Abstract: This invention relates to a photovoltaic device with a polymeric mat and a method of making a photovoltaic device with a polymeric mat. The photovoltaic device includes a transparent layer for receiving solar energy, and at least one photovoltaic cell disposed below the transparent layer. The photovoltaic device also includes a polymeric mat disposed below the at least one photovoltaic cell, and a backsheet disposed below the polymeric mat. The photovoltaic device also includes an encapsulant bonding the transparent layer, the at least one photovoltaic cell, the polymeric mat, and the backsheet.

Abstract: This invention relates to a photovoltaic device with a polymeric mat and a method of making a photovoltaic device with a polymeric mat. The photovoltaic device includes a transparent layer for receiving solar energy, and at least one photovoltaic cell disposed below the transparent layer. The photovoltaic device also includes a polymeric mat disposed below the at least one photovoltaic cell, and a backsheet disposed below the polymeric mat. The photovoltaic device also includes an encapsulant bonding the transparent layer, the at least one photovoltaic cell, the polymeric mat, and the backsheet.

Abstract: This invention relates to solar panels with improved encapsulants and back sheets for greater power output and/or increased efficiency by using materials with higher thermal conductivity than conventional solar panels. According to certain embodiments the improved materials include fillers while maintaining sufficient dielectric properties. According to certain other embodiments, the invention includes a solar panel with the improved encapsulant between solar cells and the improved back sheet. The invention also includes a method of making a solar panel including the improved materials. The invention also includes solar modules and methods related to encapsulants and the back sheets including filler materials with an enhanced particle size distribution, a brightening agent, or an infrared extinguisher.

Abstract: An integrated solar cell roofing system comprised of strips of solar cell groups. Each strip is comprised of a length of a substrate of a flexible, waterproof material. A first layer of bonding material is laid on the substrate onto which a group of pre-wired photovoltaic (PV) cells are positioned. A second layer of bonding material is applied and an individual rigid sheet of glass is laid on the second layer over each group of PV cells. Heat and vacuum is then applied to melt the bonding materials thereby bonding the group of PV cells and the glass sheet onto the substrate to form spaced solar cell groups thereon. The strip can then be folded into a fan-fold configuration for handling.

Abstract: Textured semi-conductor devices, such as macro textured buried-contact solar cells, are produced with special front contact trenches to increase efficiency and decrease costs. In order to produce the front contact trenches, front channels and narrower metallization grooves are cut in the semi-conductor body. The front contact trenches are plated to form attractive conductive buried contacts comprising flush metallization fingers and bus bars.

Abstract: A process that, without doping of PBN crucibles, produces semi-insulating GaAs having low, or essentially no, dislocation density; and in which the crystal may be in situ annealed after growth. The process is a variant of the Heat Exchanger Method (HEM) disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,898,051. Crack-free, semi-insulating GaAs crystals having low dislocation density are grown from presynthesized undoped GaAs meltstock in sealed quartz (vitreous silica) crucibles, without the need for an encapsulant. One aspect of the invention features seeded growth of <100> orientation crystals having a dislocation density 1-2 orders of magnitude less than that of the seed; in another aspect, crystals having fewer than 500 dislocations/cam.sup.2 in their center column are grown without a seed.