Photovoltaic cell electrodes interlayer - comprising parallel protein, polypeptide or poly:amino acid chains with alpha helix structure and photoconductor

摘要

Photovoltaic cell comprises at least two electrodes, at least one of which is transparent to light and between the electrodes and in close contact with them, a layer of organic material consisting of mutually parallel protein-, polypeptide or polyaminoacid chains having a helical structure of the "alpha helix" type, the electric dipole moments of the chains being mutually parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the layer. A substance is located between the chains which is electrically insulating in the absence of light, and which becomes electrically conductive on irradiation with light of the required wavelength. The cells have improved conversion yield and can be made to have a wide wavelength response range e.g. for 400-900 nm.