Patents by Inventor Daniel Fuhrmann

Daniel Fuhrmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11984523
    Abstract: A stacked, monolithic, upright metamorphic, terrestrial concentrator solar cell having exactly five subcells and having a metamorphic buffer, wherein a first subcell has a first lattice constant G1 and consists essentially of germanium, a second subcell has a second lattice constant and GaInAs, a third subcell has the second lattice constant G2 and AlGaInAs, a fourth subcell has the second lattice constant G2 and InP, a fifth subcell has the second lattice constant G2 and InP, G1<G2 applies to the lattice constants, the metamorphic buffer is arranged between the first subcell and the second subcell and has the first lattice constant G1 on a bottom side facing the first subcell and the second lattice constant G2 on a top side facing the second subcell, and all of the semiconductor layers of the concentrator solar cell arranged above the first subcell are epitaxially produced on the preceding subcell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Wolfgang Guter, Matthias Meusel
  • Patent number: 11859310
    Abstract: A vapor phase epitaxy method of growing a III-V layer with a doping that changes from a first conductivity type to a second conductivity type on a surface of a substrate or a preceding layer in a reaction chamber from the vapor phase from an epitaxial gas flow comprising a carrier gas, at least one first precursor for an element from main group III, and at least one second precursor for an element from main group V, wherein when a first growth height is reached, a first initial doping level of the first conductivity type is set by means of a ratio of a first mass flow of the first precursor to a second mass flow of the second precursor in the epitaxial gas flow, the first initial doping level is then reduced to a second initial doping level of the first or low second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Clemens Waechter, Gregor Keller, Daniel Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 11784261
    Abstract: A stacked III-V semiconductor diode comprising or consisting of GaAs, with a heavily n-doped cathode layer, a heavily p-doped anode layer, and a drift region arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer with a dopant concentration of at most 8·1015 cm?3, and a layer thickness of at least 10 ?m, wherein the cathode layer has a delta layer section with a layer thickness of 0.1 ?m to 2 ?m and a dopant concentration of at least 1·1019 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH, 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Dudek, Jens Kowalsky, Riteshkumar Bhojani, Daniel Fuhrmann, Thorsten Wierzkowski
  • Patent number: 11728453
    Abstract: A stacked monolithic multijunction solar cell, which includes a first subcell having a p-n junction with an emitter layer and a base layer, the thickness of the emitter layer being less than the thickness of the base layer at least by a factor of ten, and the first subcell comprising a substrate having a semiconductor material from the groups III and V or a substrate from the group IV, and which further includes a second subcell arranged on the first subcell and a third subcell arranged on the second subcell, the two subcells each including an emitter layer and a base layer, and a tunnel diode and a back side field layer each being formed between the subcells, the thickness of the emitter layer being greater than the thickness of the base layer in each case between the second subcell and in the third subcell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Rosalinda Van Leest, Gregor Keller, Matthias Meusel
  • Patent number: 11715766
    Abstract: A stacked high barrier III-V power semiconductor diode having an at least regionally formed first metallic terminal contact layer and a heavily doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type with a first lattice constant, a drift layer of a second conductivity type, a heavily doped metamorphic buffer layer sequence of the second conductivity type is formed. The metamorphic buffer layer sequence has an upper side with the first lattice constant and a lower side with a second lattice constant. The first lattice constant is greater than the second lattice constant. The upper side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence is arranged in the direction of the drift layer. A second metallic terminal contact layer is arranged below the lower side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence. The second metallic terminal contact layer is integrally bonded with a semiconductor contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter
  • Patent number: 11699722
    Abstract: A stacked, high-blocking III-V semiconductor power diode having a first metallic terminal contact layer, formed at least in regions, and a highly doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type and a first lattice constant. A drift layer of a second conductivity type and having a first lattice constant is furthermore provided. A semiconductor contact layer of a second conductivity, which includes an upper side and an underside, and a second metallic terminal contact layer are formed, and the second metallic terminal contact layer being integrally connected to the underside of the semiconductor contact layer, and the semiconductor contact layer having a second lattice constant at least on the underside, and the second lattice constant being the lattice constant of InP, and the drift layer and the highly doped semiconductor contact region each comprising an InGaAs compound or being made up of InGaAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignees: AZUR SPACE, 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter, Volker Dudek
  • Patent number: 11688819
    Abstract: A solar cell stack includes a first semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a first material with a first lattice constant, a second semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a second material with a second lattice constant, and the first lattice constant being at least 0.008 ? smaller than the second lattice constant, and a metamorphic buffer. The metamorphic buffer is formed between the first semiconductor solar cell and the second semiconductor solar cell. The metamorphic buffer includes a series of at least five layers. The lattice constant increases in the series in the direction of the semiconductor solar cell. The lattice constants of the layers of the metamorphic buffer are larger than the first lattice constant. Two layers of the buffer having a doping and the difference in the dopant concentration between the two layers being greater than 4E17 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Wolfgang Guter
  • Patent number: 11661002
    Abstract: An illumination unit for an interior chamber of a vehicle includes at least one light source integrated into a surface side of a sun shield facing towards an occupant in a non-usage position of the sun shield. The at least one light source emits light in the activated state which is directed towards the occupant. A covering element is provided for covering a light outlet surface of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Stefan Bauer, Daniel Betz, Daniel Fuhrmann, Sebastian Schüler
  • Patent number: 11598022
    Abstract: A vapor phase epitaxy method of growing a III-V layer with a doping that changes from a first conductivity type to a second conductivity type on a surface of a substrate or a preceding layer in a reaction chamber from the vapor phase from an epitaxial gas flow comprising a carrier gas, at least one first precursor for an element from main group III, and at least one second precursor for an element from main group V, wherein when a first growth height is reached, a first initial doping level of the first conductivity type is set by means of a ratio of a first mass flow of the first precursor to a second mass flow of the second precursor, then the first initial doping level is reduced to a second initial doping level of the first or low second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Clemens Waechter, Gregor Keller, Daniel Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 11557665
    Abstract: A vertical high-blocking III-V bipolar transistor, which includes an emitter, a base and a collector. The emitter has a highly doped emitter semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type and a first lattice constant. The base has a low-doped base semiconductor region of a second conductivity type and the first lattice constant. The collector has a layered low-doped collector semiconductor region of the first conductivity type with a layer thickness greater than 10 ?m and the first lattice constant. The collector has a layered highly doped collector semiconductor contact region of the first conductivity type. A first metallic connecting contact layer is formed in regions being integrally connected to the emitter. A second metallic connecting contact layer is formed in regions being integrally connected to the base. A third metallic connecting contact region is formed at least in regions being arranged beneath the collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter, Daniel Fuhrmann
  • Publication number: 20220305985
    Abstract: An illumination unit for an interior chamber of a vehicle includes at least one light source integrated into a surface side of a sun shield facing towards an occupant in a non-usage position of the sun shield. The at least one light source emits light in the activated state which is directed towards the occupant. A covering element is provided for covering a light outlet surface of the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan BAUER, Daniel BETZ, Daniel FUHRMANN, Sebastian SCHÜLER
  • Publication number: 20220254936
    Abstract: A stacked III-V semiconductor diode comprising or consisting of GaAs, with a heavily n-doped cathode layer, a heavily p-doped anode layer, and a drift region arranged between the cathode layer and the anode layer with a dopant concentration of at most 8·1015 cm?3, and a layer thickness of at least 10 ?m, wherein the cathode layer has a delta layer section with a layer thickness of 0.1 ?m to 2 ?m and a dopant concentration of at least 1·1019 cm?3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicants: 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH, AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Volker DUDEK, Jens KOWALSKY, Riteshkumar BHOJANI, Daniel FUHRMANN, Thorsten WIERZKOWSKI
  • Publication number: 20220181510
    Abstract: A solar cell stack includes a first semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a first material with a first lattice constant, a second semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a second material with a second lattice constant, and the first lattice constant being at least 0.008 ? smaller than the second lattice constant, and a metamorphic buffer. The metamorphic buffer is formed between the first semiconductor solar cell and the second semiconductor solar cell. The metamorphic buffer includes a series of at least five layers. The lattice constant increases in the series in the direction of the semiconductor solar cell. The lattice constants of the layers of the metamorphic buffer are larger than the first lattice constant. Two layers of the buffer having a doping and the difference in the dopant concentration between the two layers being greater than 4E17 cm?3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Wolfgang GUTER
  • Patent number: 11332012
    Abstract: A device for controlling an interior lighting system of a vehicle to produce ambient lighting and/or reading lighting involves the interior lighting system having an array of a plurality of light sources. The device includes a control unit, by means of which the light sources of the array can be individually controlled in order to produce the ambient lighting and/or the reading lighting, and an input unit that can be connected to the control unit. The input unit has a touch-sensitive screen for inputting a current set of control information for the control unit. The control unit controls the light sources on the basis of the current set of control information. Furthermore, the input unit, on the basis of the current set of control information, displays associated ambient lighting and/or reading lighting for an illuminable region in the vehicle interior on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Daniel Betz, Daniel Fuhrmann, Michael Holz, Juergen Ketterer, Daniel Steffen Setz
  • Publication number: 20220140088
    Abstract: A stacked, high-blocking III-V semiconductor power diode having a first metallic terminal contact layer, formed at least in regions, and a highly doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type and a first lattice constant. A drift layer of a second conductivity type and having a first lattice constant is furthermore provided. A semiconductor contact layer of a second conductivity, which includes an upper side and an underside, and a second metallic terminal contact layer are formed, and the second metallic terminal contact layer being integrally connected to the underside of the semiconductor contact layer, and the semiconductor contact layer having a second lattice constant at least on the underside, and the second lattice constant being the lattice constant of InP, and the drift layer and the highly doped semiconductor contact region each comprising an InGaAs compound or being made up of InGaAs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicants: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH, 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Gregor KELLER, Clemens WAECHTER, Volker DUDEK
  • Publication number: 20220115501
    Abstract: A stacked high barrier III-V power semiconductor diode having an at least regionally formed first metallic terminal contact layer and a heavily doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type with a first lattice constant, a drift layer of a second conductivity type, a heavily doped metamorphic buffer layer sequence of the second conductivity type is formed. The metamorphic buffer layer sequence has an upper side with the first lattice constant and a lower side with a second lattice constant. The first lattice constant is greater than the second lattice constant. The upper side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence is arranged in the direction of the drift layer. A second metallic terminal contact layer is arranged below the lower side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence. The second metallic terminal contact layer is integrally bonded with a semiconductor contact layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Gregor KELLER, Clemens WAECHTER
  • Patent number: 11292385
    Abstract: A method for feedback of a temperature setting of an air-conditioning device involves adjusting a light color of at least one lighting element for the display of a set temperature. The adjusted light color corresponds to a temperature setting of an airflow zone in a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Daniel Betz, Florian Etter, Daniel Fuhrmann, Daniel Steffen Setz
  • Patent number: 11296248
    Abstract: A solar cell stack, having a first semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a first material with a first lattice constant, and a second semiconductor solar cell having a p-n junction made of a second material with a second lattice constant, and the first lattice constant being at least 0.008 ? smaller than the second lattice constant, and a metamorphic buffer, the metamorphic buffer being formed between the first semiconductor solar cell and the second semiconductor solar cell, and the metamorphic buffer including a series of three layers, and the lattice constant increasing in a series in the direction of the semiconductor solar cell, and the lattice constants of the layers of the metamorphic buffer being bigger than the first lattice constant, two layers of the buffer having a doping, and the difference in the dopant concentration between the two layers being greater than 4E17 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Wolfgang Guter
  • Patent number: 11257909
    Abstract: A stacked, high-blocking III-V semiconductor power diode having a first metallic terminal contact layer, formed at least in regions, and a highly doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type and a first lattice constant. A drift layer of a second conductivity type and having a first lattice constant is furthermore provided. A semiconductor contact layer of a second conductivity, which includes an upper side and an underside, and a second metallic terminal contact layer are formed, and the second metallic terminal contact layer being integrally connected to the underside of the semiconductor contact layer, and the semiconductor contact layer having a second lattice constant at least on the underside, and the second lattice constant being the lattice constant of InP, and the drift layer and the highly doped semiconductor contact region each comprising an InGaAs compound or being made up of InGaAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH, 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter, Volker Dudek
  • Patent number: 11245012
    Abstract: A stacked high barrier III-V power semiconductor diode having an at least regionally formed first metallic terminal contact layer and a heavily doped semiconductor contact region of a first conductivity type with a first lattice constant, a drift layer of a second conductivity type, a heavily doped metamorphic buffer layer sequence of the second conductivity type is formed. The metamorphic buffer layer sequence has an upper side with the first lattice constant and a lower side with a second lattice constant. The first lattice constant is greater than the second lattice constant. The upper side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence is arranged in the direction of the drift layer. A second metallic terminal contact layer is arranged below the lower side of the metamorphic buffer layer sequence. The second metallic terminal contact layer is integrally bonded with a semiconductor contact layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Gregor Keller, Clemens Waechter