Other

Innotech Corporation

Uce, Inc.

James V Masi

Seymour Merrin

Richard L Anderson

Jack K Clifton

A photovoltaic semiconductor junction device which is particularly useful as a solar cell comprises a first layer of organic semiconductor material exhibiting one type of electronic conductivity and a second of inorganic semiconductor material having the same or opposite type conductivity. The first layer of organic semiconductor material has an energy bandgap relatively wider than that of the second layer of semiconductor material. The electron affinities of the first and second layers of semiconducting material may be equal, greater, or less than those of the other. The first layer of organic semiconductor material must either be doped to have a resistivity below 10.sup.6 ohm-centimeters or be sufficiently thin to allow conduction. In devices employing n-type layers on p-type substrates, the conduction band energy level of the organic material is preferably at substantially the same energy level as the conduction band energy level of the narrower band gap semiconductor material. In devices employing p-type layers, the valence band energy level of the organic material is preferably at substantially the same energy level as the valence band energy level of the narrower bandgap inorganic semiconductor material.

Photovoltaic semiconductor device using an organic material as an active

A semiconductive heterojunction device particularly useful as a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell comprises a heterojunction formed between a first layer of semiconductor material exhibiting one type of electronic conductivity (N or P) and a second layer of a compositionally different material exhibiting the other type of electronic conductivity (P or N), which second layer has an energy bandgap relatively wider than that of the semiconductor material and an electron affinity less than or equal to the electron affinity of the semiconductor. Preferably, the wider bandgap material is a glassy amorphous material which possess or is doped to possess a low resistivity below about 10.sup.7 ohm-cm. In devices employing N-type wider bandgap layers, the conduction band energy level of the wider bandgap material is preferably at substantially the same energy level as the conduction band energy level of the narrower bandgap material at electrical neutrality. In devices employing P-type wider bandgap layers, the valence band energy level of the wider bandgap material is preferably at substantially the same energy level as the valance band energy level of the narrower bandgap material.

Photovoltaic heterojunction device employing a wide bandgap material as

A wave guide device for varying the polarization of a light beam comprises a diode formed of a film of a material such as a glassy amorphous material or a plastic of a first kind of electrical conductivity (P or N) disposed on a substrate of semiconductor material exhibiting the opposite kind of electrical conductivity (N or P), an input optical coupler for coupling a light beam into the glassy film of the diode so that the light will pass through the film by a series of internal reflections, an output optical coupler and means for applying a bias voltage to the diode. In operation, variation of the bias voltage varies the phase of the light beam as it passes therethrough. This change in phase can be detected as a change in the polarization of the light beam exiting from the output coupler.

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Huntington, CT, United States of America

James V Masi