Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a battery preparing a first electrode by providing a substrate and depositing onto the substrate at least one silicon-based semiconductor layer of a specific porosity, in particular a doped micro-crystalline silicon layer that may comprise additions of Ge, Sn and/or C; treating the semiconductor layer using laser radiation for fully or partially varying the porosity, in particular by increasing the porosity of active regions for accommodating ions, in particular lithium-ions, or for reducing the porosity of inactive regions, for decreasing the ion-absorption capacity; arranging the first electrode together with a second electrode and an electrolyte within a housing; and contacting the two electrodes and connecting with external terminals accessible from outside the housing. Also disclosed is a battery made according to the disclosed method.

Abstract: A back surface contact solar cell has a wafer with an anti-reflection layer on the front surface, with an emitter and a back surface field on the back surface, and with contacts, produced using laser ablation, on the back surface, wherein the pitch is at most 800 micrometers. Furthermore provided is a method for producing such a solar cell.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for testing photovoltaic modules are provided, wherein power that a photovoltaic module outputs or draws is modulated a modulating frequency, the photovoltaic module is scanned using a camera and the camera signal generated by the camera is evaluated in order to obtain a luminescence image of the photovoltaic module which is used for detecting defects on the photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic module is operated only in the forward direction and the camera signal is evaluated using a digital filter, such as a lock-in filter.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a battery preparing a first electrode by providing a substrate and depositing onto the substrate at least one silicon-based semiconductor layer of a specific porosity, in particular a doped micro-crystalline silicon layer that may comprise additions of Ge, Sn and/or C; treating the semiconductor layer using laser radiation for fully or partially varying the porosity, in particular by increasing the porosity of active regions for accommodating ions, in particular lithium-ions, or for reducing the porosity of inactive regions, for decreasing the ion-absorption capacity; arranging the first electrode together with a second electrode and an electrolyte within a housing; and contacting the two electrodes and connecting with external terminals accessible from outside the housing. Also disclosed is a battery made according to the disclosed method.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for testing photovoltaic modules are provided, wherein power that a photovoltaic module outputs or draws is modulated a modulating frequency, the photovoltaic module is scanned using a camera and the camera signal generated by the camera is evaluated in order to obtain a luminescence image of the photovoltaic module which is used for detecting defects on the photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic module is operated only in the forward direction and the camera signal is evaluated using a digital filter, such as a lock-in filter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar cell module which comprises a base having photovoltaically active zones and photovoltaically inactive zones, at least one diffractive element being arranged above at least one photovoltaically inactive zone of the base.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making contact with a semiconductor substrate, in particular for making contact with solar cells, in which a metallic seed structure is generated on the surface through a dielectric or passivating layer by means of an LIFT process, and the seed structure is then reinforced.