Nanophotovoltaic devices
AssigneeSpire Corporation
InventorsSteven J. Wojtczuk, James G. Moe, Roger G. Little
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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.
Claims17
An nanophotovoltaic device, comprising
- a three-dimensional semi-conductor structure,
- a metallic layer disposed over at least a portion of the semiconductor structure to form a junction therewith, said junction defining a space charge region,
- wherein a combination of said semi-conductor structure and said metallic layer has a size in each of said three dimensions in a range of about 50 nm to about 5000 nm,
- wherein exposure of said nanophotovoltaic device to radiation having a selected wavelength causes generation of electron-hole pairs that provide a voltage across the device.
A nanophotovoltaic device, comprising
- a semiconductor structure,
- a metallic layer disposed over at least a portion of the semiconductor structure to form a junction therewith, said junction defining a space charge therein,
- wherein said device has a substantially cylindrical shape with a height in a range of about 100 nm to about 1000 nm and a diameter in range of about 100 nm to about 1000 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.