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.

Date of Patent:
Feb. 24, 1998

Filed:

Jul. 19, 1996
Applicant:
Inventor:

Joseph H Simmons, Gainesville, FL (US);

Assignee:

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L / ; H01L / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
136250 ; 136249 ; 136255 ; 257 53 ; 257 64 ; 257431 ; 257440 ; 437-4 ; 437-5 ; 437108 ; 437109 ;
Abstract

A method and apparatus for a photo-active region for generation of free carriers when a first surface is exposed to optical radiation. The photo-active region includes a conducting transparent matrix and clusters of semiconductor materials embedded within the conducting transparent matrix. The clusters are arranged in the matrix material so as to define at least a first distribution of cluster sizes ranging from those with the highest bandgap energy near a light incident surface of the photo-active region to those with the smallest bandgap energy near an opposite second surface of the photo-active region. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for a solar cell. The solar cell includes a photo-active region containing a plurality of semiconductor clusters of varying sizes as described.


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