INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION

active material active materials material within which the physical effects that are characteristic of the device occur coating coatings one or more layers which are formed essentially conformally on and directly associated with at least a portion of the semiconductor device, e.g. having passivating or optical effects Group IV material Group IV materials material comprising only Group IV elements, except for dopants or other impurities Group III-V material Group III-V materials material comprising only Group III and Group V elements, except for dopants or other impurities Group II-VI material material comprising only Group II and Group VI elements, except for dopants or other impurities Group I-III-VI material Group I-III-VI materials material comprising only Group I, Group III, and Group VI elements, except for dopants or other impurities heterojunction heterojunctions interface between two different materials, the difference lying in the crystal structure and/or the composition (example: p-type amorphous silicon / n-type crystalline silicon) homojunction homojunctions interface between materials having the same composition, the same crystal structure, and different dopants or dopant concentrations. intrinsic region or layer intrinsic region intrinsic layer intrinsic regions intrinsic layers semiconductor region or layer that is undoped or not intentionally doped such that electron and hole densities are approximately equal junction box enclosure attached to a photovoltaic module for electrically connecting modules together photovoltaic cell, solar cell photovoltaic cell solar cell photovoltaic cells solar cells photovoltaic device that converts electromagnetic radiation (e.g. light) into direct current electricity for the purpose of providing electrical energy (not for light detection purposes). It is often, but not necessarily, part of a photovoltaic module. photovoltaic module photovoltaic modules assembly of multiple photovoltaic cells that are electrically connected together PIN, p-i-n PIN p-i-n junction having a p-type region / intrinsic region / n-type region structure, wherein the intrinsic layer is the light-absorbing layer. Contrast with SHJ photovoltaic cells, wherein the intrinsic layer is not the light-absorbing layer. PN, p-n PN p-n junction having a p-type region / n-type region structure silicon heterojunction [SHJ] photovoltaic cell silicon heterojunction [SHJ] photovoltaic cells heterostructure comprising two silicon materials having different crystalline structure and including a very thin intrinsic interlayer therebetween, which is not the light-absorbing layer Schottky barrier Schottky barriers metal/semiconductor barrier that is non-ohmic and rectifying multiple-junction photovoltaic cell, tandem photovoltaic cell multiple-junction photovoltaic cell tandem photovoltaic cell multiple-junction photovoltaic cells tandem photovoltaic cells photovoltaic cell comprising multiple photovoltaic subcells formed on one another to form a single integrated structure usually between a single pair of anode/cathode electrodes. Typically each subcell has a different spectral sensitivity than each other. Tunnel junctions between subcells usually ensure the electrical connection and the current flow between the subcells. up-conversion process wherein two or more lower energy photons are converted to a single high energy photon to be absorbed by the photovoltaic cell. Up conversion layers are electrically isolated from the photovoltaic cell and are usually between the back reflector and the photovoltaic cell.