Abstract: The present invention provides a CIGS film substantially free from oxidation of a front surface thereof and a CIGS solar cell employing the CIGS film and substantially free from reduction and variation in conversion efficiency. The CIGS film, which is used as a light absorbing layer for the CIGS solar cell, includes: a first region having a Ga/(In+Ga) ratio progressively reduced along its thickness toward a predetermined first thickness position from a back surface of the CIGS film; a second region having a Ga/(In+Ga) ratio progressively increased along its thickness toward a predetermined second thickness position from the first region; and a third region provided on the second region and having a Ga/(In+Ga) ratio progressively reduced along its thickness toward the front surface of the CIGS film.

Abstract: In the solar cell module including a plurality of solar cells interconnected with wiring members, each of the solar cells includes a plurality of front-side finger electrodes that are disposed on a light-receiving surface of the solar cell and connected with tabs and a plurality of rear-side finger electrodes that are disposed on a rear surface of the solar cell and connected with tabs. Rear-side auxiliary electrode sections are arranged in regions, which is wider than the front-side finger electrodes, on the rear surface opposite to regions where the front-side finger electrodes are present.

Abstract: The invention provides a thermoelectric conversion material having a low thermal conductivity and an improved figure of merit and a production method for the material, and also provides a thermoelectric conversion module. The thermoelectric conversion material has, on a porous substrate having microscopic pores, a thermoelectric semiconductor layer formed of a thermoelectric semiconductor material, wherein the porous substrate has a polymer layer (B) on a plastic film (A) and the microscopic pores are formed in the polymer layer (B) and in a part of the plastic film (A). The production method for the thermoelectric conversion material comprises a substrate formation step of forming a porous substrate including a step 1, a step 2 and a step 3, and comprises a film formation step of forming a thermoelectric semiconductor layer through film formation of a thermoelectric semiconductor material on the porous substrate. The thermoelectric conversion module uses the thermoelectric conversion material.

Abstract: A multilayer anti-reflection structure for a backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may be formed on a front side of the backside contact solar cell. The anti-reflection structure may include a passivation level, a high optical absorption layer over the passivation level, and a low optical absorption layer over the high optical absorption layer. The passivation level may include silicon dioxide thermally grown on a textured surface of the solar cell substrate, which may be an N-type silicon substrate. The high optical absorption layer may be configured to block at least 10% of UV radiation coming into the substrate. The high optical absorption layer may comprise high-k silicon nitride and the low optical absorption layer may comprise low-k silicon nitride.

Abstract: A solar cell includes: a semiconductor substrate having a light receiving surface and a back surface; a first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type on the back surface; a second semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type on the back surface; a first electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; and an insulating layer for electrically insulating the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer from each other in a region in which an edge of the first semiconductor layer and an edge of second semiconductor layer overlap. The first electrode includes a first transparent electrode layer and a first collection electrode layer on the first transparent electrode layer. The first transparent electrode layer is separated into a primary electrode layer that is on the first semiconductor layer and a separated electrode layer that is on the second semiconductor layer in the region.

Abstract: A solar central receiver system employing common positioning mechanism for heliostats relates to a system of concentrating and harvesting solar energy. The heliostats of said system are positioned like facets of a Fresnel type of reflector. The heliostats are placed in arrays, wherein each array has a common positioning mechanism. The common positioning mechanism synchronously maneuvers the arrays of heliostats in altitudinal and/or azimuthal axis for tracking an apparent movement of the sun. The common positioning mechanism is employed for synchronously orienting said heliostats with respect to a stationary object and the sun such that incident solar radiation upon said heliostats is focused upon said stationary object from dawn to dusk. Subsequent to each said orientation of said heliostats, collective disposition of said heliostats always forms an arrangement that is capable of reflecting and thereby focusing incident solar radiation upon said stationary object.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a light-absorbing layer comprising a 2d-perovskite.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an all back contact solar cell which has a hybrid emitter design. The solar cell has a thin dielectric layer formed on a backside surface of a single crystalline silicon substrate. One emitter of the solar cell is made of doped polycrystalline silicon that is formed on the thin dielectric layer. A second emitter of the solar cell is formed in the single crystalline silicon substrate and is made of doped single crystalline silicon. The method further includes forming contact holes that allow metal contacts to connect to corresponding emitters.

Abstract: A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter region which is positioned at a front surface of the substrate and has a second conductive type different from the first conductive type, a front passivation region including a plurality of layers which are sequentially positioned on the emitter region, a back passivation region which is positioned on a back surface opposite the front surface of the substrate and includes three layers, a plurality of front electrodes which pass through the front passivation region and are connected to the emitter region, and at least one back electrode which passes through the back passivation region and is connected to the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell apparatus. The solar cell apparatus includes a substrate including a transmission area and a non-transmission area extended in one direction, respectively, and disposed in parallel to each other, a solar cell disposed in the non-transmission area, and a refractive part provided in the transmission area and refracting at least a portion of an incident light to the non-transmission area.

Abstract: A solar propelled aircraft which has a wing having solar cell modules mounted therein includes: first solar cell modules which are positioned in a wing or a tail wing of the aircraft and receive solar energy directly from the sun; second solar cell modules which are positioned in a main wing or a tail wing of the aircraft and supplied with directed energy from the earth; and rotating shafts which rotate the first solar cell modules and the second solar cell modules so that the first solar cell modules and the second solar cell modules correspond to each other in both directions. The first solar cell module at the upper surface obtains solar energy from the sun, and the second solar cell module at the lower surface obtains directed energy transferred from the earth.

Abstract: Solar cells with doped groove regions separated by ridges and methods of fabricating solar cells are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a surface with a plurality of grooves and ridges. A first doped region of a first conductivity type is disposed in a first of the grooves. A second doped region of a second conductivity type, opposite the first conductivity type, is disposed in a second of the grooves. The first and second grooves are separated by one of the ridges.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion device. Specifically, the photoelectric conversion device has a structure in which a substrate including a photoelectric conversion element provided at the bottom and a substrate including a photoelectric conversion element provided at the side are secured in a brace form by a light-dividing device. This structure divides incident light using the light-dividing device into a plurality of wavelength bands, and causes the divided light to fall onto the photoelectric conversion elements provided at the bottom and side, thereby making it possible to provide a photoelectric conversion device which is capable of generating a lame amount of electric power. In addition, the light-dividing device distributes pressures and impacts applied to the substrates at the bottom and side, thus making it possible to provide a photoelectric conversion device which has resistance to pressures and impacts.

Abstract: A solar cell can include a conductive foil having a first portion with a first yield strength coupled to a semiconductor region of the solar cell. The solar cell can be interconnected with another solar cell via an interconnect structure that includes a second portion of the conductive foil, with the interconnect structure having a second yield strength greater than the first yield strength.

Abstract: A thermoelectric power module capable of withstanding a long time use in a high temperature environment where a temperature (Th) of a higher temperature portion exceeds 250° C. The thermoelectric power module includes: a thermoelectric power element; a first diffusion prevention layer consisting of molybdenum (Mo) and disposed on a surface of the thermoelectric power element; a second diffusion prevention layer consisting of an intermetallic compound of nickel-tin (Ni—Sn) and disposed on a surface of the first diffusion prevention layer opposite to the thermoelectric power element side; an electrode; a third diffusion prevention layer consisting of an intermetallic compound of nickel-tin (Ni—Sn) and disposed on a surface of the electrode; a solder layer containing lead (Pb) at not less than 85% and configured to join the second diffusion prevention layer and the third diffusion prevention layer to each other.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion device includes a Heusler alloy film having a structure of B2 or L21 in notation of A2BC and a pair of electrodes on the Heusler alloy film to output an electromotive force generated by a thermal gradient in the Heusler alloy film. The thermoelectric conversion device further includes an electrode for applying an electric field or a voltage to the Heusler alloy film to increase and control an electric conductivity and a Seebeck coefficient S of the Heusler metal film. The device can control to increase an electric conductivity and Seebeck coefficient S by applying an electric field or a voltage through an insulation film to the Heusler alloy film. The device may have a shared connection to select one of outputs of a plurality of thermoelectric conversion devices arranged in a matrix or increase an electromotive force as an output.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a multi-junction solar cell structure and the manufacturing method thereof, comprising a first photovoltaic structure and a second photovoltaic structure; wherein at least one of the first photovoltaic structure and the second photovoltaic structure comprises a discontinuous photoelectric converting structure.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating solar cells using simplified deposition processes, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a method of fabricating a solar cell involves loading a template substrate into a deposition chamber and, without removing the template substrate from the deposition chamber, performing a deposition method. The deposition method involves forming a first silicon layer on the template substrate, the first silicon layer of a first conductivity type. The deposition method also involves forming a second silicon layer on the first silicon layer, the second silicon layer of the first conductivity type. The deposition method also involves forming a third silicon layer above the second silicon layer, the third silicon layer of a second conductivity type. The deposition method also involves forming a solid state doping layer on the third silicon layer, the solid state doping layer of the first conductivity type.

Abstract: This invention aims to reduce and preferably to cancel the carrier collection limit effect in order to considerably increase the conversion efficiency. This improvement is achieved by a suitable modification of the amorphized layer thickness or even by discontinuities separating amorphizing beams or amorphized nanopellets.

Abstract: The paste composition of the instant invention consists of silver powder, glass frit, Bi2O3, metal additives and an organic medium. The present invention is further directed to an electrode formed from the paste composition and a semiconductor device and, in particular, a soar cell comprising such an electrode. The paste compositions provide a solderable electrode, particularly useful for forming solar cell back side buss bars on an aluminum layer that covers the entire back side surface of the solar cell.