University of Pennsylvania

Drexel University

Ilya Grinberg

Andrew Marshall Rappe

Jonathan Eli Spanier

Peter K Davies

Don Vincent West

Alexie Michelle Kolpak

Liyan Wu

Andrei R Akbasheu

A method of growing a FE material thin film using physical vapor deposition by pulsed laser deposition or RF sputtering is disclosed. The method involves creating a target to be used for the pulsed laser deposition in order to create a KBNNO thin film. The resultant KBNNO thin film is able to be used in photovoltaic cells.

Method for making ferroelectric material thin films

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.

Semiconductor ferroelectric compositions and their use in photovoltaic devices

Disclosed are tunable catalysts and methods of controlling the activity of a catalyst. For example, disclosed are methods of controlling the activity of a catalyst, comprising providing a catalyst, comprising a ferroelectric substrate of finite thickness comprising two opposing surfaces, the ferroelectric substrate being characterized as having a polarization; an electrode surmounting one of the surfaces of the ferroelectric substrate; and a catalytically active material surmounting the surface of the ferroelectric substrate opposing the electrode; and subjecting the ferroelectric substrate to a controllable electric field to give rise to a modulation of the polarization of the ferroelectric substrate, whereby the modulation of the polarization controllably alters the activity of one or more chemical species on the catalytically active material.

Tunable ferroelectric supported catalysts and method and uses thereof

Growing community of inventors

Fair Lawn, NJ, United States of America

Ilya Grinberg