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US 2009/0020150 A1Published application
Structures of ordered arrays of semiconductors
OwnerHarry A. ATWATER, Brendan M. KAYES +3inventors
InventorsHarry A. ATWATER, Brendan M. KAYES, Nathan S. LEWIS, James R. MAIOLO, III, Joshua M. SPURGEON
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Abstract
A device having arrays of semiconductor structures with dimensions, ordering and orientations to provide for light absorption and charge carrier separation. The semiconductor structures are formed with relatively high aspect ratios, that is, the structures are long in the direction of received light, but have relatively small radii to facilitate efficient radial collection of carriers.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a base conducting layer;
- an ordered array of elongate semiconductor structures, wherein the elongate semiconductor structures have length dimensions defined by adjacent ends in electrical contact with at least portions of the base conducting layer and distal ends not in contact with the base conducting layer and have radial dimensions generally normal to the length dimensions and the radial dimensions are less than the length dimensions;
- and
- a charge conducting layer, wherein at least some portions of the charge conducting layer are in electrical contact with one or more elongate semiconductor structures of the plurality of the elongate semiconductor structures along at least portions of the length dimensions of the one or more elongate semiconductor structures,
- wherein the elongate semiconductor structures absorb received light.
2 more elements
A photocell comprising:
- a substrate;
- one or more wire arrays comprising a plurality of oriented and ordered semiconductor wires, wherein the plurality of semiconductor wires have adjacent ends contiguous with the substrate and distal ends oriented to receive incident light, wherein the adjacent ends and distal ends define a length dimension for each semiconductor wire and wherein each semiconductor wire has a radius less than or equal to minority carrier diffusion lengths for material comprising the semiconductor wire;
- and
- a charge conducting layer, wherein at least some portions of the charge conducting layer are in electrical contact with one or more semiconductor wires along at least portions of the length dimensions of the one or more semiconductor wires,
- wherein the semiconductor wires absorb received light and whereby a ratio of the length dimension to the radius for each semiconductor wire is optimal or near optimal for solar energy conversion for materials comprising the one or more semiconductor wires.
2 more elements
A photocell for conversion of water to hydrogen comprising:
- a photoanode comprising one or more ordered wire arrays comprising a plurality of elongate photoanode semiconductor wires, wherein the photoanode semiconductor wires are oriented to receive incident light;
- a photocathode comprising one or more ordered wire arrays comprising a plurality of elongate photocathode semiconductor wires, wherein the photocathode semiconductor wires are oriented to receive incident light;
- and
- a film electrically and ionically interconnecting the a plurality of the photoanode semiconductor wires to a plurality of the photocathode wires.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.