Photovoltaic Apparatus Including Spherical Semiconducting Particles

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulating the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portions of the first semiconductor layers, wherein each of the photoelectric conversion elements has an outer diameter of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and a light-gathering ratio x which equals to S1/S2 is selected to be in a range of 2 to 8, wherein S1 is an opening area of each of the recesses of the support and S2 is an area of a cross-section of the photoelectric conversion elements including a center thereof.

A photovoltaic apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each being of an approximately spherical shape and including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which is located outside the first semiconductor layer, for generating photoelectromotive force between the first and second semiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer having an opening through which a portion of the first semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• (b) a support including a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator disposed between the first and second conductors for electrically insulating the first and second conductors from each other, the support having a plurality of recesses which are arranged adjacent to each other and of which inside surfaces are constituted by the first conductor or a coating formed thereon, the photoelectric conversion elements being disposed in the respective recesses so that the photoelectric conversion elements are illuminated with light reflected by part of the first conductor or coating formed thereon which constitutes the recess, the first conductor being electrically connected to the second semiconductor layers of the photoelectric conversion elements, and the second conductor being electrically connected to the exposed portions of the first semiconductor layers, wherein each of the photoelectric conversion elements has an outer diameter of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm, and a light-gathering ratio x which equals to S1/S2 is selected to be in a range of 4 to 6, wherein S1 is an opening area of each of the recesses of the support and S2 is an area of a cross-section of the photoelectric conversion elements including a center thereof.