Abstract: The invention relates to a heterojunction solar cell and a method for the production thereof. The heterojunction solar cell has an absorber layer made of silicon with a basic doping and at least one heterojunction layer of a doped semiconductor material whose band gap differs from that of the silicon of the absorber layer. The absorber layer has a doped layer at an interface directed toward the heterojunction layer, the doping concentration of said doped layer being greater than the basic doping concentration of the absorber layer. As a result of this doping profile, a field effect can be caused which prevents charge carrier pairs produced within the absorber layer from diffusing toward the interface between the absorber layer and the heterojunction layer and from recombining there.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rear-contact solar cell and to a method for producing the same, wherein elongate emitter regions (5) and elongate base regions (7) are defined in a semiconductor substrate (1) in a finely interleaved manner on the surface of the rear side of the cell. The elongate emitter regions (5) are contacted by elongate emitter contacts (11) that extend at a right angle thereto, and the elongate base regions (7) are contacted by elongate base contacts (13) that extend at a right angle thereto, the structural width of the emitter and base regions (5, 7) being substantially smaller than the structural width of the emitter and base contacts. The finely interleaved arrangement of emitter and base regions (5, 7) results in good current collecting properties and low series resistances within the semiconductor substrate. Owing to the less complicated structures of the metal contacts, the latter can be produced in a simple and reliable manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rear-contact solar cell and to a method for producing the same. The rear-contact solar cell comprises a semiconductor substrate on the rear side surface of which emitter regions, contacted by emitter contacts, and base regions, contacted by base contacts, are defined. The emitter regions and the base regions overlap at least in overlap regions, the emitter regions in the overlap regions reaching deeper into the semiconductor substrate than the base regions, when seen from the rear side surface of the solar cell. As a result, a large area percentage of the rear side of the semiconductor substrate can be covered with a charge-collecting emitter, said emitter being at least partially buried in the interior of the semiconductor substrate so that there is no risk of the base contacts provoking a short circuit towards the buried emitter regions.

Abstract: Transparent panes made of glass or of synthetic material, which simultaneously create good light trapping properties by linear structural elements and allow a thermal treatment and hardening of the glass without warping. Groups of parallel elements for which the orientation of the longitudinal extension of the elements alternates from one group to another are formed globally on the surface of the substrate. Moreover, the parallel elements can include a curvature superimposed on their longitudinal extension, which makes it possible to obtain a non-oriented reflected image with a weak screen effect. These panes can be used as covering for photovoltaic components designed to use solar energy, and can also serve a decorative purpose in the construction industry, for example for glazed doors or panes for furniture.

Abstract: A plate of transparent material including, on its surface, a texture including a plurality of a feature in relief, whether in a form of depressions or projections. The feature includes a first face and a second face that are not mutually parallel, lines at a base of the faces being parallel. The first face forms, with the general plane of the plate, a larger angle than the angle formed by the second face with the general plane of the plate, the angles being angles inside the material if the feature is a projection, or angles on the outside of the material if the feature is a depression. The plate improves light transmission toward a photovoltaic cell, in particular when the plate is in a vertical position, for example on the surface of a noise barrier.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a transparent pane, in particular a glass pane, which includes on at least one of its main surfaces a surface structure including an assembly of specified individual motifs in relief, in particular pyramids, cones, or truncated cones, created by embossing or by rolling. A structure is created on the surface of the pane constituted by individual motifs, based on one or more basic motifs but which are distinguished from each other by their depth, their height, and/or the perimeter of their base area, and/or by the position of their peak with respect to their base. With this variation, formation of intensity peaks of the reflected light is prevented and at the same time a high quality of light trapping is obtained by panes suitable, for example, for solar applications.

Abstract: A photovoltaic solar cell including an upper electrode, a layer with light scattering and/or reflection properties, and a lower electrode. The layer with light scattering and/or reflection properties is located between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming a polycrystalline semiconductor film on a supporting substrate of foreign material. The method involves depositing a metal film onto the substrate, forming a film of metal oxide and/or hydroxide on a substrate of the metal, and forming a layer of an amorphous semiconductor material over a surface of the metal oxide and/or hydroxide film. The entire sample is then heated to a temperature at which the semiconductor layer is absorbed into the metal layer and deposited as a polycrystalline layer onto the target surface by metal-induced crystallization. The metal is left as an overlayer covering the deposited polycrystalline layer, with semiconductor inclusions in the metal layer. The polycrystalline semiconductor film and the overlayer are generated by porous interfacial metal oxide nd/or hydroxide film.