Nancy B Morris

US Patent:

61335207, Oct 17, 2000

Filed:

Nov 12, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/190674

Inventors:

Dmitri Zalmanovich Garbuzov - Princeton NJ
Victor Borisovich Khalfin - Princeton NJ
Ramon Ubaldo Martinelli - Hightstown NJ
Hao Lee - Lawrenceville NJ
Nancy Ann Morris - Millstone Township NJ
John Charles Connolly - Clarksburg NJ

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H01L 31109

US Classification:

136253

Abstract:

A thermophotovoltaic cell and diode photodetector having improved open circuit voltage and high internal efficiency includes a semiconductor body having regions of n-type conductivity and p-type conductivity adjacent each other to form a p-n junction therebetween. The p-type region is of a material having a band gap which will absorb black-body radiation and the n-type region is of a material having a wider band gap than that of the p-type region. This forms a heterojunction between the two regions. The region of n-type region has a doping level which is an order of magnitude less than the doping level in the p-type region. This structure forms a cell having a space charge region in the n-type region.