BIPOLAR DIODE HAVING AN OPTICAL QUANTUM STRUCTURE ABSORBER

The invention relates to a novel silicon-based, single-stage solar cell which, instead of converting light in a bulk semiconductor material, generates electrical energy within a very thin quantum structure that is deposited. The layer sequence itself consists of a three-fold hetero structure as an absorber, which is embedded into the space charge region of a pn-junction and is based on quantummechanical effects. Therein, the layer is preferably deposited by a CVD or the like method. High efficiencies of above 30% were initially measured on small samples on silicon.