Abstract: An amorphous silicon material fabricated by a magnetically aligned glow discharge. A junction leg (e.g., electrostatic barrier) can be formed between two adjacent semiconductor layers by forming a first semiconductor layer by glow discharge deposition in the presence of a first magnetic field to form a first layer with a first orientation, and by forming a second semiconductor layer by glow discharge deposition in the presence of a second magnetic field to form a second layer with a second orientation different from the first orientation, with the barrier being formed between the two layers having different orientations.

Abstract: A system for extracting energy from the sun's rays including a bank of solar energy cells which generate electrical current when exposed to the rays of the sun, immersed in a bath of liquid formed to serve as a lens, concentrating the sun rays on the cells, and transmitting heat away from the cells. The cells are shaped so as to cause a trapping effect of radiation incident thereon. The improved solar converting unit additionally includes a method for preheating the interior thereof. The converting unit is preferably equipped with light gathering and focusing means thereby providing coherent optically output.