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).

  • Publication number: 20220013676
    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: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Rosalinda VAN LEEST, Gregor KELLER, Matthias MEUSEL
  • Publication number: 20220013679
    Abstract: A monolithic metamorphic multi-junction solar cell comprising a first III-V subcell and a second III-V subcell and a third III-V subcell and a fourth Ge subcell, wherein the subcells are stacked on top of each other in the indicated order, and the first subcell forms the topmost subcell, and a metamorphic buffer is formed between the third subcell and the fourth subcell and all subcells each have an n-doped emitter layer and a p-doped base layer, and the emitter layer of the second subcell is greater than the base layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias MEUSEL, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20220005942
    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: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Gregor KELLER, Clemens WAECHTER, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20210296509
    Abstract: A stacked high-blocking III-V semiconductor power diode and manufacturing method, wherein the III-V semiconductor power diode comprises a first highly doped semiconductor contact area, a low-doped semiconductor drift region disposed beneath the first semiconductor contact area, a highly doped second semiconductor contact area disposed beneath the semiconductor drift region, and two terminal contact layers, at least the first semiconductor contact area forms a core stack, the core stack is surrounded by a dielectric frame region along the side face, the upper surface or lower surface of the core stack and the dielectric frame region terminate with each other or form a step with respect to each other, and semiconductor areas of the III-V semiconductor power diode arranged beneath the first semiconductor contact area are each either surrounded by the core stack or form a carrier portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten WIERZKOWSKI, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20210189595
    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: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE SOLAR POWER GMBH
    Inventors: Clemens WAECHTER, Gregor KELLER, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20210193463
    Abstract: A vapor phase epitaxy method of growing a III-V layer with a doping profile that changes from n-doping to p-doping on a surface of a substrate or a preceding layer in a reaction chamber from the vapor phase of an epitaxial gas flow, comprising at least one carrier gas, a first precursor for a first element from main group III and at least one second precursor for a first element from main group V, and fed into the reaction chamber, wherein, when a first growth level is reached, an initial n-doping level is set by means of a ratio, leading to a p-doping, of a first mass flow of the first precursor to a second mass flow of the second precursor in the epitaxial gas flow and with the addition of a third mass flow of a third precursor for an n-type dopant to the epitaxial gas flow, subsequently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE SOLAR POWER GMBH
    Inventors: Clemens WAECHTER, Gregor KELLER, Thorsten WIERZKOWSKI, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Publication number: 20210193465
    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: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE SOLAR POWER GMBH
    Inventors: Clemens WAECHTER, Gregor KELLER, Daniel FUHRMANN
  • Patent number: 10916677
    Abstract: An optocoupler having a transmitter unit and a receiver unit being electrically isolated from each other and optically coupled with each other and integrated into a shared housing. The receiver unit includes an energy source that has a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact. The transmitter unit includes at least one first transmitter diode having a first optical wavelength and a second transmitter diode having a second optical wavelength. The first optical wavelength differing from the second optical wavelength by a difference wavelength, and the energy source of the receiving unit including two partial sources. The energy source being designed as a current source or as a voltage source, and the first partial source including a first semiconductor diode, and the second partial source including a second semiconductor diode. Each partial source having multiple semiconductor layers for each partial source being arranged in the shape of a stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Koestler, Daniel Fuhrmann, Wolfgang Guter, Clemens Waechter, Christoph Peper
  • Patent number: 10872887
    Abstract: A scalable voltage source having a number N of mutually series-connected partial voltage sources designed as semiconductor diodes, wherein each of the partial voltage sources comprises a p-n junction of a semiconductor diode, and each semiconductor diode has a p-doped absorption layer, wherein the p-absorption layer is passivated by a p-doped passivation layer with a wider band gap than the band gap of the p-absorption layer and the semiconductor diode has an n-absorption layer, wherein the n-absorption layer is passivated by an n-doped passivation layer with a wider band gap than the band gap of the n-absorption layer, and the partial source voltages of the individual partial voltage sources deviate by less than 20%, and between in each case two successive partial voltage sources, a tunnel diode is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Wolfgang Guter, Victor Khorenko
  • Publication number: 20200395495
    Abstract: A stacked multi-junction solar cell comprising a stack composed of a bottom subcell, at least one middle subcell, and a top subcell, wherein each subcell has an emitter and a base at least the top subcell is made of a III-V semiconductor material or includes a III-V semiconductor material, and the emitter of the top subcell includes a superlattice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE SOLAR POWER GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Gregor KELLER, Rosalinda VAN LEEST
  • Patent number: 10848566
    Abstract: A communications network for exchanging data between a vehicle and domestic technology devices includes having a local network of the domestic technology, having communication interfaces between the individual domestic technology devices and the local network, at least one communication connection between the vehicle and an application assigned to the vehicle, having a mediating function for connecting the application with the local network of the domestic technology, which is designed to exchange data between the application and individual domestic technology devices. Status signals of the vehicle or of domestic technology devices and/or functions of the domestic technology devices or of vehicle functions are assigned via at least one link table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Stefanie Klein
  • Publication number: 20200350408
    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: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Gregor KELLER, Clemens WAECHTER
  • Publication number: 20200350407
    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: April 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicants: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH, 3-5 Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Gregor KELLER, Clemens WAECHTER, Volker DUDEK
  • Publication number: 20200303579
    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: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Wolfgang GUTER, Matthias MEUSEL
  • Patent number: 10763385
    Abstract: A device having a multi-junction solar cell and a protection diode structure, whereby the multi-junction solar cell and the protection diode structure have a common rear surface and front sides separated by a mesa trench. The common rear surface comprises an electrically conductive layer, and the light enters through the front side into the multi-junction solar cell. The cell includes a stack of a plurality of solar cells, and has a top cell, placed closest to the front side, and a bottom solar cell, placed closest to the rear side, and a tunnel diode is placed between adjacent solar cells. The number of semiconductor layers in the protection diode structure is smaller than the number of semiconductor layers in the multi-junction solar cell. The sequence of the semiconductor layers in the protection diode structure corresponds to the sequence of semiconductor layers of the multi-junction solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Meusel, Wolfgang Koestler, Daniel Fuhrmann, Thomas Lauermann
  • Patent number: 10703265
    Abstract: A lighting device for illuminating the vehicle interior of a motor vehicle is provided. The motor vehicle includes a plurality of light sources for illuminating the vehicle interior and a control device that can be used to actuate the plurality of light sources independently of one another. The motor vehicle further has an operator control device connected to the control device and includes segments and operator control elements that can be used to actuate the light sources independently of one another by a user. A display unit displays at least a partial image of the vehicle interior that can be illuminated or is illuminated by the controllable light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Daniel Fuhrmann, Daniela Knapp, Michael Holz, Florian Staib, Timo Gramlich, Thomas Kälberer
  • Publication number: 20200213399
    Abstract: A communications network for exchanging data between a vehicle and domestic technology devices includes having a local network of the domestic technology, having communication interfaces between the individual domestic technology devices and the local network, at least one communication connection between the vehicle and an application assigned to the vehicle, having a mediating function for connecting the application with the local network of the domestic technology, which is designed to exchange data between the application and individual domestic technology devices. Status signals of the vehicle or of domestic technology devices and/or functions of the domestic technology devices or of vehicle functions are assigned via at least one link table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Stefanie KLEIN
  • Publication number: 20200194607
    Abstract: A stacked monolithic upright metamorphic multijunction solar cell, comprising at least one first subcell having a first band gap, a first lattice constant and being made up of germanium by more than 50%, a second subcell, which is disposed above the first subcell and has a second band gap and a second lattice constant, a metamorphic buffer disposed between the first subcell and the second subcell, including a sequence of at least three layers having lattice constants which increase from layer to layer in the direction of the second subcell, and a first tunnel diode, which is situated between the metamorphic buffer and the second subcell and which has an n+ layer and a p+ layer, the second band gap being larger than the first band gap, the n+ layer of the first tunnel diode comprising InAlP, the p+ layer of the first tunnel diode comprising an As-containing III-V material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Rosalinda VAN LEEST, Matthias MEUSEL
  • Patent number: 10686532
    Abstract: An optical receiver component, wherein the receiver component comprises a first type of partial-voltage source with a first absorption edge and a second type of partial-voltage source with a second absorption edge, and the first absorption edge lies at a higher energy than the second absorption edge. Each partial-voltage source produces a partial voltage, provided a photon flux at a specific wavelength strikes the partial-voltage source, and the two partial-voltage sources are connected in series. A first number of series-connected sub-partial-voltage sources of the first type and a second number of series-connected sub-partial-voltage sources of the second type are provided. The first number and/or the second number are greater than one, and the respective deviation of the source voltages of the sub-partial-voltage sources among themselves is less than 20% in both types. Each sub-partial-voltage source comprises a semiconductor diode with a p-n junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Guter, Daniel Fuhrmann, Christoph Peper
  • Publication number: 20200114817
    Abstract: A lighting device for illuminating the vehicle interior of a motor vehicle is provided. The motor vehicle includes a plurality of light sources for illuminating the vehicle interior and a control device that can be used to actuate the plurality of light sources independently of one another. The motor vehicle further has an operator control device connected to the control device and includes segments and operator control elements that can be used to actuate the light sources independently of one another by a user. A display unit displays at least a partial image of the vehicle interior that can be illuminated or is illuminated by the controllable light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel FUHRMANN, Daniela KNAPP, Michael HOLZ, Florian STAIB, Timo GRAMLICH, Thomas KÄLBERER