Photovoltaic heterojunction structures
Patent 4753684 Issued on June 28, 1988. Estimated Expiration Date: 
October 31, 2006. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
October 31, 2006. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesThin film heterojunction photovoltaic cells and methods of making the same Photo-voltaic power generating means and methods Photo-voltaic power generating means and methods Electrodeposition of thin film heterojunction photovoltaic devices that utilize Cd rich Hg1-x Cdx Te Reactively-sputtered zinc semiconductor films of high conductivity for heterojunction devices Process for producing chalcogenide semiconductors Heterojunction p-i-n photovoltaic cell Patent #: 4710589 InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 06/926283 filed on 10/31/1986US Classes:136/258, Polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor136/255, Schottky, graded doping, plural junction or special junction geometry136/260, Cadmium containing136/264, Selenium or tellurium containing136/265, Copper, lead, or zinc containing257/188, Having narrow energy band gap (<<1eV) layer (e.g., PbSnTe, HgCdTe, etc.)257/53Responsive to nonelectrical external signals (e.g., light)ExaminersPrimary: Weisstuch, AaronAttorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesH01L 31/18 (20060101)H01L 31/072 (20060101) H01L 31/06 (20060101) AbstractA three layer, photovoltaic structure having polycrystalline semiconductor layers disposed in series optically and in sequential touching contact includes a relatively wide optical bandgap energy window layer, a light-absorbing layer and a third, relatively wide bandgap energy layer that forms a minority carrier mirror with the light-absorbing layer. All three layers have different compositions so that the structure includes two heterojunctions. The light-absorbing layer and third layer are of the same conductivity type. The structure is conveniently realized using II-VI semiconductor compounds such as a cadmium sulfide or zinc sulfide window layer, a mercury cadmium telluride, cadmium telluride, zinc cadmium telluride or mercury zinc telluride light-absorbing layer and a third layer of cadmium telluride, zinc telluride, zinc cadmium telluride, mercury cadmium telluride or cadmium manganese telluride. Cadmium is present in at least two of the three layers of the novel structures. Tellurium is present in two of the three layers. Structures according to the invention may be conveniently formed by electrodeposition and may employ opaque or transparent substrates depending on the particular semiconductor materials used and their relative positions.Other References
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