Abstract: A photovoltaic module comprises electrically interconnected and mutually spaced photovoltaic cells that are encapsulated by a light-transmitting encapsulant between a light-transparent front cover and a back cover, with the back cover sheet being an ionomer/nylon alloy embossed with V-shaped grooves running in at least two directions and coated with a light reflecting medium so as to provide light-reflecting facets that are aligned with the spaces between adjacent cells and oriented so as to reflect light falling in those spaces back toward said transparent front cover for further internal reflection onto the solar cells, whereby substantially all of the reflected light will be internally reflected from said cover sheet back to the photovoltaic cells, thereby increasing the current output of the module. The internal reflector improves power output by as much as 67%.

Abstract: A simple method for plating nickel onto silicon which renders unnecessary any catalyzing pretreatment of the silicon surface which is to receive the nickel. The method comprises the immersion of a silicon substrate in a suitable nickel bath in order that nickel ions in the bath will be reduced to solid nickel and deposited onto the substrate so as to form an adhering layer thereon. The method is especially advantageous in plating nickel onto silicon shallow junction devices for the purpose of providing ohmic contacts.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing solar cells having a composite shallow/deep junction device construction. The solar cells have grid-like contacts on their front energy-receiving sides, with each portion of each contact being coincident, i.e., aligned with, the deep junction regions while the shallow junction regions are exposed to incident radiation. The composite junction and contacts are formed by a novel method which employs conventional techniques, notably the use of doped oxide films as diffusion sources.

Abstract: An anti-reflective coating is formed integrally with a silicon solar cell by treating the cell with an acidic solution comprising a mixture of HF and H.sub.2 O.sub.2.