Abstract: Method of manufacturing a single-side-contacted photovoltaic device (1), comprising the steps of: a) providing a photovoltaically-active substrate (3) defining a plurality of alternating hole collecting zones (3a) and electron collecting zones (3b) arranged in parallel strips; b) depositing a conductive layer (5) across said zones; c) depositing at least one conductive track (9) extending along at least part of each of said zones (3a, 3b); d) selectively forming a dielectric layer (7) on each of said zones (3a, 3b), so as to leave an exposed area free of dielectric at an interface between adjacent zones (3a, 3b); e) etching said conductive layer (5) in said exposed areas; f) applying a plurality of interconnecting conductors (11a, 11b) so as to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said hole collecting zones (3a) with each other, and to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said electron collecting zones (3b) with each other.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by means of an encapsulant, said method comprising steps of: providing a lamination device; disposing said first layer in said lamination device, disposing upon said first layer an encapsulant material manufactured by the steps of: providing a base resin comprising a silane-modified polyolefin and having a melting point below 90° C., forming a mixture of said base resin and an additive comprising a crosslinking catalyst, said cross-linking catalyst being present in a proportion of 0.01 to 5 parts per hundred of resin, melting said mixture at a temperature between 90° C. and 190° C., preferably between 160° C. and 180° C.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a single-side-contacted photovoltaic device (1), comprising the steps of: a) providing a photovoltaically-active substrate (3) defining a plurality of alternating hole collecting zones (3a) and electron collecting zones (3b) arranged in parallel strips; b) depositing a conductive layer (5) across said zones; c) depositing at least one conductive track (9) extending along at least part of each of said zones (3a, 3b); d) selectively forming a dielectric layer (7) on each of said zones (3a, 3b), so as to leave an exposed area free of dielectric at an interface between adjacent zones (3a, 3b); e) etching said conductive layer (5) in said exposed areas; f) applying a plurality of interconnecting conductors (11a, 11b) so as to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said hole collecting zones (3a) with each other, and to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said electron collecting zones (3b) with each other.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by means of an encapsulant, said method comprising a lamination step wherein the encapsulant material comprises a silane-modified polyolefin having a melting point below 90° C., pigment particles and an additive comprising a cross-linking catalyst; and wherein in said lamination step heat and pressure are applied to the module, said heat being applied at a temperature between 60° C. and 125° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell comprising a heterojunction photoelectric device comprising, a front electrode layer, a back electrode layer comprising a metallic contact layer, a light-absorbing silicon layer arranged between said front electrode and said back electrode layers and a doped silicon-based layer arranged between said light-absorbing silicon layer and said back electrode layer, characterized in that said heterojunction photoelectric device further comprises a wide band gap material layer having an electronic band gap greater than 1.4 eV, said wide band gap material layer being applied on a surface of the light-absorbing silicon layer between said light-absorbing silicon layer and said doped silicon-based layer. The present heterojunction layer or stack of layers is compatible with thermal annealing and firing processes at T above 600° C.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is proposed comprising a silicon-based substrate (2) having a p-type or n-type doping, with an intrinsic buffer layer (4) situated on said substrate. A first silicon layer (6) of a first doping type is situated on predetermined regions (4a) of the intrinsic buffer layer. The first layer has interstices (5) between said predetermined regions (4a). The first silicon layer comprises at least partially a microcrystalline layer at its side away from the substrate. A microcrystalline silicon layer (8) of a second doping type is situated on said first silicon layer (6). A third silicon layer (10) of the second doping type is situated on said intrinsic buffer layer at the interstices, the third silicon layer being amorphous at its side facing said silicon-based substrate and comprising an at least partially microcrystalline layer portion to the side away from the intrinsic buffer layer.

Abstract: Photovoltaic module comprising: a front sheet arranged on a light incident side of said photovoltaic module; a back sheet arranged on an opposite side of said photovoltaic module to said front sheet; a photovoltaic conversion device disposed between said front sheet and said; back sheet; at least one front encapsulation layer disposed between said photovoltaic conversion device and said front sheet and comprising pigment particles distributed therein; characterized in that said, front encapsulation layer comprise a first zone a second zone, said first zone being situated closer said front sheet than said second zone, said first zone comprising a higher density of pigment particles than said second zone.

Abstract: Photovoltaic module comprising: a front sheet arranged on a light incident side of said photovoltaic module; a back sheet arranged on an opposite side of said photovoltaic module to said front sheet; a photovoltaic conversion device disposed between said front sheet and said back sheet; at least one front encapsulation layer disposed between said photovoltaic conversion device and said front sheet; wherein said front encapsulation layer comprises pigment particles distributed therein

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by means of an encapsulant, said method comprising steps of: providing a lamination device; disposing said first layer in said lamination device, disposing upon said first layer an encapsulant material manufactured by the steps of: providing a base resin comprising a silane-modified polyolefin and having a melting point below 90° C., forming a mixture of said base resin and an additive comprising a crosslinking catalyst, said cross-linking catalyst being present in a proportion of 0.01 to 5 parts per hundred of resin, melting said mixture at a temperature between 90° C. and 190° C., preferably between 160° C. and 180° C.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by means of an encapsulant, said method comprising a lamination step wherein the encapsulant material comprises a silane-modified polyolefin having a melting point below 90° C., pigment particles and an additive comprising a cross-linking catalyst; and wherein in said lamination step heat and pressure are applied to the module, said heat being applied at a temperature between 60° C. and 125° C.

Abstract: In the present invention a new solar photovoltaic module is proposed comprising: a silicon based photovoltaic element; an intermediate layer deposited on said photovoltaic element to the incident light side; an interference filter deposited on the incident light side of said intermediate layer; a front element disposed on the incident light side of said interference filter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell comprising a heterojunction photoelectric device comprising, a front electrode layer, a back electrode layer comprising a metallic contact layer, a light-absorbing silicon layer arranged between said front electrode and said back electrode layers and a doped silicon-based layer arranged between said light-absorbing silicon layer and said back electrode layer, characterized in that said heterojunction photoelectric device further comprises a wide band gap material layer having an electronic band gap greater than 1.4 eV, said wide band gap material layer being applied on a surface of the light-absorbing silicon layer between said light-absorbing silicon layer and said doped silicon-based layer. The present heterojunction layer or stack of layers is compatible with thermal annealing and firing processes at T above 600° C.

Abstract: In the present invention a new solar photovoltaic module is proposed comprising a solar cell comprising a silicon layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to said first surface. The solar cell further comprises a passivating layer stack comprising a heterogeneous layer arranged on said first surface and/or on said second surface. The heterogeneous layer, having a back surface and a front surface, comprises a non-conducting matrix having a refractive index being lower than 3.0. The heterogeneous layer further comprises inclusions of at least one conductive material in said matrix, and at least some of said inclusions extend from said back surface to said front surface of the heterogeneous layer for electrically connecting the surfaces of the heterogeneous layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is proposed comprising a silicon-based substrate (2) having a p-type or n-type doping, with an intrinsic buffer layer (4) situated on said substrate. A first silicon layer (6) of a first doping type is situated on predetermined regions (4a) of the intrinsic buffer layer. The first layer has interstices (5) between said predetermined regions (4a). The first silicon layer comprises at least partially a microcrystalline layer at its side away from the substrate. A microcrystalline silicon layer (8) of a second doping type is situated on said first silicon layer (6). A third silicon layer (10) of the second doping type is situated on said intrinsic buffer layer at the interstices, the third silicon layer being amorphous at its side facing said silicon-based substrate and comprising an at least partially microcrystalline layer portion to the side away from the intrinsic buffer layer.

Abstract: An infrared transmitting cover sheet for receiving incident light having incident visible light and incident near infrared light. The infrared transmitting cover sheet includes: infrared transmission means arranged to transmit at least 65% of the incident near infrared light, through the infrared transmitting cover sheet, visible light transmission means arranged to transmit as less as possible incident visible light having wavelengths lower than 600 nm, excluding the wavelength of 700 nm, through the infrared transmitting cover sheet, and reflection means arranged to reflect a portion of the incident visible light to the side of the incident light.

Abstract: A solar photovoltaic module (1) intended to receive incident light, said incident light comprising incident visible light and incident near infrared light, visible light being defined as light having a wavelength between 380 nm and 700 nm, excluding 700 nm and near infrared light is defined as light having a wavelength between 700 nm and 2000 nm, characterized in that said solar photovoltaic module (1) comprises: —a photovoltaic element (2), sensitive to near-infra red light, —at least a first infrared transmitting cover sheet (4), arranged to one side of said photovoltaic element (2), comprising: —infrared transmission means arranged to transmit at least 65% of said incident infrared light through said infrared transmitting cover sheet, —visible light transmission means arranged to transmit as less as possible incident light having wavelengths lower than 600 nm, preferably lower than 650 nm, more preferably lower than 700 nm, excluding the wavelength of 700 nm, through said infrared transmitting cover sheet

Abstract: A device includes a conductive surface (12) and electrical contacts (14) by which an electric current is able to be passed. The electrical contacts (14) include conductive seeds (16) deposited on the conductive surface (12), an electrically insulating layer (18), which covers discontinuously the conductive seeds (16) in order to form openings leaving access to the conductive seeds (16), and a plating layer (22) recovering the discontinuous insulating layer (18) and deposited on conductive seeds (16) which are accessible through the openings and form points from which the deposit of the plating layer (22) can start. The rest of the conductive surface (12), which doesn't include any electrical contacts (14), is continuously covered by the electrically insulating layer (18).

Abstract: A multiple-junction photoelectric device includes sequentially, a substrate, a first conducting layer, at least two elementary photoelectric devices, at least one of the elementary photoelectric devices being made of microcrystalline silicon, and a second conducting layer. The first conducting layer has a surface facing the microcrystalline silicon elementary photoelectric device such that the surface: has a lateral feature size bigger than 100 nm, and a root-element-square roughness bigger than 40 nm, includes inclined elementary surfaces such that ?50 is greater than 20°, where ?50 is the angle for which 50% of the elementary surfaces of the surface of the first conducting layer have an inclination equal to or less than this angle, and includes valleys formed between two elementary surfaces and having a radius of curvature smaller than 100 nm.

Abstract: In the present invention a new solar photovoltaic module is proposed comprising: a silicon based photovoltaic element; an intermediate layer deposited on said photovoltaic element to the incident light side; an interference filter deposited on the incident light side of said intermediate layer; a front element disposed on the incident light side of said interference filter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell comprising a semiconductor wafer, an emitter formed by at least one emitter region which comprises at least a first layer of a first conductivity type and a first contact layer allowing a carrier extraction or injection, a backcontact comprising at least a second layer of a second conductivity type opposite of said first conductivity type and a second contact layer allowing a carrier extraction or injection, electrical contacts which are connected to said emitter regions and said backcontact respectively and designed to transport an electrical current out of the solar cell. According to the invention, the area of the emitter covers between 0.