Nanophotovoltaic devices
First Claim
1. A method of forming nanophotovoltaic devices, comprisingproviding a silicon wafer having a buried oxide layer separating a thin silicon layer from the bulk of the wafer,depositing a first metallic layer on an exposed surface of said thin silicon layer so as to form a schottky barrier junction with said silicon surface,removing the oxide layer and the bulk portion of the wafer to generate a structure comprising said thin silicon layer and said metallic layer disposed on a surface thereof,depositing a second metallic layer on an exposed surface of said thin silicon layer opposed to said first metallic layer to form an ohmic contact therewith,applying a photoresist to one of said metallic layers,holographically patterning said resist to generate a two-dimensional holographic recording therein,developing said patterned photoresist to generate a pattern of exposed and unexposed portions, andetching away the exposed portions to generate a plurality of nanophotovoltaic devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides nanophotovoltaic devices having sizes in a range of about 50 nm to about 5 microns, and method of their fabrication. In some embodiments, the nanophotovoltaic device includes a semiconductor core, e.g., formed of silicon, sandwiched between two metallic layers, one of which forms a Schottky barrier junction with the semiconductor core and the other forms an ohmic contact therewith. In other embodiment, the nanophotovoltaic device includes a semiconductor core comprising a p-n junction that is sandwiched between two metallic layers forming ohmic contacts with the core.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of forming nanophotovoltaic devices, comprising
providing a silicon wafer having a buried oxide layer separating a thin silicon layer from the bulk of the wafer, depositing a first metallic layer on an exposed surface of said thin silicon layer so as to form a schottky barrier junction with said silicon surface, removing the oxide layer and the bulk portion of the wafer to generate a structure comprising said thin silicon layer and said metallic layer disposed on a surface thereof, depositing a second metallic layer on an exposed surface of said thin silicon layer opposed to said first metallic layer to form an ohmic contact therewith, applying a photoresist to one of said metallic layers, holographically patterning said resist to generate a two-dimensional holographic recording therein, developing said patterned photoresist to generate a pattern of exposed and unexposed portions, and etching away the exposed portions to generate a plurality of nanophotovoltaic devices.
Specification