Patent ID: 8431815

Claim:
A photovoltaic device comprising: a transparent substrate; a uniform, compositionally graded, intrinsic photoactive layer having one surface disposed upon the substrate and an opposing second surface, said intrinsic photoactive layer comprising In 1-x A x N,; wherein: i. 0≦x≦1; ii. A is gallium, aluminum, or combinations thereof; and iii. x is at least 0 on one surface of the intrinsic photoactive layer and is compositionally graded throughout the layer to reach a value of 1 or less on the opposing second surface of the layer; a p-type doped active layer region and an n-type doped active layer region, both regions being disposed upon the opposing second surface of the intrinsic photoactive layer, such that no portion of the p-type doped active layer region is in direct contact with the n-type doped active layer region; an electrically conductive contact layer disposed upon the p-type doped active layer region and an electrically conductive contact layer disposed upon the n-type doped active layer region, such that no portion of the electrically conductive contact layer disposed upon the p-type doped active layer region is in contact with any portion of the electrically conductive contact layer disposed upon the n-type doped active layer region; and, a conductor to conduct electrons to an electrical circuit and in contact with the conducting contact layer.