Photovoltaic cell

Claim 2

An improved photovoltaic cell comprising: an electrically conductive first electrode a first film of cadmium sulfide in ohmic contact with said electrode; a second film of cuprous sulfide in contact with said cadmium sulfide film and forming a p-n junction therewith; a third film in contact with said cuprous sulfide film and selected from the group consisting of a film comprising chromium, a film comprising chromium having deposited thereon a film comprising copper, a film comprising copper having deposited thereon a film comprising chromium and a film comprising an admixture of chromium and copper and; an electrically conductive second electrode in ohmic contact with said third film.

Claim 3

The cell of claim 1 wherein said third film is a chromium comprising film ranging from about 8 to about 15 angstroms in thickness and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass into said third film

Claim 4

The cell of claim 1 wherein said third film is a film comprising chromium ranging from about 8 to about 15 angstroms in thickness having deposited thereon a film comprising copper ranging from about 50 to about 100 angstroms in thickness and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass into said third film.

Claim 5

The cell of claim 1 wherein said third film is a film comprising copper ranging from about 50 to about 100 angstroms in thickness having deposited thereon a film comprising of chromium ranging from about 8 to about 15 angstroms and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass through said third film.

Claim 6

The cell of claim 1 wherein said third film is a film comprising chromium admixted with copper ranging from about 50 to about 100 angstroms in thickness and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass through said third-film.

Claim 7

The cell of claim 1 wherein said first electrode is stannic oxide, indium oxide or mixtures thereof ranging in thickness from about 10 3 to about 2×10 4 angstroms and is supported on a substrate transparent to radiant energy.

Claim 8

The cell of claim 6 wherein said substrate is glass.

Claim 9

In a method for making a photovoltaic cell comprising: providing an electrically conductive first electrode; applying a first film of cadmium sulfide to said first electrode; applying a second film of cuprous sulfide to said first film and forming a p-n junction therewith and; applying an electrically conductive second electrode thereon; the improvement which comprises applying a third film to said second film before applying said second electrode; said third film being selected from the group consisting of a film comprising chromium, a film comprising chromium having deposited thereon a film comprising copper, a film comprising copper having deposited thereon a film comprising chromium and a film comprising an admixture of chromium and copper.

Claim 10

In a method for making a photovoltaic cell comprising: providing an electrically conductive first electrode; applying a first film of cadmium sulfide to said first electrode; applying a second film of cuprous sulfide to said first film and forming a p-n junction therewith and; applying an electrically conductive second electrode thereon; the improvement which comprises applying a third film to said second film before applying said second electrode; said third film being selected from the group consisting of a film comprising chromium, a film comprising chromium having deposited thereon a film comprising copper, a film comprising copper having deposited thereon a film comprising chromium and a film comprising an admixture of chromium and copper.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8 wherein said third film is a film comprising chromium applied to a thickness ranging from about 8 to about 15 angstroms and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass through said third film.

Claim 12

The method of claim 8 wherein said third film is a film comprising chromium applied to a thickness ranging from about 8 to about 15 angstroms having applied thereon a film comprising copper applied to a thickness ranging from about 50 to about 100 angstroms and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass through said third film.

Claim 13

The method of claim 8 wherein said third film is a film comprising copper applied to a thickness ranging from about 50 to about 100 angstroms having applied thereon a film comprising chromium applied to a thickness ranging from about 8 to about 15 angstroms and said second electrode is a grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass through said third film.

Claim 14

The method of claim 8 wherein said third film is a film comprising an admixture of chromium and copper applied to a thickness ranging from about 50 to about 100 angstroms and said top electrode is grid-like electrode which allows radiant energy to pass through said third film.

Claim 15

The method of claim 8 wherein said bottom electrode is stannic oxide, indium oxide or mixtures thereof applied to a substrate transparent to radiant energy and to a thickness ranging from about 10 3 to about 2×10 4 angstroms, and said third film is applied to a thickness raging from about 10 to about 25 angstroms.