US4631352A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High band gap II-VI and III-V tunneling junctions for silicon multijunction solar cells
Assignee: United States, NATIONAL AERONATICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION THE, Administrator of
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Filing: 1985-12-17
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Granted: 1986-12-23
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Expires: 2005-12-17
Abstract
Abstract A multijunction silicon solar cell of high efficiency is provided by providing a tunnel junction between the solar cell junctions to connect them in series, where the tunnel junction is comprised of p + and n + layers of high band-gap III-V or II-VI semiconductor materials that match the lattice structure of silicon, such as GaP (band-gap 2.24 eV) or ZnS (band-gap 3.6 eV), each of which has a perfect lattice match with silicon to avoid defects normally associated with lattice mismatch.
Inventors
- 👤 Taher Daud
- 👤 Akaram H. Kachare
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 13:46
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/14; H10F10/142; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/544
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A multijunction silicon solar cell comprising a plurality of p/n junction solar cells epitaxially grown in layers to receive solar energy in series through the n-type layer of each solar cell and having the p-type layer of one connected to the n-type layer of the next in series by a p + /n + tunnel junction of III-V or II-VI semiconductor material of higher band-gap than silicon, and having a near perfect lattice match with silicon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
A multijunction silicon solar cell comprising a plurality of p/n junction solar cells epitaxially grown in layers to receive solar energy in series through the n-type layer of each solar cell and having the p-type layer of one connected to the n-type layer of the next in series by a p + /n + tunnel junction of III-V or II-VI semiconductor material of higher band-gap than silicon, and having a near perfect lattice match with silicon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A multijunction silicon solar cell as defined in claim 1 wherein said high band-gap material is GaP of the III-V group or ZnS of the II-VI group.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-22 | 1990-06-23 | 1990-12-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-22 | 1994-06-23 | 1994-12-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-22 | 1998-06-23 | 1998-12-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |