Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells having one or more field-effect hole or electron inversion/accumulation layers as contact regions are configured such that the electric field required for charge inversion and/or accumulation is provided by the output voltage of the photovoltaic device or that of an integrated solar cell unit. In some embodiments, a power source may be connected between a gate electrode and a contact region on the opposite side of photovoltaic device. In other embodiments, the photovoltaic device or integrated unit is self-powering.

Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells having one or more field-effect hole or electron inversion/accumulation layers as contact regions are configured such that the electric field required for charge inversion and/or accumulation is provided by the output voltage of the photovoltaic device or that of an integrated solar cell unit. In some embodiments, a power source may be connected between a gate electrode and a contact region on the opposite side of photovoltaic device. In other embodiments, the photovoltaic device or integrated unit is self-powering.

A layer structure for a thin-film solar cell and production method are provided. The layer structure for the thin-film solar cell includes a photovoltaic absorber layer doped, at least in a region which borders a surface of the photovoltaic absorber layer, with at least one alkali metal. The layer structure has an oxidic passivating layer on the surface of the photovoltaic absorber layer, which is designed to protect the photovoltaic absorber layer from corrosion.

A layer structure for a thin-film solar cell and production method are provided. The layer structure for the thin-film solar cell includes a photovoltaic absorber layer doped, at least in a region which borders a surface of the photovoltaic absorber layer, with at least one alkali metal. The layer structure has an oxidic passivating layer on the surface of the photovoltaic absorber layer, which is designed to protect the photovoltaic absorber layer from corrosion.

The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell unit (1) comprising:—a working electrode comprising a porous light-absorbing layer (10),—a porous first conductive layer (12) including conductive material for extracting photo-generated electrons In from the light-absorbing layer (10),—a porous insulating layer (105) made of an insulating material,—a counter electrode comprising a porous catalytic conductive layer (106) formed on the opposite side of the porous insulating layer (105), and—an ionic based electrolyte for transferring electrons from the counter electrode to the working electrode and arranged in pores of the porous first conductive layer (12), the porous catalytic conductive layer (106), and the porous insulating layer (105), wherein the first conductive layer (12) comprises an insulating oxide layer (109) formed on the surfaces of the conductive material, and the porous catalytic conductive layer (106) comprises conductive material (107′) and catalytic particles (107″) distributed in the conductive material for improving the transfer of electrons from the conductive material (107″) to the electrolyte.

The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell unit (1) comprising:—a working electrode comprising a porous light-absorbing layer (10),—a porous first conductive layer (12) including conductive material for extracting photo-generated electrons In from the light-absorbing layer (10),—a porous insulating layer (105) made of an insulating material,—a counter electrode comprising a porous catalytic conductive layer (106) formed on the opposite side of the porous insulating layer (105), and—an ionic based electrolyte for transferring electrons from the counter electrode to the working electrode and arranged in pores of the porous first conductive layer (12), the porous catalytic conductive layer (106), and the porous insulating layer (105), wherein the first conductive layer (12) comprises an insulating oxide layer (109) formed on the surfaces of the conductive material, and the porous catalytic conductive layer (106) comprises conductive material (107′) and catalytic particles (107″) distributed in the conductive material for improving the transfer of electrons from the conductive material (107″) to the electrolyte.

Deposition processes are disclosed herein for depositing thin films comprising a dielectric transition metal compound phase and a conductive or semiconducting transition metal compound phase on a substrate in a reaction space. Deposition processes can include a plurality of super-cycles. Each super-cycle may include a dielectric transition metal compound sub-cycle and a reducing sub-cycle. The dielectric transition metal compound sub-cycle may include contacting the substrate with a dielectric transition metal compound. The reducing sub-cycle may include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a reducing agent and a nitrogen reactant. The thin film may comprise a dielectric transition metal compound phase embedded in a conductive or semiconducting transition metal compound phase.

Deposition processes are disclosed herein for depositing thin films comprising a dielectric transition metal compound phase and a conductive or semiconducting transition metal compound phase on a substrate in a reaction space. Deposition processes can include a plurality of super-cycles. Each super-cycle may include a dielectric transition metal compound sub-cycle and a reducing sub-cycle. The dielectric transition metal compound sub-cycle may include contacting the substrate with a dielectric transition metal compound. The reducing sub-cycle may include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a reducing agent and a nitrogen reactant. The thin film may comprise a dielectric transition metal compound phase embedded in a conductive or semiconducting transition metal compound phase.

An image sensor may include a substrate including a plurality of unit pixel regions and having first and second surfaces facing each other. Each of the unit pixel regions may include a plurality of floating diffusion parts spaced apart from each other in the substrate, storage nodes provided in the substrate to be spaced apart from and facing the floating diffusion parts, a transfer gate adjacent to a region between the floating diffusion parts and the storage nodes, and photoelectric conversion parts sequentially stacked on one of the first and second surfaces. Each of the photoelectric conversion parts may include common and pixel electrodes respectively provided on top and bottom surfaces thereof and each pixel electrode may be electrically connected to a corresponding one of the storage nodes.

An image sensor may include a substrate including a plurality of unit pixel regions and having first and second surfaces facing each other. Each of the unit pixel regions may include a plurality of floating diffusion parts spaced apart from each other in the substrate, storage nodes provided in the substrate to be spaced apart from and facing the floating diffusion parts, a transfer gate adjacent to a region between the floating diffusion parts and the storage nodes, and photoelectric conversion parts sequentially stacked on one of the first and second surfaces. Each of the photoelectric conversion parts may include common and pixel electrodes respectively provided on top and bottom surfaces thereof and each pixel electrode may be electrically connected to a corresponding one of the storage nodes.