Patent ID: 8003883
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: H01L,Y02E,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A photovoltaic device, comprising: a substrate having at least two surfaces; a plurality of nanowall structures disposed on at least one of the at least two surfaces of the substrate, wherein the nanowall structures comprise elements of photoactive junctions and a network of a random array of closed cell-like connected wall structures comprising a void space within the closed cell and an interconnecting wall between adjacent nanowall structures, the nanowall structures comprising a semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of silicon (Si), silicon germanium (SiGe), germanium (Ge), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), GaInP, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium nitride (InN), selenium (Se), cadmium telluride (CdTe), Cd—O—Te, Cd—Mn—O—Te, ZnTe, Zn—O—Te, Zn—Mn—O—Te, MnTe, Mn—O—Te, copper oxide, carbon, Cu—In—Ga—Se, Cu—In—Se, and combinations thereof; and at least one layer conformally deposited over the nanowall structure, wherein the at least one layer is at least a portion of a photoactive junction, wherein portions of the layer that comprise the photoactive junctions comprise an amorphous silicon, amorphous silicon-germanium metal oxide, nanocrystalline silicon, or amorphous silicon carbide; wherein the conformal layer adopts the shape of the nanowall structure.