Method and apparatus for photoelectric generation of electricity
OwnerJonathan Sidney Edelsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A close spaced planar vacuum diode is constructed with a photoemissive first electrode and a low work function second electrode. As a result of photon flux on said photoemissive first electrode, electrons are emitted into the vacuum space and travel to said second electrode. This electron current may then flow through an external load, powering said external load.
Claims21
A radiant energy to electrical power transducer for radiant energy to electrical power conversion comprising:
- a) an emitter upon which said radiant energy impinges, said emitter having a work function consistent with the copious emission of electrons at the wavelengths of said radiant energy;
- b) a collector to which said electrons may travel and is separated from said emitter by a space;
- c) an electrical load;
- d) an electrical contact by which said collector and said emitter are connected to said load;
- and
- e) a housing structured to allow said radiant energy to impinge on said emitter.
A radiant energy to electrical power transducer comprising:
- a) a transparent micromachined first substrate having on one face a shallow depression of substantially uniform depth coated with a photoelectric emissive material and surrounded by an edge region which is thermally resistive, said photoelectric emissive material in electrical contact with an electrical contact;
- and
- b) a micromachined second substrate having on one face a shallow depression of substantially uniform depth coated with a photoelectric emissive material and surrounded by an edge region which is thermally resistive, said photoelectric emissive material in electrical contact with an electrical contact, whereby said second substrate is joined to said first substrate at their respective edge regions, and whereby said photoelectric emissive material of said first substrate is separated by a gap from said photoelectric emissive material of said second substrate.
A method for building a radiant energy to electrical power transducer for a radiant energy to electrical power conversion system by micromachining, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a transparent substrate with one face having a central shallow depression of substantially uniform depth;
- b) forming a conductive area on the surface of said shallow depression extending to an electrical contact on the edge of said substrate;
- c) forming a layer of photoelectric emissive material on the surface of said depression in electrical contact with said conductive area;
- and
- d) joining the substrate produced according to step c) with a second substrate produced according to steps a), b) and c) so that said edges of said substrate are in contact, said electrical contacts are not touching, and said coatings are separated by a gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.