Patent ID: 6541695
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
A photovoltaic cell comprising:(a) a thin film photovoltaic generating layer, having a pn junction within which photogenerated free carriers are generated by incident light; (b) a back conductor in electrical contact with said photovoltaic layer; and (c) a front transparent conductor in electrical contact with said photovoltaic layer; wherein said thin film photovoltaic generating layer is selected from the class consisting of: &bgr;-zinc diphosphide; copper diphosphide; magnesium tetraphosphide; &ggr;-iron tetraphosphide; and a mixed crystal of composition ZnXMgYCu2ZFeUP2W, wherein W and at least two of the parameters X, Y, Z and U are nonzero, where X, Y, Z, U and W are small whole numbers, whereby said photovoltaic cell exhibits a greatly improved average cost per Watt-Hour over a useful life of this photovoltaic cell.