Patent ID: 8314327

Claim:
A photovoltaic cell comprising: a substrate; an array of substantially vertical rods constructed of a first electrically conductive material, said array disposed on said substrate such that, the adjacent vertical rods have gaps in between, wherein the vertical rods are one selected from a group consisting of micrometer size rods and nanometer size rods, wherein the vertical rods are substantially cylindrical and arranged in a two-dimensional array; a layer constructed of a second electrically conductive material, disposed conformally over the vertical rods and on the substrate over the gap between the vertical rods such that, said layer surrounds the vertical rods; a first electrode electrically connected to said layer; and a second electrode electrically connected to said substrate such that the vertical rods are connected to the second electrode having an opposite polarity relative to said layer wherein, and said layer forms charge separating junctions at respective interfaces with the vertical rods and, the substrate.