| Abstract: | A photovoltaic (PV) device, comprising a PV interband cascade (IC) stage,
wherein the IC PV stage comprises an absorption region with a band gap,
the absorption region configured to absorb photons, an intraband
transport region configured to act as a hole barrier, and an interband
tunneling region configured to act as an electron barrier. An IC PV
architecture for a photovoltaic device, the IC PV architecture comprising
an absorption region, an intraband transport region coupled to the
absorption region, and an interband tunneling region coupled to the
intraband transport region and to the adjacent absorption region, wherein
the absorption region, the intraband transport region, and the interband
tunneling region are positioned such that electrons will flow from the
absorption region to the intraband transport region to the interband
tunneling region. |