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:
Sep. 02, 2014
Filed:
Sep. 16, 2009
Joseph Terence Smith, Columbia, MD (US);
Patrick Bruckner Shea, Washington, DC (US);
Dennis Allen Adams, Gambrills, MD (US);
Marvin Hart White, Bethlehem, PA (US);
Joseph Terence Smith, Columbia, MD (US);
Patrick Bruckner Shea, Washington, DC (US);
Dennis Allen Adams, Gambrills, MD (US);
Marvin Hart White, Bethlehem, PA (US);
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
A photovoltaic semiconductor solar cell with a backside semiconductor-oxide-nitride-oxide nonvolatile charge storage structure (referred to as a 'PHONOS solar cell') is disclosed. The PHONOS solar cell includes a semiconductor surface region, a semiconductor bulk region, and a backside structure that includes the SONO nonvolatile charge storage structure and a backside contact. The backside SONO nonvolatile charge storage structure greatly improves solar cell efficiency gains by eliminating 'backside' losses, i.e., losses due to the recombination of photo-generated minority charge carriers created by the incident sunlight. The PHONOS solar cell is a highly efficient, ultra-thin, semiconductor solar cell that can be manufactured at low cost.