Nanophotovoltaic devices
AssigneeSpire Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Wojtczuk, James G. Moe, Roger G. Little
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides nanophotovoltaic devices having sizes in a range of about 50 nm to about 5 microns, and method of their fabrication. In some embodiments, the nanophotovoltaic device includes a semiconductor core, e.g., formed of silicon, sandwiched between two metallic layers, one of which forms a Schottky barrier junction with the semiconductor core and the other forms an ohmic contact therewith. In other embodiment, the nanophotovoltaic device includes a semiconductor core comprising a p-n junction that is sandwiched between two metallic layers forming ohmic contacts with the core.
Claims9
A method of forming nanophotovoltaic devices, comprising
- providing a silicon wafer having a buried oxide layer separating a thin silicon layer from the bulk of the wafer,
- depositing a first metallic layer on an exposed surface of said thin silicon layer so as to form a schottky barrier junction with said silicon surface,
- removing the oxide layer and the bulk portion of the wafer to generate a structure comprising said thin silicon layer and said metallic layer disposed on a surface thereof,
- depositing a second metallic layer on an exposed surface of said thin silicon layer opposed to said first metallic layer to form an ohmic contact therewith,
- applying a photoresist to one of said metallic layers,
- holographically patterning said resist to generate a two-dimensional holographic recording therein,
- developing said patterned photoresist to generate a pattern of exposed and unexposed portions, and
- etching away the exposed portions to generate a plurality of nanophotovoltaic devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.