Patents by Inventor Joel W. Ager

Joel W. Ager 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: 20120057392
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a composition comprising a nanostructure comprising a semiconductor component and a metallic component, with the proviso that when the semiconductor component is Ge the metallic component is not Te. The nanostructure can be in one of two types of structures: (1) a segregated structure, and (2) a mixed structure. In the segregated structure, the semiconductor component and the metallic component are spatially separate, such as in a lobe-lobe structure, poly-lobe structure, or a core-shell structure. In some embodiments, the lobe-lobe structure comprises a metallic component lobe and a semiconductor component lobe. The composition can be used in a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Daryl C. Chrzan, Joel W. Ager, Eugene E. Haller
  • Patent number: 8129614
    Abstract: A single P-N junction solar cell is provided having two depletion regions for charge separation while allowing the electrons and holes to recombine such that the voltages associated with both depletion regions of the solar cell will add together. The single p-n junction solar cell includes an alloy of either InGaN or InAlN formed on one side of the P-N junction with Si formed on the other side in order to produce characteristics of a two junction (2J) tandem solar cell through only a single P-N junction. A single P-N junction solar cell having tandem solar cell characteristics will achieve power conversion efficiencies exceeding 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: RoseStreet Labs Energy
    Inventors: Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, Joel W. Ager, III, Kin Man Yu
  • Publication number: 20120031491
    Abstract: A single P-N junction solar cell is provided having two depletion regions for charge separation while allowing the electrons and holes to recombine such that the voltages associated with both depletion regions of the solar cell will add together. The single p-n junction solar cell includes an alloy of either InGaN or InAlN formed on one side of the P-N junction with Si formed on the other side in order to produce characteristics of a two junction (2J) tandem solar cell through only a single P-N junction. A single P-N junction solar cell having tandem solar cell characteristics will achieve power conversion efficiencies exceeding 30%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: RoseStreet Labs Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, Joel W. Ager, III, Kin Man Yu
  • Patent number: 8039740
    Abstract: A single P-N junction solar cell is provided having two depletion regions for charge separation while allowing the electrons and holes to recombine such that the voltages associated with both depletion regions of the solar cell will add together. The single p-n junction solar cell includes an alloy of either InGaN or InAlN formed on one side of the P-N junction with Si formed on the other side in order to produce characteristics of a two junction (2J) tandem solar cell through only a single P-N junction. A single P-N junction solar cell having tandem solar cell characteristics will achieve power conversion efficiencies exceeding 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: RoseStreet Labs Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, Joel W. Ager, III, Kin Man Yu
  • Publication number: 20100095998
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprises a first photovoltaic cell comprising a first material, and a second photovoltaic cell comprising a second material and connected in series to the first photovoltaic cell. The conduction band edge of the first material adjacent the second material is at most 0.1 eV higher than a valence band edge of the second material adjacent the material. Preferably, the first material of the first photovoltaic cell comprises ln].?Al?N or lnt_yGayN and the second material of the second photovoltaic cell comprises silicon or germanium. Alternatively, the first material of the first photovoltaic cell comprises InAs or InAsSb and the second material of the second photovoltaic cell comprises GaSb or GaAsSb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, Joel W. Ager, III, Kin Man Yu
  • Publication number: 20090173373
    Abstract: A compositionally graded Group III-nitride alloy is provided for use in a solar cell. In one or more embodiment, an alloy of either InGaN or InAlN formed in which the In composition is graded between two areas of the alloy. The compositionally graded Group III-nitride alloy can be utilized in a variety of types of solar cell configurations, including a single P-N junction solar cell having tandem solar cell characteristics, a multijunction tandem solar cell, a tandem solar cell having a low resistance tunnel junction and other solar cell configurations. The compositionally graded Group III-nitride alloy possesses direct band gaps having a very large tuning range, for example extending from about 0.7 to 3.4 eV for InGaN and from about 0.7 to 6.2 eV for InAlN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, Joel W. Ager, III, Kin Man Yu
  • Publication number: 20080314447
    Abstract: A single P-N junction solar cell is provided having two depletion regions for charge separation while allowing the electrons and holes to recombine such that the voltages associated with both depletion regions of the solar cell will add together. The single p-n junction solar cell includes an alloy of either InGaN or InAlN formed on one side of the P-N junction with Si formed on the other side in order to produce characteristics of a two junction (2J) tandem solar cell through only a single P-N junction. A single P-N junction solar cell having tandem solar cell characteristics will achieve power conversion efficiencies exceeding 30%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Wladyslaw Walukiewicz, Joel W. Ager, III, Kin Man Yu