The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 05, 1977
Filed:
Jan. 06, 1976
Richard L Anderson, Syracuse, NY (US);
Jack K Clifton, New City, NY (US);
James V Masi, Huntington, CT (US);
Seymour Merrin, Fairfield, CT (US);
Innotech Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
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.