Patent ID: 9059344
Filing Date: 2015-06-16
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A method for fabricating a photovoltaic energy conversion device, comprising: providing a substrate including a substrate surface layer; growing a plurality of photovoltaic (PV) nanowires outwardly from the substrate surface layer, each PV nanowire having a root end near said substrate surface layer and a tip end opposite said root end; and forming a canopy-style tip-side electrode in contact with said tip ends of said PV nanowires, comprising: forming a layer of sacrificial material having a surface that covers the tips of the PV nanowires; forming a layer of electrically conductive material upon the surface of the layer of sacrificial material; and removing said layer of sacrificial material, whereby said layer of electrically conductive material settles into contact with said tip ends of said PV nanowires to form said canopy-style tip-side electrode, and whereby an air gap layer remains that laterally surrounds said PV nanowires between said substrate surface layer and said layer of electrically conductive material; wherein said forming the layer of sacrificial material comprises: applying a first layer upon the substrate surface layer, said first layer comprising a first liquid that laterally surrounds the PV nanowires; applying a second layer comprising a second liquid upon said first layer, wherein said second liquid comprises an uncured sacrificial plastic material that is phobic to said first liquid; and allowing said second layer to cure to form said layer of sacrificial material; and wherein said removing said layer of sacrificial material comprises: evacuating said first layer of said first liquid from between said substrate surface layer and said layer of sacrificial material; and wherein said layer of sacrificial material is removed by sublimation.