Light-electricity conversion device
View Patent ↗Light-electricity conversion devices based on II-VI semiconductor materials are provided. The light-electricity conversion devices are able to cover a wide spectrum range.
1. A light-electricity conversion device comprising:
a substrate; and
a cell that absorbs radiation being disposed on a surface of the substrate, the cell comprising:
an absorbing layer, the absorbing layer comprising CdS 1-x Se x with 0<x<1,
a p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the absorbing layer; and
an n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the absorbing layer,
wherein the device converts absorbed radiation to electricity.
2. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and n-type semiconductor layer comprise the same compound.
3. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and n-type semiconductor layer comprise at least one of MgZnS, MgCdZnS, MgCdSSe and ZnS.
4. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises GaAs.
5. A light-electricity conversion device comprising:
a substrate;
a first cell disposed on a surface of the substrate, the first cell to absorb radiation having a first spectrum, the first cell comprising:
a first absorbing layer, the first absorbing layer comprising CdS 1-x Se x with 0<x<1,
a first p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the first absorbing layer; and
a first n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the first absorbing layer;
a first tunnel layer disposed on a surface of the first cell; and
a second cell disposed on a surface of the first tunnel layer, the second cell to absorb radiation having a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, the second cell comprising:
a second absorbing layer,
a second p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the second absorbing layer; and
a second n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the second absorbing layer,
wherein the first cell, the first tunnel layer and the second cell comprise a II-VI semiconductor compound and the device converts absorbed radiation to electricity.
6. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the first tunnel layer comprises ZnS.
7. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the absorbing layer of the second cell comprises Cd x Zn 1-x S or CdS 1-x Se x with 0<x<1.
8. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the first cell and the second cell comprise the same compound.
9. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the first cell comprise ZnS.
10. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the second cell comprise MgZnS or MgCdSSe.
11. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the device further comprises:
a second tunnel layer disposed on a surface of the second cell; and
a third cell disposed on a surface of the second tunnel layer to absorb radiation having a third spectrum, which is different from the first spectrum and the second spectrum,
wherein the second tunnel layer and the third cell comprise a II-VI semiconductor compound.
12. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 11 , wherein the second tunnel layer comprises MgZnS.
13. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 11 , wherein the third cell comprises:
a third absorbing layer,
a third p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the third absorbing layer; and
a third n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the third absorbing layer,
wherein the absorbing layer of the third cell comprises a II-VI semiconductor compound.
14. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 13 , wherein the absorbing layer of the third cell comprises ZnS or Cd x Zn 1-x S with 0<x<1.
15. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 13 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the third cell comprise the same compound.
16. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 13 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the third cell comprise MgZnS or MgCdZnS.
17. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate comprises GaAs.
18. A light-electricity conversion device comprising:
a plurality of cells,
wherein each cell comprises an absorbing layer to absorb radiation, each absorbing layer comprising CdS 1-x Se x with 0<x<1, a p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the absorbing layer and an n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the absorbing layer,
wherein the plurality of cells have different band gap energies from each other and the device converts absorbed radiation to electricity.
19. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 18 , wherein the band gap energy of the plurality of cells is in increasing order toward one face of the device to which radiation is to be received.
20. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 18 , wherein the device further comprises tunnel layers comprising a II-VI semiconductor compound disposed between the plurality of cells.
21. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 18 , wherein the device further comprises a substrate on which the plurality of cells are disposed.
22. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 21 , wherein the band gap energy of the plurality of cells is in increasing order toward the side opposite to the substrate.
23. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 21 , wherein the substrate comprises GaAs.
24. A light-electricity conversion device comprising:
a substrate;
a first cell disposed on a surface of the substrate, the first cell to absorb radiation having a first spectrum, the first cell comprising:
a first absorbing layer,
a first p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the first absorbing layer; and
a first n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the first absorbing layer;
a first tunnel layer disposed on a surface of the first cell; and
a second cell disposed on a surface of the first tunnel layer, the second cell to absorb radiation having a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, the second cell comprising:
a second absorbing layer, the second absorbing layer comprising Cd x Zn 1-x S or CdS 1-x Se x with 0<x<1,
a second p-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first surface of the second absorbing layer; and
a second n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a second surface of the second absorbing layer,
wherein the first cell, the first tunnel layer and the second cell comprise a II-VI semiconductor compound and the device converts absorbed radiation to electricity.
25. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 24 , wherein the first absorbing layer of the first cell comprises CdS 1-x Se x with 0<x<1.
26. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 24 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the first and second cell comprise the same compound.
27. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 21 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the first cell comprise ZnS.
28. The light-electricity conversion device according to claim 24 , wherein the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer of the second cell comprise MgZnS or MgCdSSe.