Photodetector cell and solar panel with dual metal contacts and related methods
A photodetector cell may include a substrate, and a first contact carried by the substrate and having a first work function value. The photodetector cell may include a second contact carried by the substrate and having a second work function value different from the first work function value, and a semiconductor wire carried by the substrate and having a third work function value between the first and second work function values. The semiconductor wire may be coupled between the first and second contacts and comprising a photodiode junction.
1. A photodetector cell comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of first contacts carried by said substrate and having a first work function value, each first contact comprising an ohmic contact of nickel;
a plurality of second contacts carried by said substrate and having a second work function value different from the first work function value, each second contact comprising a Schottky contact of aluminum; and
a plurality of semiconductor wires carried by said substrate and having a third work function value between the first and second work function values;
at least one semiconductor wire from said plurality thereof being coupled between a respective single first and second contact pair and comprising a photodiode junction;
other semiconductor wires from said plurality thereof each having a plurality of first and second contacts pairs coupled in alternating fashion to a single respective semiconductor wire.
2. The photodetector cell of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor wire comprises a silicon nanowire.
3. The photodetector cell of claim 1 wherein each semiconductor wire has a length about five times a minority carrier diffusion length in the photodiode junction.
4. The photodetector cell of claim 1 further comprising a dielectric layer over said plurality of semiconductor wires.
5. A solar panel comprising:
a plurality of photodetector cells, each photodetector cell comprising
a substrate,
a plurality of first contacts carried by said substrate and having a first work function value, each first contact comprising an ohmic contact of nickel,
a plurality of second contacts carried by said substrate and having a second work function value different from the first work function value, each second contact comprising a Schottky contact of aluminum, and
a plurality of semiconductor wires carried by said substrate and having a third work function value between the first and second work function values,
at least one semiconductor wire from said plurality thereof being coupled between a respective single first and second contact pair and comprising a photodiode junction,
other semiconductor wires from said plurality thereof each having a plurality of first and second contacts pairs coupled in alternating fashion to a single respective semiconductor wire.
6. The solar panel of claim 5 wherein each semiconductor wire comprises a silicon nanowire.
7. The solar panel of claim 5 wherein each semiconductor wire has a length about five times a minority carrier diffusion length in the photodiode junction.
8. A photodetector cell comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of first contacts carried by said substrate and having a first work function value, each first contact comprising an ohmic contact of nickel;
a plurality of second contacts carried by said substrate and having a second work function value different from the first work function value, each second contact comprising a Schottky contact of aluminum;
a plurality of semiconductor wires carried by said substrate and having a third work function value between the first and second work function values;
at least one semiconductor wire from said plurality thereof being coupled between a respective single first and second contact pair and comprising a photodiode junction; and
a dielectric layer over said plurality of semiconductor wires;
other semiconductor wires from said plurality thereof each having a plurality of first and second contacts pairs coupled in alternating fashion to a single respective semiconductor wire;
each semiconductor wire comprising a silicon nanowire and having a length about five times a minority carrier diffusion length in the photodiode junction.