Abstract: A novel photovoltaic solar cell and method of making the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes: at least one absorber layer which could either be a lightly doped layer or an undoped layer, and at least a doped window-layers which comprise at least two sub-window-layers. The first sub-window-layer, which is next to the absorber-layer, is deposited to form desirable junction with the absorber-layer. The second sub-window-layer, which is next to the first sub-window-layer, but not in direct contact with the absorber-layer, is deposited in order to have transmission higher than the first-sub-window-layer.

Abstract: A solar cell including a first semiconductor layer formed by sequentially stacking a positive (P) layer, an intrinsic (I) layer and a negative (N) layer, wherein the P layer comprises amorphous silicon carbide and at least one of the I and N layers comprises micro-crystalline silicon.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device which includes: a) a substrate based on a crystalline semi-conductor material; b) a first electrode which includes at least one heterojunction made on one face, referred to as the rear face, of the substrate, where this heterojunction includes a layer based on a doped amorphous semi-conductor material; and c) a second electrode. The first and second electrodes are arranged on the rear face of the substrate according to an interdigitated combs design, and where the layer includes multiple portions of the doped amorphous semi-conductor material which are unconnected and spaced apart from each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for dielectric passivating the surface of a solar cell by accumulation of negative fixed charges of a first type at the interface between semiconductor material and a passivating material. According to the invention the passivating material comprises an oxide system, for example a binary oxide system, comprising Al2O3 and at least one metal oxide or metalloid oxide which enhances the tetrahedral structure of Al2O3, for example, an (Al2O3)x(TiO2)1-x alloy. In this way it is possible to combine the desirable properties from at least two different oxides, while eliminating the undesirable properties of each individual material. The oxide system can be deposited onto the semiconductor surface by means of a sol-gel method, comprising the steps of formation of the metal oxide and/or metalloid oxide sol and the aluminum solution and then carefully mixing these together under stirring and ultrasonic treatment.

Abstract: A laminated film comprising a porous semiconductor layer, a transparent conductive layer and a transparent plastic film, wherein the porous semiconductor layer comprises crystalline titanium oxide fibers and crystalline titanium oxide fine particles, the crystalline titanium oxide fibers and the crystalline titanium oxide fine particles are substantially composed of an anatase phase and a rutile phase, the anatase phase content ratio calculated from the integral intensity ratio of X-ray diffraction is between 1.00 and 0.32, and the laminated film is used in an electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells, and the electrode and a dye-sensitized solar cell comprising the same.

Abstract: A p type amorphous silicon layer is stacked, by a CVD method, on a main surface of an n type single-crystalline silicon substrate; an n type amorphous silicon layer is stacked, by the CVD method, on a surface opposite to the surface on which the p type amorphous silicon layer is stacked; and, by using a laser ablation processing method, through-holes are formed in the n type single-crystalline silicon substrate, the p type amorphous silicon layer, and the n type amorphous silicon layer. Subsequently, an insulating layer is formed on an inner wall surface of each of the through-holes, and then a conductive material is filled therein.

Abstract: A interconnected arrangement of photovoltaic cells is readily and efficiently achieved by using a unique interconnecting strap. The strap comprises electrically conductive fingers which contact the top light incident surface of a first cell and extend to an interconnect region of the strap. The interconnect region may include through holes which allow electrical communication between top and bottom surfaces of the interconnect region. In one embodiment, the electrically conductive surface of the fingers is in electrical communication with an electrically conductive surface formed on the opposite side of the strap through the through holes of the interconnect region. The interconnection strap may comprise a laminating film to facilitate manufacture and assembly of the interconnected arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a structure (100) for photovoltaic applications including: a first layer (10) of a crystalline semiconductor material having a front face (1) for receiving and/or emitting photons and a back face (2); a back contact (40) of a conductive material provided on the side of the back face (2); characterised in that it further comprises a second layer (50) of hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium (a-SiGe:H) between the back face (2) of the first layer (10) and the back contact (40). The invention also relates to a method for realising said structure (100).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a back side contact solar cell includes a tunnel oxide layer formed on a back side of a substrate. A polysilicon layer is formed on the tunnel oxide layer, and dopant sources are formed on the polysilicon layer. Dopants from the dopant sources are diffused into the polysilicon layer to form p-type and n-type regions therein. The p-type and n-type regions form p-n junctions that, among other advantages, allow for relatively high conversion efficiency.

Abstract: A novel surface texturing provides improved light-trapping characteristics for photovoltaic cells. The surface is asymmetric and includes shallow slopes at between about 5 and about 30 degrees from horizontal as well as steeper slopes at about 70 degrees or more from horizontal. It is advantageously used as either the front or back surface of a thin semiconductor lamina, for example between about 1 and about 20 microns thick, which comprises at least the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell. In embodiments of the present invention, the shallow slopes are formed using imprint photolithography.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The photoelectric conversion device includes a first semiconductor layer including a first impurity element over a substrate, a second semiconductor layer including an amorphous layer and a crystal over the first semiconductor layer, and a third semiconductor layer including a second impurity element over the second semiconductor layer. The crystal penetrates between the first semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Solar cell modules are provided having a solar cell layer and a colored multi-layer encapsulant sheet where an uncolored surface sub-layer of the encapsulant sheet is in direct contact with the solar cell layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for contacting solar wafers containing one or more layers of temperature sensitive passivation layers by first creating local openings in the passivation layer(s) and then fill the openings with an electric conducting material. In this way, it becomes possible to avoid the relatively high temperatures needed in the conventional method for contacting solar wafers containing one or more passivation layer(s), and thus maintain the excellent passivation properties of newly developed temperature sensitive passivation layer(s) during and after the contacting.

Abstract: Higher conversion efficiency and productivity of photoelectric conversion devices. A semiconductor layer including a first and second crystal regions grown in the layer-deposition direction is provided between an impurity semiconductor layer containing an impurity element imparting one conductivity type and an impurity semiconductor layer containing an impurity element imparting a conductivity type opposite to the one conductivity type. The first crystal region is grown from the interface between one of the impurity semiconductor layers and the semiconductor layer. The second crystal region is grown toward the interface between the semiconductor layer and the other of the impurity semiconductor layers from a position which is away from the interface between the one of the impurity semiconductor layers and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer including the first and second crystal regions which exist in an amorphous structure forms the main part of a region for photoelectric conversion.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure is described, including a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer is both compositionally graded and structurally graded. Specifically, the semiconductor layer is compositionally graded through its thickness from substantially intrinsic at the interface with the substrate to substantially doped at an opposite surface. Further, the semiconductor layer is structurally graded through its thickness from substantially crystalline at the interface with the substrate to substantially amorphous at the opposite surface. Related methods are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polycrystalline silicon substrate having a region wherein concentrations of impurities contained therein satisfy the following relations: [Oi]?2E17 [atoms/cm3] (under condition 1a and [C]?1E17 [atoms/cm3] (Condition 2)) where [Oi] is the interstitial oxygen concentration determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and [C] is the total carbon concentration determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry. This polycrystalline silicon substrate has high strength adequate for a thinner substrate, while having good quality and high photoelectric conversion efficiency. Such a polycrystalline silicon substrate enables to produce a resource-saving, highly efficient polycrystalline silicon solar cell at low cost.

Abstract: To provide a photoelectric conversion device with improved photoelectric conversion characteristics and cost competitiveness. A photoelectric conversion device including a semiconductor junction has a semiconductor layer in which a needle-like crystal is made to grow over an impurity semiconductor layer. The impurity semiconductor layer is formed of a microcrystalline semiconductor and includes an impurity imparting one conductivity type. An amorphous semiconductor layer is deposited on a microcrystalline semiconductor layer by setting the flow rate of a dilution gas (typically silane) to 1 time to 6 times the flow rate of a semiconductor source gas (typically hydrogen) at the time of deposition. Thus, a crystal with a three-dimensional shape tapered in a direction of the deposition of a film, i.e., in a direction from the microcrystalline semiconductor layer to the amorphous semiconductor layer is made to grow.

Abstract: Copper indium diselenide, copper indium gallium diselenide, and other IB-IIIA-VIA compounds are produced by the liquid deposition on a substrate of a precursor-containing ink, followed by heating to produce the desired material. The precursor containing ink is a mixture of three parts. The first part is plurality of particulates of metal compounds of IB, IIIA. The second part is chalcogen source of selenium, sulfur, or organic chalcogen compounds dissolved in a liquid organic solvent. The third part solution function as viscosity adjustment, as introduction of dopant of sodium ion and/or as ink stabilizer. The precursor ink can be coated on substrate at room temperature and it can be transferred into copper indium (gallium) chalcogenide semiconductor thin film upon baking and a chalcogenization process. The resulting thin film semiconducting material can be incorporated into photovoltaic and other electronic devices.

Abstract: A thin film silicon solar cell comprises a front transparent electrode, a p-type window layer, a buffer layer, an i-type absorber layer, an n-type layer and a metal rear electrode. The front transparent electrode is stacked on a transparent substrate. The p-type window layer is stacked on the front transparent electrode, and has a thickness in a range of 12 nm to 17 nm. The buffer layer is stacked on the p-type window layer, and has a carbon concentration in a range of 0.5 to 3.0 atomic % and a thickness in a range of 3 to 8 nm. The i-type absorber layer is stacked on the buffer layer. The n-type layer is stacked on the i-type absorber layer. The metal rear electrode is stacked on the n-type layer.

Abstract: In devices of the invention, forward scattering nanoparticles are sized and arranged with respect to a photo conversion material to forward scatter radiation that would otherwise be reflected away from the photo conversion material. In preferred embodiment devices, a highest percentage of the nanoparticles are sized such that their predominant characteristic is scattering as opposed to absorption. The nanoparticles forward scatter radiation into the photo conversion material that would otherwise be reflected. In preferred embodiments, the nanoparticles are metal nanoparticles, such as gold, silver, copper, or aluminum nanoparticles, and in other embodiments the nanoparticles are dielectric nanoparticles, e.g., silica, sized to predominately forward scatter radiation.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a thin film semiconductor device. The method includes providing a plurality of raw semiconductor materials. The raw semiconductor materials undergo a pre-reacting process to form a homogeneous compound semiconductor target material. The compound semiconductor target material is deposited onto a substrate to form a thin film having a composition substantially the same as a composition of the compound semiconductor target material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to fabricating low cost polysilicon solar cell on flexible substrates using inkjet printing. Particular embodiments form polycrystalline or microcrystalline silicon solar cells on substrates utilizing liquid silane, by employing inkjet printing or other low cost commercial printing techniques including but not limited to screen printing, roller coating, gravure coating, curtain coating, spray coating and others. Specific embodiments employ silanes such as cyclopentasilane (C5H10) or cyclohexasilane (C6H12), which are liquids at room temperature but undergo a ring opening chemical reaction upon exposure to radiation of a wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) or shorter. . Opening of the rings of the liquid silane converts it into a polymerized material comprising saturated and unsaturated silicon chains of varied length. Heating to approximately 250-400° C. converts these materials into a hydrogenated amorphous silicon film.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for increasing the usable surface area of a semiconductor wafer having a substantially planar surface and a thickness dimension at right angles to said substantially planar surface, the method including the steps of selecting a strip thickness for division of the wafer into a plurality of strips, selecting a technique for cutting the wafer into the strips at an angle to the substantially planar surface, in which the combined strip thickness and width of wafer removed by the cutting is less than the thickness of the wafer, cutting the wafer into strips using the selected technique and separating the strips from each other.

Abstract: An interlayer structure that, in one implementation, includes a combination of an amorphous or nano-crystalline seed-layer, and one or more metallic layers, deposited on the seed layer, with the fcc, hcp or bcc crystal structure is used to epitaxially orient a semiconductor layer on top of non-single-crystal substrates. In some implementations, this interlayer structure is used to establish epitaxial growth of multiple semiconductor layers, combinations of semiconductor and oxide layers, combinations of semiconductor and metal layers and combination of semiconductor, oxide and metal layers. This interlayer structure can also be used for epitaxial growth of p-type and n-type semiconductors in photovoltaic cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in solar cell and solar panel photovoltaic materials which cause the solar cells/panels to operate more efficiently. In particular, the present invention focuses primarily on matching or modifying particular incident light energies (e.g., solar energies) within the photoreactive portion of the solar spectrum to predetermined energy levels in a solar cell photovoltaic substrate material (e.g., a semiconductor material) required to excite, for example, electrons in at least a portion of the substrate material in a desirable manner (e.g., to cause desirable movement of electrons to result in output amperages previously unobtainable). In this regard, for example, energy levels of incident light within the optical or visible light portion of the solar spectrum (i.e., the photoreactive portion of the solar spectrum) and thus, corresponding particular wavelengths or frequencies of incident light, can be at least partially matched with various desirable energy levels (e.

Abstract: A dye sensitization photoelectric converter with enhanced light absorptance and photoelectric conversion efficiency is provided. A dye sensitization photoelectric converter 10 is chiefly configured of a transparent substrate 1 such as glass, a transparent electrode (negative electrode) 2 composed of a transparent conductive layer such as FTO (fluorine-doped tin(IV) oxide SnO2), a semiconductor layer 3 holding plural kinds of photosensitizing dyes, an electrolyte layer 5, a counter electrode (positive electrode) 6, a counter substrate 7 and a (non-illustrated) sealing medium, etc. As a characteristic of the present invention, the photosensitizing dye is composed of plural kinds of dyes having sufficiently different minimum excitation energy from each other or is composed of plural kinds of dyes to be held in a different steric configuration from each other in the semiconductor layer 3.

Abstract: A photovoltaic conversion element includes a one conductivity-type crystalline Si semiconductor; an opposite conductivity-type semiconductor which is joined to the crystalline Si semiconductor to form a pn junction therebetween; an electrode provided on the opposite conductivity-type semiconductor; and a depletion region formed from the side of the one conductivity-type crystalline Si semiconductor to the side of the opposite conductivity-type semiconductor across the pn junction formed therebetween. The depletion region has a first depletion region located inside the crystalline Si semiconductor and under the electrode, and the first depletion region has an oxygen concentration of 1E18 [atoms/cm3] or less.

Abstract: A transparent oxide electrode film is provided to have crystalline indium oxide as its main component in which the indium in the indium oxide is substituted with titanium at a titanium/indium atomic ratio between 0.003 and 0.120, and the resistivity of the transparent oxide electrode film is 5.7×10?4 ?cm or less, so as to provide excellent transmittance for both the visible light region and the infrared light region, and low resistivity.

Abstract: A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell, is formed within the lamina. In preferred embodiments, the wafer is affixed to a receiver before the cleaving step. Electrical contact can be formed to both surfaces of the lamina, or to one surface only.

Abstract: A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell, is formed within the lamina. In preferred embodiments, the wafer is affixed to a receiver before the cleaving step. Electrical contact can be formed to both surfaces of the lamina, or to one surface only.

Abstract: A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell, is formed within the lamina. In preferred embodiments, the wafer is affixed to a receiver before the cleaving step. Electrical contact can be formed to both surfaces of the lamina, or to one surface only.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recrystallizing a silicon sheet, and in particular recrystallizing a small grained silicon sheet to improve material properties such as grain size and orientation. According to one aspect, the method includes using rapid thermal processing (RTP) to melt and recrystallize one or more entire silicon sheet(s) in one heating sequence. According to another aspect, the method includes directionally controlling a temperature drop across the thickness of the sheet so as to facilitate the production of a small number of nuclei in the melted material and their growth into large grains. According to a further aspect, the invention includes a re-crystallization chamber in an overall process flow that enables high-throughput processing of silicon sheets having desired properties for applications such as photovoltaic modules.

Abstract: In the case of performing at least two plasma processing steps in a common plasma reaction chamber, a CW AC power or a pulse-modulated AC power is appropriately selected as a power for plasma processing in each step. Thereby, even in a step where plasma processing conditions are limited due to apparatus configurations, the plasma processing can be performed in more various manners. Further, uniform plasma can be generated between electrodes and a quantity of a power to be supplied between the electrodes can be reduced, by using the pulse-modulated AC power. Thereby, a plasma processing speed can be reduced so that throughput control is facilitated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming a light-absorbing layer of a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, including: forming a polycrystalline silicon layer on a back electrode; forming an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer; and heat-treating the transparent insulating substrate to vertically crystallize the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer using the polycrystalline silicon layer as a seed for crystallization through a metal induced vertical crystallization (MIVC) process to form the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer into a light-absorbing layer made of polycrystalline silicon, and is a method of fabricating a high-efficiency polycrystalline silicon solar cell using the light-absorbing layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, including: a back electrode formed on a transparent insulating substrate; an N-type polycrystalline silicon layer in which amorphous silicon is crystallized through MIC process, and in which electrons are accumulated; a light-absorbing layer which is formed by vertically crystallizing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer using the polycrystalline silicon layer as a seed for crystallization through MIVC process, in which pairs of electrons and holes are generated in response to incident light, and which has a vertical column grain structure in which grains are arranged in the direction in which electrons and holes move; a P-type polycrystalline silicon layer which has the vertical column grain structure, and in which holes are accumulated; a transparent electrode layer; front electrodes; and an antireflection coating film, and is a method of fabricating the same.

Abstract: An assembly is provided and includes at least one solar cell comprising a photovoltaic element having an upper surface for receiving and absorbing radiation, a lower surface for coupling to an article, a first end and a second end. The solar cell further includes at least one magnet attached to the first end of the photovoltaic element. The assembly further includes an article comprising a substrate, and a magnetic film disposed on the substrate and defining at least one receptor site. Each solar cell is disposed at a respective receptor site.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a thin-film type solar cell including another upper transparent conductive layer between a silicon semiconductor layer and an upper transparent conductive layer, and a manufacturing method thereof. At this time, the silicon based semiconductor layer used may be formed of at least one amorphous silicon based (p/i/n) thin film or may be formed as a tandem type silicon based semiconductor layer formed of the amorphous silicon based (p/i/n) thin film, an intermediate transparent conductive layer, and a microcrystalline silicon based thin film.

Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to provide a stacked-type thin-film photoelectric conversion device having high photostability, at a high yield rate and significantly reduced production costs. In a stacked-type photoelectric conversion device having an amorphous silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit and a crystalline silicon-based photoelectric conversion unit stacked thereon or vice versa, an amorphous photoelectric conversion layer included in the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.03 ?m and less than 0.17 ?m, a crystalline photoelectric conversion layer included in the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit has a thickness of at least 0.2 ?m and less than 1.0 ?m, and a silicon oxide layer of a first conductivity type included in the amorphous photoelectric conversion unit and a silicon layer of a second conductivity type included in the crystalline photoelectric conversion unit make a junction.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a first unit cell in which one face of a single crystal semiconductor layer is provided with a first electrode and a first impurity semiconductor layer including one conductivity type and an opposite face is provided with a second impurity semiconductor layer including a conductivity type opposite to the one conductivity type, and a second unit cell including a p-type organic semiconductor and an n-type organic semiconductor. The first unit cell and the second unit cell are connected in series with an intermediate layer interposed therebetween. The intermediate layer includes a transition metal oxide. A face of the first electrode which is opposite to the single crystal semiconductor layer is provided with an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is bonded to a supporting substrate.

Abstract: A hybrid photovoltaic device comprising a plurality of nanostructures embedded in a matrix of a photosensitive material including one or more layers. A combination of innovative structural aspects of the hybrid photovoltaic device results in significant improvements in collection of incident light from the solar spectrum, better absorption of light, and better collection of the photo-carriers generated in response to the incident light, thereby improving efficiency of the hybrid photovoltaic device.

Abstract: In a stacked-layer type photoelectric conversion device, a plurality of photoelectric conversion units are stacked on a substrate, each of which includes a one conductivity-type layer, a photoelectric conversion layer of substantially intrinsic semiconductor and an opposite conductivity-type layer in this order from a light-incident side. At least one of the opposite conductivity-type layer in a front photoelectric conversion unit arranged relatively closer to the light-incident side and the one conductivity-type layer in a back photoelectric conversion unit arranged adjacent to the front photoelectric conversion unit includes a silicon composite layer at least in a part thereof. The silicon composite layer has a thickness of more than 20 nm and less than 130 nm and an oxygen concentration of more than 25 atomic % and less than 60 atomic %, and includes silicon-rich phase parts in an amorphous alloy phase of silicon and oxygen.

Abstract: A solar cell and a manufacturing method thereof are provided herein. The solar cell includes a substrate with a first transparent conductive layer, a micro- or nano-roughing structure formed on the first transparent conductive layer, and a semiconductor active layer formed on the micro- or nano-roughing structure and covering the micro- or nano-roughing structure.

Abstract: After a gate oxide film 10 has been formed on a silicon substrate G, a first step of forming a microcrystalline silicon film by high electron density plasma of an electron temperature of 2.0 eV or less and a second step of forming an ultra-microcrystalline silicon film by high electron density plasma of an electron temperature higher than 2.0 eV are repeated. A stacked-layer film 20 of the ultra-microcrystalline silicon film and the microcrystalline silicon film is thereby formed. With the film formation method described above, at least one of an n-channel thin-film transistor and a p-channel thin-film transistor with the stacked-layer film 20 functioned as an active layer may be manufactured.

Abstract: The manufacturing method of the solar cell according to the present invention includes: 1) a first etching process in which an anisotropic etching is performed on an inner wall of each of a plurality of through holes, and 2) a second etching process in which an anisotropic etching is performed on a light-receiving surface. In the first etching process, a high concentration NaOH water solution (about 5% by weight) is used. Meanwhile, in the second etching process, a low concentration (about 1.5% by weight) NaOH water solution is used.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to different methods used in the formation of an ink, as well as being directed to the formation of layers used in the fabrication of a solar cell, particularly the absorber layer. In one embodiment, the invention is directed to formulating an ink comprising Cu-rich particles and solid Ga—In particles, wherein the step of formulating is carried out at a temperature such that no liquid phase is present within the solid Ga-In particles. In another embodiment, the specific steps taken during the formulation of the ink are described. In yet another embodiment, the process of using the formulated ink to obtain a precursor layer are described.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to an electrode (e.g., front electrode) for use in a photovoltaic device or the like. In certain example embodiments, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) of the front electrode for use in a photovoltaic device is of or includes titanium oxide doped with one or more of Nb, Zn and/or Al. Additional layers may also be provided in the front electrode in certain example embodiments. It has been found that the use of transparent conductive TiOx(:Nb) or TiZnOx(:Al and/or Nb), in a front electrode of a photovoltaic device, is advantageous in that such materials have a high refractive index (n) and have a higher transparency than conventional titanium suboxide (TiOx).

Abstract: The present invention provides a solar cell pre-lamination assembly comprising a terionomer multilayer film or sheet and solar cell modules prepared therefrom.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device with an excellent photoelectric conversion characteristic with a silicon semiconductor material effectively utilized. The photoelectric conversion device includes a first unit cell including a first electrode, a first impurity semiconductor layer, a single crystal semiconductor layer, and a second impurity semiconductor layer; and a second unit cell including a third impurity semiconductor layer, a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer, a fourth impurity semiconductor layer, and a second electrode. The second and third impurity semiconductor layers are in contact with each other so that the first and second unit cells are connected in series, and an insulating layer is provided for a surface of the first electrode and bonded to a supporting substrate.

Abstract: Color photovoltaic (PV) devices formed using interferometric stacks tuned to reflect color covering the front side or back side of a PV cell, device, panel, or array are disclosed. Interferometric stacks covering PV devices include interferometric modulators (IMODs), or dichroic pair stacks. Such devices can be configured to reflect enough light of select wavelengths so as to impart a color, while transmitting enough light to the PV active material so as to generate useful electricity.

Abstract: A solar cell has a p-n-junction which is parallel to an irradiated surface, and functional structures which are located on the surface of the solar cell. In a method for producing such a solar cell, a semiconductor material is doped on both sides for forming the p-n junction and the functional structures are disposed a surface of the solar cell.