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. 08, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 23, 2007
Piero Perlo, Sommariva Bosco, IT;
Mauro Brignone, Orbassano, IT;
Piero Perlo, Sommariva Bosco, IT;
Mauro Brignone, Orbassano, IT;
C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni, Orbassano (Turino), IT;
Abstract
An apparatus is described that converts electromagnetic radiation into electric current, of the type comprising a plurality of junctions between a first element () of material with conduction through carriers of positive charge and a second element () of a material with conduction through carriers of negative charge, said plurality of junctions defining a plurality of couples () comprising a hot junction () and a cold junction (), said plurality of couples () receiving a thermal flow (FT) generated by a radiation (R) incident in the direction of a region () including the hot junction (), said apparatus () including a device () to guide said radiation (R) towards said plurality of couples (). According to the invention, said first element () of material with conduction through carriers of positive charge and/or said second element () of material with conduction through carriers of negative charge comprise nanostructured materials and in that said device to guide said radiation (R) comprises a plurality of guiding elements () that guide said radiation (R) onto faces () exposed to said radiation (R) of the respective first element () and second element () of the couples ().