Bell Telephone Laboratories

Kuang-Chou Chang

Barry Irwin Miller

Adam Heller

Liquid-semiconductor photocells are described which produce a stable photocurrent output over extended periods of time by controllably removing material from the semiconductor surface in such a manner as to maintain the integrity of the junction characteristics. The removal may be either by photoetching or by chemical reaction with the electrolyte or with agents added to the electrolyte.

Method of operating a liquid-semiconductor junction photocell

A quality control technique is based on the observation that trapping centers contribute to inefficient operation of junction devices. Devices are irradiated by a first radiation source of intensity sufficient to populate traps and a second radiation source of varying wavelength. Trapping centers are detected by a deviation from the expected photovoltaic output-incident wavelength relationship. Such 'structure' is utilized as the basis for altering production conditions to minimize currents of such centers. While the procedure is of general applicability, it is particularly suitable as applied to photovoltaic cells.

Growing community of inventors

North Plainfield, NJ, United States of America

Kuang-Chou Chang