US4500744A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Photovoltaic device
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1983-07-13
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Granted: 1985-02-19
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Expires: 2003-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A photovoltaic device comprises a transparent substrate, an amorphous silicon layer structure of a p-i-n type formed on the substrate and comprised of a p-layer, i-layer and n-layer, and an electrode formed on the amorphous silicon layer structure, wherein either the p-layer and n-layer of the amorphous silicon layer structure, on which light is incident is constituted such that its optical forbidden band gap is greater on the i-layer side than on the substrate side.
Inventors
- 👤 Hidetoshi Nozaki
- 👤 Takaaki Kamimura
- 👤 Tamothu Hatayama
- 👤 Tadashi Utagawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 01:58
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F30/00; H10F30/20; H10F30/21; H10F30/22; H10F30/223; H10F30/2235; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/169; H10F77/1692; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A photovoltaic device comprising a transparent substrate, an amorphous silicon layer structure of a p-i-n type formed on the substrate and comprised of a p-layer, i-layer and n-layer, and an electrode formed on the amorphous silicon layer, in which, of said p-layer and said n-layer of the amorphous silicon layer structure, that layer on which light is incident is constituted such that the optical forbidden band gap is greater on the i-layer side than on the substrate side.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A photovoltaic device comprising a transparent substrate, an amorphous silicon layer structure of a p-i-n type formed on the substrate and comprised of a p-layer, i-layer and n-layer, and an electrode formed on the amorphous silicon layer, in which, of said p-layer and said n-layer of the amorphous silicon layer structure, that layer on which light is incident is constituted such that the optical forbidden band gap is greater on the i-layer side than on the substrate side.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 1, in which said amorphous silicon layer structure is made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 2, in which that layer on which light is incident is a p-layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 3, in which said p-layer is comprised of a plurality of sublayers each having a different optical forbidden band gap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 3, in which said p-layer is comprised of a first p-sublayer in contact with said substrate and a second p-sublayer in contact with said i-layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 5, in which said first p-sublayer has a thickness of 20 to 50 Å and an optical forbidden band gap of 1.5 to 1.9 eV, and said second p-sublayer has a thickness of 50 to 100 Å and an optical forbidden band gap of 1.6 to 2.0 eV.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 2, in which that layer on which light is incident is an n-layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 7, in which said n-layer is comprised of a plurality of sublayers each having a different optical forbidden band gap.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 8, in which said n-layer is comprised of a first n-sublayer in contact with said substrate and a second n-sublayer in contact with said i-layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 9, in which said first n-sublayer has a thickness of 20 to 50 Å and an optical forbidden band gap of 1.6 to 2.0 eV and said second n-sublayer has a thickness of 50 to 100 Å and an optical forbidden band gap of 1.7 to 2.1 eV.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 1, in which said amorphous silicon layer structure is made of amorphous silicon carbide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 1, in which said p or n type amorphous silicon layer on which light is incident is comprised of a two-layer structure in whic one sublayer is made of hydrogenated amorphous silicon and the other sublayer is made of amorphous silicon carbide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 1, in which said transparent substrate has a transparent electrode contacting the amorphous silicon layer structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A photovoltaic device according to claim 13, in which said transparent electrode is made of an indium oxide-tin oxide layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A photovoltaic device comprising an amorphous silicon layer structure comprised of a p-layer, i-layer and n-layer, in which, of said p-layer and said n-layer, that layer on which light is incident is such that the optical forbidden band gap is greater on the i-layer side than on the light incident side.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
A photovoltaic device comprising an amorphous silicon layer structure comprised of a p-layer, i-layer and n-layer, in which, of said p-layer and said n-layer, that layer on which light is incident is such that the optical forbidden band gap is greater on the i-layer side than on the light incident side.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5688377A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-02-19 | 1988-08-20 | 1989-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-02-19 | 1992-08-20 | 1993-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-02-19 | 1996-08-20 | 1997-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |