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:
Feb. 04, 1986
Filed:
Feb. 02, 1984
John B Mooney, San Jose, CA (US);
Arden Sher, Belmont, CA (US);
SRI International, Menlo, CA (US);
Abstract
A photovoltaic cell includes doped cadmium telluride formed of tetrahedral crystalline host semiconductor material including cadmium and telluride atoms bonded by ionic, covalent, and metallic forces. The host material is alloyed with Group II or VI atoms that replace either some of the host material cadmium or telluride atoms so that the alloyed and host atoms are bonded by at least covalent and metallic forces. The alloyed atoms have bond lengths with the nearest neighboring host atoms that are less than the host bond lengths. The number of bonded alloyed atoms is such that they do not substantially affect electronic conduction properties of the host material and result in a semiconductor region having no more than a few dislocations. A semiconductor of opposite conductivity to the conductivity type of the semiconductor region forms a junction with the region. At least one metal electrode makes ohmic contact with the first region. If the cadmium telluride is p type, the alloyed atoms are selected from the group consisting essentially of zinc, sulphur, and selenum, in which case the n type semiconductor can be cadmium sulphide. The n and p type semiconductors can be of the same compound to form a homojunction.