Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate and a back electrode disposed between the substrate and an active semiconductor layer. The back electrode has a reflective layer that is reflective to at least one wavelength of light and includes a reflective surface having an undulating profile that includes peaks and valleys. The method includes depositing a filler layer onto the reflective layer of the back electrode. The filler layer at least partially fills one or more of the valleys of the reflective surface. The filler layer is transmissive to the at least one wavelength of light such that the at least one wavelength of light can pass through the filler layer to the reflective layer. The method includes depositing the active semiconductor layer onto the filler layer such that the filler layer and the back electrode are disposed between the substrate and the active semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Layers of conductive foil and insulating material are configured to interconnect an array of rear-contact solar cells. An embodiment provides that the layer of conductive foil may be patterned to form repeating sets of electrically isolated, interdigitated fingers. Each set of interdigitated fingers may be used to connect the positive polarity contacts of a first rear-contact solar cell to the negative polarity contacts of a second, adjacent rear-contact cell. The insulating layer is attached to the patterned conductive foil and provides mechanical support and/or electrical isolation. In some embodiments, a protective backsheet may be disposed beneath the conductive foil and/or insulating layer to provide further mechanical support and environmental protection. In some embodiments, the layers of conductive foil and insulating material may be incorporated as an interconnect circuit in a rear-contact PV module.

Abstract: A rear-contact solar cell interconnect is disclosed. The rear-contact solar cell interconnect includes a first conductive foil with an opening and a second conductive foil. The first conductive foil is arranged to be electrically connected to a first polarity contact of a solar cell. The second conductive foil is arranged to be electrically connected to a second polarity contact of the solar cell through the opening of the first conductive foil. The solar cell includes a first surface arranged to receive solar irradiation and a second surface substantially opposite the first surface. The first polarity contact and the second polarity contact are provided on the second surface of the solar cell.

Abstract: A photovoltaic module that converts incident light received through a light transmissive cover sheet into a voltage is provided. The photovoltaic module includes a substrate, conductive upper and lower layers between the substrate and the cover sheet, and a semiconductor layer stack between the conductive upper and lower layers. The conductive lower layer includes an electrode diffusion layer between a lower electrode and a conductive light transmissive layer. The electrode diffusion layer restricts diffusion of the lower electrode of the conductive lower layer into the conductive light transmissive layer during deposition of the semiconductor layer stack. The incident light is converted by the semiconductor layer stack into the voltage potential between the conductive upper and lower layers.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a supporting layer, a semiconductor layer stack, and a conductive and light transmissive layer. The supporting layer is proximate to a bottom surface of the device. The semiconductor layer stack includes first and second semiconductor sub-layers, with the second sub-layer having a crystalline fraction of at least approximately 85%. A conductive and light transmissive layer between the supporting layer and the semiconductor layer stack, where an Ohmic contact exists between the first semiconductor sub-layer and the conductive and light transmissive layer.

Abstract: A monolithically-integrated photovoltaic module is provided. The module includes an electrically insulating substrate, a lower stack of microcrystalline silicon layers above the substrate, a middle stack of amorphous silicon layers above the lower stack, an upper stack of amorphous silicon layers above the middle stack, and a light transmissive cover layer above the upper stack. An energy band gap of each of the lower, middle and upper stacks differs from one another such that a different spectrum of incident light is absorbed by each of the lower, middle and upper stacks.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module is provided. The method includes providing an electrically insulating substrate and a lower electrode, depositing a lower stack of silicon layers above the lower electrode, and depositing an upper stack of silicon layers above the lower stack. The lower and upper stacks include N-I-P junctions. The lower stack has an energy band gap of at least 1.60 eV while the upper stack has an energy band gap of at least 1.80 eV. The method also includes providing an upper electrode above the upper stack. The lower and upper stacks convert incident light into an electric potential between the upper and lower electrodes with the lower and upper stacks converting different portions of the light into the electric potential based on wavelengths of the light.

Abstract: A monolithically-integrated photovoltaic module is provided. The module includes an insulating substrate and a lower electrode above the substrate. The method also includes a lower stack of microcrystalline silicon layers above the lower electrode, an upper stack of amorphous silicon layers above the lower stack, and an upper electrode above the upper stack. The upper and lower stacks of silicon layers have different energy band gaps. The module also includes a built-in bypass diode vertically extending in the upper and lower stacks of silicon layers from the lower electrode to the upper electrode. The built-in bypass diode includes portions of the lower and upper stacks that have a greater crystalline portion than a remainder of the lower and upper stacks.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell includes a substrate, a semiconductor layer stack, a reflective and conductive electrode layer, and a textured template layer. The semiconductor layer stack is disposed above the substrate. The electrode layer is located between the substrate and the semiconductor layer stack. The template layer is between the substrate and the electrode layer. The template layer includes an undulating upper surface that imparts a predetermined shape to the electrode layer. The electrode layer reflects light back into the semiconductor layer stack based on the predetermined shape of the electrode layer.

Abstract: A solar module includes a substrate, a plurality of electrically interconnected solar cells, and an upper separation gap. The solar cells are provided above the substrate. At least one of the solar cells includes a reflective electrode, a silicon layer stack and a light transmissive electrode. The reflective electrode is provided above the substrate. The silicon layer stack includes an n-doped layer provided above the reflective electrode, an intrinsic layer provided above the n-doped layer and a p-doped layer provided above the intrinsic layer. The light transmissive electrode is provided above the silicon layer stack. The upper separation gap is provided between the cells. The upper separation gap electrically separates the light transmissive electrodes in the solar cells from one another such that the light transmissive electrode of one of the solar cells is electrically connected to the reflective electrode of another one of the solar cells.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a supporting layer, a semiconductor layer stack, and a conductive and light transmissive layer. The supporting layer is proximate to a bottom surface of the device. The semiconductor layer stack includes first and second semiconductor sub-layers, with the second sub-layer having a crystalline traction of at least approximately 85%. A conductive and light transmissive layer between the supporting layer and the semiconductor layer stack, where an Ohmic contact exists between the first semiconductor sub-layer and the conductive and light transmissive layer.

Abstract: One or more embodiments of the presently described invention provide a method for fabricating an all-back contact photovoltaic cell. The method includes the steps of depositing a semiconductor layer on a non-opaque substrate, increasing a level of crystallinity of the semiconductor layer by exposing it to a focused beam of energy, doping the semiconductor layer with first and second dopants on one side to create at least two doped regions, and providing electrical contacts to the doped regions by depositing a conductive layer on the semiconductor layer so that the electrical contacts are on the same side of the semiconductor layer while incident light strikes the layer from an opposing side.