometers≦
w3,100 nanometers≦
w4, and 100 nanometers≦
w5
(I);wherein d1 represents a thickness of the GaAs center part along the Z-direction; d2 represents a thickness of the first GaAs peripheral part along the Z-direction; d3 represents a thickness of the second GaAs peripheral part along the Z-direction; d4 represents a thickness of the InGaP center part along the Z-direction; d5 represents a thickness of the first InGaP peripheral part along the Z-direction; d6 represents a thickness of the second InGaP peripheral part along the Z-direction; w2 represents a width of the first GaAs peripheral part along the X-direction; w3 represents a width of the second GaAs peripheral part along the X-direction; w4 represents a width of the first InGaP peripheral part along the X-direction; and w5 represents a width of the second InGaP peripheral part along the X-direction; and (b) irradiating a region S which is included in the surface of the p-type window layer through the condensing lens with light in such a manner that the following inequation (II) is satisfied so as to generate a potential difference between the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode;
w6≦
w1
(II);wherein w1 represents a width of the GaAs center part along the X-direction; w6 represents a width of the region S along the X-direction in the cross-sectional view which includes the Z-direction; and the first GaAs center part overlaps the region (S) when seen from the Z-direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification