# US 8,785,766 B2 · Photoelectric conversion device and energy conversion layer for photoelectric conversion device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,785,766 B2 - Document ID: US8785766B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/161,669 - Filed: 2011-06-16 - Published: 2011-12-22 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-18 - Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Yoshinobu Asami; Tomokazu Yokoi - Inventors: Yoshinobu Asami; Tomokazu Yokoi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785766B2 ## CPC - H10P 14/2922: {being non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass or polymers} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 20/00: Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals - H10F 10/17: Photovoltaic cells having only PIN junction potential barriers - H10F 71/00: Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) - H10F 77/1433: {Quantum dots} - H10F 77/146: {Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures} - H10F 77/162: Non-monocrystalline materials, e.g. semiconductor particles embedded in insulating materials (H10F77/169 takes precedence) - H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD] - H10P 14/3211: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium} - H10P 14/3238: {being insulating materials} - H10P 14/3252: {Alternating layers, e.g. superlattice} - H10P 14/3256: {Microstructure} - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - Y02E 10/548: Amorphous silicon PV cells - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A novel photoelectric conversion device in which energy of light can be effectively utilized and performance can be improved is provided. A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion element and an energy conversion layer provided on a light-receiving side of a photoelectric conversion layer included in the photoelectric conversion element. The energy conversion layer includes a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers. The first layer and the second layer are alternately stacked. The thickness of the first layer is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, and the thickness of the second layer is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. The second layer can be formed using a material having a larger energy band gap than that of a material used for the first layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a photoelectric conversion element comprising: a first electrode; a first semiconductor layer over the first electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer over the first electrode; a second semiconductor layer over the photoelectric conversion layer; and a second electrode over and in contact with the second semiconductor layer; and an energy conversion layer over the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the energy conversion layer comprises a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers alternately stacked, and wherein the second electrode passes through the energy conversion layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the energy conversion layer has a quantum well structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer comprise silicon having different conductivity types. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode has a grid shape or a comb-like shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer comprises any one of silicon and a silicon material containing nitrogen or carbon. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein an uppermost layer and a lowermost layer of the energy conversion layer each comprise the second layers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the energy conversion layer is greater than or equal to 20 nm and less than or equal to 10 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the energy conversion layer is configured to generate a plurality of photons from one photon. ### Claim 9 A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a photoelectric conversion element comprising: a first electrode; a first semiconductor layer over the first electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer over the first electrode; a second semiconductor layer over the photoelectric conversion layer; and a second electrode over and in contact with the second semiconductor layer; and an energy conversion layer over the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the energy conversion layer comprises a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers alternately stacked, wherein each of the plurality of first layers comprises silicon, wherein each of the plurality of second layers comprises any one of silicon nitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon oxynitride, and silicon oxide, and wherein the second electrode passes through the energy conversion layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the energy conversion layer has a quantum well structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer comprise silicon having different conductivity types. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the second electrode has a grid shape or a comb-like shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer comprises any one of silicon and a silicon material containing nitrogen or carbon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein an uppermost layer and a lowermost layer of the energy conversion layer each comprise the second layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the energy conversion layer is greater than or equal to 20 nm and less than or equal to 10 μm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the energy conversion layer is configured to generate a plurality of photons from one photon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of first layers is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, and wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of second layers is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of first layers is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, and wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of second layers is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer is in direct contact with the energy conversion layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 9, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer is in direct contact with the energy conversion layer.