Semiconductor, n-type semiconductor, p-type semiconductor, semiconductor junction device, pn junction device and photoelectric converter

Abstract

The semiconductor of the present invention has iron sulfide and a forbidden band control element contained in the iron sulfide. The forbidden band control element has a property capable of controlling the forbidden band of iron sulfide on the basis of the number density of the forbidden band control element in the iron sulfide. An n-type semiconductor is manufactured by incorporating a group 13 element of the IUPAC system into iron sulfide. Moreover, a p-type semiconductor is manufactured by incorporating a group Ia element into iron sulfide. A semiconductor junction device or a photoelectric converter is manufactured by using the n-type semiconductor and the p-type semiconductor.

1 . An n-type semiconductor comprising iron sulfide and a group 13 element of the IUPAC system, wherein the group 13 element of the IUPAC system is contained by an amount of 5×10 15  cm −3  to 5×10 21  cm −3 . 
     
     
         2 . The n-type semiconductor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the group 13 element of the IUPAC system is at least one of Al, Ga and In.   
     
     
         3 . The n-type semiconductor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the group 13 element of the IUPAC system is Al.   
     
     
         4 . The n-type semiconductor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the iron sulfide contains FeS 2  of a pyrite type crystal structure.   
     
     
         5 . A semiconductor junction device comprising the n-type semiconductor claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . A pn junction device comprising a pn junction constituted of the n-type semiconductor claimed in  claim 1  and a p-type semiconductor containing iron sulfide. 
     
     
         7 . A photoelectric converter comprising a pn junction constituted of the n-type semiconductor claimed in  claim 1  and a p-type semiconductor containing iron sulfide. 
     
     
         8 . A semi conductor comprising:
 iron sulfide; and   a forbidden band control element contained in the iron sulfide, wherein   the forbidden band control element has a property capable of controlling the forbidden band of the iron sulfide on the basis of a number density of the forbidden band control element in the iron sulfide;   and further comprising a group Ia element.   
     
     
         9 . A p-type semiconductor comprising iron sulfide and a group Ia element. 
     
     
         10 . The p-type semiconductor as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein
 the group Ia element is at least one of Li, Na and K.   
     
     
         11 . The p-type semiconductor as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein
 the group Ia element is Na, and   a number density of Na is not smaller than 4×10 15  cm −3  and not greater than 2×10 20  cm −3 .   
     
     
         12 . The p-type semiconductor as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein
 the iron sulfide contains FeS 2  a pyrite type crystal structure.   
     
     
         13 . A semiconductor junction device comprising the p-type semiconductor claimed in  claim 9 . 
     
     
         14 . A pn junction device comprising a pn junction constituted of the p-type semiconductor claimed in  claim 9  and a n-type semiconductor containing iron sulfide. 
     
     
         15 . The pn junction device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the n-type semiconductor contains at least one of Co, Ni and Mn.   
     
     
         16 . The pn junction device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the n-type semiconductor contains at least one of Al, Ga and In.   
     
     
         17 . The pn junction device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the n-type semiconductor contains FeS 2  of a pyrite type crystal structure.   
     
     
         18 . A p + -p-n junction device comprising:
 the pn junction device claimed in  claim 14 ; and   a p + -type semiconductor layer having a number density of a group Ia element higher than the number density of the group Ia element in the p-type semiconductor of the pn junction device.   
     
     
         19 . The p + -p-n junction device as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein
 the number density of the group Ia element in the p + -type semiconductor layer is not smaller than 20 times the number density of the group Ia element in the p-type semiconductor.   
     
     
         20 . A photoelectric converter comprising the semiconductor junction device claimed in  claim 13 . 
     
     
         21 . A photoelectric converter comprising the pn junction device claimed in  claim 14 . 
     
     
         22 . A photoelectric converter comprising the p + -p-n junction device claimed in  claim 18 .