Patents by Inventor Lucas Cuadra-Rodríguez

Lucas Cuadra-Rodríguez 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: 6444897
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solar cell containing a semiconductor (1) with an intermediate band (2) that is half filled with electrons, located between two layers of ordinary n type (3) and p type (4) semiconductors. When lighted, electron-hole pairs are formed either by a photon that absorbs the necessary energy (5) or by two photons (6,7) that absorb less energy which pump an electron from the valence band to the intermediate band (8) and from the latter to the conductance band (9). An electrical current is generated that exits on the p side and returns via the n side. The n and p layers also prevent the intermediate band from contacting the outer metal connections, which would have resulted in a short-circuit. Said cell converts solar energy into electricity in a more efficient manner than conventional cells and contributes to improvement of the photovoltaic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignees: Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid - Fac. Ciencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
    Inventors: Antonio Luque-Lopez, Fernando Flores-Sinta, Antonio Martí-Vega, José Carlos Conesa-Cegarra, Perla Wahnon-Benarroch, José Ortega-Mateo, Cesar Tablero-Crespo, Rubén Pérez-Pérez, Lucas Cuadra-Rodríguez