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:
Jul. 01, 1986
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1983
Prem Nath, Rochester, MI (US);
Masatsugu Izu, Birmingham, MI (US);
Energy Conversion Devices, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
An improved semiconductor device, adapted to provide electrical current in response to light energy incident thereon, includes a first electrode, an active semiconductor body atop the first electrode, a second electrode atop the semiconductor body, and at least one defect region which is capable of providing a low resistance shunt path for the flow of electrical current between the electrodes of the device. The improvement comprises a continuous transparent barrier layer (1) operatively disposed between the semiconductor body and one of the electrodes of the device and (2) adapted to decrease the flow of electrical current through the at least one defect region of the semiconductor device. The barrier layer is formed from a material chosen from the group consisting essentially of oxides, nitride and carbides of: indium, tin, cadmium, zinc, antimony, silicon, chromium and mixtures thereof. Methods of (1) fabricating improved semiconductor devices and (2) preventing operational mode failures due to latent detents are also disclosed.