Dot-junction photovoltaic cells using high-absorption semiconductors
First Claim
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1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
- an electrically inactive semiconductor substrate; and
,a thin active layer direct bandgap semiconductor grown directly on the substrate;
wherein said electrically inactive semiconductor substrate and said thin active layer semiconductor combine to have at least three surfaces, a first surface serving as an entrance point for light, a second surface delineating the active photovoltaic cell from the substrate and, a third surface configured with a plurality of rectifying contacts herein the third surface contains at least one electrical contact to a localized rectifying contact and at least one ohmic contact to the active semiconductor layer.
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Abstract
A dot-junction photovoltaic cell using high absorption semi-conductors increases photovoltaic conversion performance of direct band gap semi-conductors by utilizing dot-junction cell geometry. This geometry is applied to highly absorbing materials, including Inx-1 Gax As. The photovoltaic cell configured to be separated into a thin active region and a thick, inactive substrate, which serves as a mechanical support.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A photovoltaic device comprising:
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an electrically inactive semiconductor substrate; and
,a thin active layer direct bandgap semiconductor grown directly on the substrate; wherein said electrically inactive semiconductor substrate and said thin active layer semiconductor combine to have at least three surfaces, a first surface serving as an entrance point for light, a second surface delineating the active photovoltaic cell from the substrate and, a third surface configured with a plurality of rectifying contacts herein the third surface contains at least one electrical contact to a localized rectifying contact and at least one ohmic contact to the active semiconductor layer.
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2. A photovoltaic device comprising:
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an electrically inactive semiconductor substrate; and
,a thin active layer direct bandgap semiconductor grown directly on the substrate; wherein said electrically inactive semiconductor substrate and said thin active layer conductor combine to have at least three surfaces, a first surface serving as an entrance point for light, a second surface delineating the active photovoltaic cell from the substrate and, a third surface configured with a plurality of doped regions of opposite conductivity type to the active layer to form a p/n junction, wherein the third surface further contains at least one ohmic contact to a localized doped region and at least one ohmic contact to the active semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification