# US 12,009,444 B2 · Sensor comprising a photovoltaic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,444 B2 - Document ID: US12009444B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/089,185 - Filed: 2022-12-27 - Published: 2023-08-03 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-02-03 - Applicants: Mark R. Schroeder; Kenneth Buciak - Inventors: Mark R. Schroeder; Kenneth Buciak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009444B2 ## CPC - H10F 77/147: {Shapes of bodies} - H10F 77/148: {Shapes of potential barriers} - H10F 19/30: comprising thin-film photovoltaic cells - H10F 77/169: Thin semiconductor films on metallic or insulating substrates - H10F 77/244: {made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. transparent conductive oxide [TCO] layers} - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - Y02E 10/547: Monocrystalline silicon PV cells - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract In one example, a sensor comprises a photovoltaic device. The photovoltaic device comprises a core having a shape that is at least partially spherical, an absorber disposed over the core, and a transparent conductor disposed over the absorber. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor, comprising: a photovoltaic device, wherein the photovoltaic device comprises: a core having a shape that is at least partially pseudospherical; an absorber disposed over the core and having a shape that is at least partially curved; and a transparent conductor disposed over the absorber and having a shape that is at least partially curved; wherein the transparent conductor has an index of refraction that is less than an index of refraction of the absorber such that the transparent conductor and the absorber function as a lens to refract impinging photons into the absorber; wherein an interface between the transparent conductor and the absorber has a smoothness defined such that a distance between peak to peak features on a surface of the transparent conductor at the interface is less than about one tenth of a wavelength of the impinging photons divided by the index of refraction of the transparent conductor; and wherein the absorber and the transparent conductor have indices of refraction and thicknesses selected to function as an annular waveguide such that the photons impinging into the absorber travel circumferentially in the absorber about a center of the core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic device is configured to output a signal responsive to the impinging photons that is representative of a direction, an intensity, and a wavelength of the impinging photons. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic device has a grand ratio that is less than a value of 1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic device has a spheroidal shape, a partial spheroidal shape, or a partial solid oval shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic device has a paraboloid shape or a partial ellipsoid shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic device has a Gaussian shape. ### Claim 7 A sensor array, comprising: an array of photovoltaic devices, wherein one or more of the photovoltaic devices comprises: a photovoltaic device, wherein the photovoltaic device comprises: a core having a shape that is at least partially pseudospherical; an absorber disposed over the core and having a shape that is at least partially curved; and a transparent conductor disposed over the absorber and having a shape that is at least partially curved; wherein the transparent conductor has an index of refraction that is less than an index of refraction of the absorber such that the transparent conductor and the absorber function as a lens to refract impinging photons into the absorber; wherein an interface between the transparent conductor and the absorber has a smoothness defined such that a distance between peak to peak features on a surface of the transparent conductor at the interface is less than about one tenth of a wavelength of the impinging photons divided by the index of refraction of the transparent conductor; wherein the absorber and the transparent conductor have indices of refraction and thicknesses selected to function as an annular waveguide such that the photons impinging into the absorber travel circumferentially in the absorber about a center of the core; and a matrix of conductor lines coupled to the array of photovoltaic devices, wherein each of the photovoltaic devices provides a signal on a respective conductor line that is representative of a direction, an intensity, and a wavelength of the impinging photons impinging on a respective photovoltaic device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The sensor array of claim 7, wherein one or more of the photovoltaic devices has a grand ratio that is less than a value of 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The sensor array of claim 7, wherein the signal provides by the array of photovoltaic devices comprises a three-dimensional (3D) image. ### Claim 10 A display device, comprising: an array of photovoltaic devices, wherein one or more of the photovoltaic devices comprises: a photovoltaic device, wherein the photovoltaic device comprises: a core having a shape that is at least partially pseudospherical; an absorber disposed over the core and having a shape that is at least partially curved; and a transparent conductor disposed over the absorber and having a shape that is at least partially curved; wherein the transparent conductor has an index of refraction that is less than an index of refraction of the absorber such that the transparent conductor and the absorber function as a lens to refract emitted photons from the absorber; wherein an interface between the transparent conductor and the absorber has a smoothness defined such that a distance between peak to peak features on a surface of the transparent conductor at the interface is less than about one tenth of a wavelength of the emitted photons divided by the index of refraction of the transparent conductor; wherein the absorber and the transparent conductor have indices of refraction and thicknesses selected to function as an annular waveguide such that the photons generated from the absorber travel circumferentially in the absorber about a center of the core; and a matrix of conductor lines coupled to the array of photovoltaic devices, wherein each of the photovoltaic devices is configured to emit photons responsive to a signal on a respective conductor line that is representative of a direction, an intensity, and a wavelength of the emitted photons emitted from a respective photovoltaic device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The display device of claim 10, wherein one or more of the photovoltaic devices has a grand ratio that is greater than a value of 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The display device of claim 10, wherein the photons emitted by the array of photovoltaic devices comprises a three-dimensional (3D) image.