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:
Nov. 28, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 11, 1998
Atsushi Shiozaki, Soraku-gun, JP;
Keishi Saito, Nara, JP;
Masahiro Kanai, Soraku-gun, JP;
Hirokazu Ohtoshi, Nara, JP;
Naoto Okada, Nara, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A photoelectric conversion element comprising a substrate, a plurality of semiconductor junctions made of non-single-crystalline semiconductors formed on the substrate, and a surface material covering the semiconductor junctions is provided. The semiconductor junctions have respective absorption spectra different from each other and respective photo-deterioration rates different from each other. A photo-current generated by the semiconductor junction of the least deterioration rate is larger than that by the semiconductor junction of the greatest deterioration rate when no surface material is present, and when present, the surface material absorbs light in a range corresponding to a part of the absorption spectrum of the semiconductor junction of the least deterioration rate, so that the photo-current generated by the semiconductor junction of the least deterioration rate becomes smaller than that by the semiconductor junction of the greatest deterioration rate.