US4623601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoconductive device containing zinc oxide transparent conductive layer
Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Co
•
Filing: 1985-06-04
•
Granted: 1986-11-18
•
Expires: 2005-06-04
Abstract
Abstract A photoconductive device of decreased resistivity is provided by using at least one zinc oxide transparent conductive layer in conjunction with a thin film amorphous silicon photoconductor. The zinc oxide layer can be used as the front contact, the back contact or both the front and back contacts of the photoconductive device.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven C. Lewis
- 👤 Robert B. Love
- 👤 Stephen C. Miller
- 👤 Yuh-Han Shing
- 👤 John W. Sibert
- 👤 David P. Tanner
- 👤 Nang T. Tran
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 01:13
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; H10F71/138; H10F77/00; H10F77/20; H10F77/244; H10F77/251; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
In a photoconductive device comprising a thin film silicon hydrogen alloy (TFS) photoconductor and front and back contacts, the improvement which comprises at least one of said front and back contacts being a transparent conductive layer consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element, said transparent conductive layer havng a resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
In a photoconductive device comprising a thin film silicon hydrogen alloy (TFS) photoconductor and front and back contacts, the improvement which comprises at least one of said front and back contacts being a transparent conductive layer consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element, said transparent conductive layer havng a resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said group III element is aluminum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer consists essentially of zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and aluminum and a thin layer of tin is deposited upon said transparent conductive layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer is applied by sputtering.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer is applied at a temperature of about 25° to 250° C. to a thickness of about 100-60,000 angstroms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer is applied at a temperature of about 25° to 250° C. to a thickness of about 2,000 to 15,000 angstroms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer consists essentially of zinc oxide containing hydrogen and is applied at a temperature in the range of about 25° to 90° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer consists essentially of zinc oxide containing aluminum and is applied at a temperature in the range of about 25° to 250° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said transparent conductive layer is applied at a pressure in the range of about 5 to 20 millitorr.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one of said front and back contacts is the front contact.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one of said front and back contacts is the back contact.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 11 wherein the front contact comprises tin oxide or indium tin oxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
A photoconductive device according to claim 1 wherein both the front and back contacts are transparent conductive layers consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element and having resistivities in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeters.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
103 words
A photoconductive device comprising a photoconductive film capable of generating an electrical potential uppon exposure to light, transparent conductive layers at the top and bottom of said film, at least one of said transparent conductive layers consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element, said at least one transparent conductive layer having a resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter, and contacts connected to said transparent conductive layers for connecting the photoconductive device to an external circuit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
103 words
A photoconductive device comprising a photoconductive film capable of generating an electrical potential uppon exposure to light, transparent conductive layers at the top and bottom of said film, at least one of said transparent conductive layers consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element, said at least one transparent conductive layer having a resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter, and contacts connected to said transparent conductive layers for connecting the photoconductive device to an external circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process for the production of a photoconductive device which comprises: applying a first transparent conductive layer to a transparent insulating substrate; applying a thin film amorphous semiconductive layer to said first transparent conductive layer; and applying a second transparent conductive layer to said thin film amorphous semiconductive layer; at least one of said first and second transparent conductive layers consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element havng a resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process for the production of a photoconductive device which comprises: applying a first transparent conductive layer to a transparent insulating substrate; applying a thin film amorphous semiconductive layer to said first transparent conductive layer; and applying a second transparent conductive layer to said thin film amorphous semiconductive layer; at least one of said first and second transparent conductive layers consisting essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element havng a resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
68 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein said first transparent conductive layer is tin oxide or indium tin oxide and said second transparent conductive layer consists essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element and having resistivity in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
A process according to claim 15 wherein both of said first and second transparent conductive layers consist essentially of zinc oxide or zinc oxide containing hydrogen or zinc oxide containing a group III element or zinc oxide containing both hydrogen and a group III element and having resistivities in the range of about 10 -4 to 10 -2 ohm-centimeter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4085455A
Cited
US4416963A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-11-17 | 1990-05-19 | 1990-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-11-17 | 1994-05-19 | 1994-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-11-17 | 1998-05-19 | 1998-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |