A photovoltaic module, and method of making, is disclosed in which a flexible circuit is electrically coupled to a plurality of photovoltaic cells, where the photovoltaic cells are electrically coupled in series to form a series of cells. Each photovoltaic cell has free-standing metallic articles coupled to the top and bottom surfaces of a semiconductor substrate. A cell interconnection element of each photovoltaic cell is electrically coupled to a free-standing metallic article of an adjacent photovoltaic cell, where the interconnection elements of the initial and final cells in the series serve as contact ends for the series of cells. Contact tabs of the flexible circuit are electrically coupled to the contact ends of the series of cells, and a junction box is electrically coupled to a junction box contact region of the flexible circuit.

A semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer made of silicon oxide formed on the semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer made of silicon formed on the insulating layer are provided, and the semiconductor layer constitutes an optical waveguide in an optical signal transmission line section and an optical modulator in an optical modulation section. Also, the insulating layer is removed except for a part thereof to have a hollow structure with a cavity, and both side surfaces and a lower surface of each of the semiconductor layers constituting the optical waveguide and the optical modulator are exposed and covered with air.

A semiconductor structure for use in single molecule real time DNA sequencing technology is provided. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate including a first region and an adjoining second region. A photodetector is present in the first region and a plurality of semiconductor devices is present in the second region. A contact wire is located on a surface of a dielectric material that surrounds the photodetector and contacts a topmost surface of the photodetector and a portion of one of the semiconductor devices. An interconnect structure is located above the first region and the second region, and a metal layer is located atop the interconnect structure. The metal layer has a zero waveguide module located above the first region of the semiconductor substrate. A DNA polymerase can be present at the bottom of the zero waveguide module.

An integrated radiation sensor for detecting the presence of an environmental material and/or condition includes a sensing structure and first and second lateral bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) having opposite polarities. The first lateral BJT has a base that is electrically coupled to the sensing structure and is configured to generate an output signal indicative of a change in stored charge in the sensing structure. The second lateral BJT is configured to amplify the output signal of the first bipolar junction transistor. The first and second lateral BJTs, the sensing structure, and the substrate on which they are formed comprise a monolithic structure.

One embodiment of the present invention can provide a system for fabrication of a photovoltaic structure. The system can include a physical vapor deposition tool configured to sequentially deposit a transparent conductive oxide layer and a metallic layer on an emitter layer formed in a first surface of a Si substrate, without requiring the Si substrate to be removed from the physical vapor deposition tool after depositing the transparent conductive oxide layer. The system can further include an electroplating tool configured to plate a metallic grid on the metallic layer and a thermal annealing tool configured to anneal the transparent conductive oxide layer.

Embodiments of the present invention include a method for manufacturing, and a structure for a thin film solar module. The method of manufacturing includes fabricating a thin film solar cell and fabricating an electronic conversion unit (ECU) on a single substrate. The thin film solar cell has at least one solar cell diode on a substrate. The ECU has at least one transistor on the substrate. The ECU may further comprise a capacitor and an inductor. The ECU is integrated on the substrate monolithically and electrically connected with the thin film solar cell. The ECU and the thin film solar cell interconnect to form a circuit on the substrate. The ECU is electrically connected to a microcontroller on the solar cell module.

In a method for manufacturing a solar cell, a first electrode is formed on one surface of a photoelectric conversion section by means of screen printing using a conductive paste, and a second electrode having an area larger than that of the first electrode is formed on the other surface of the photoelectric conversion section by means of screen printing using a conductive paste having viscosity lower than that of the conductive paste.

A method of producing an electrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell includes dispersing semiconductor nanoparticles on a transparent electrically conductive substrate, dispersing semiconductor nanofibers on the semiconductor nanoparticle layer, adsorbing onto all sides of the semiconductor nanofibers a first light absorption material, thereby sensitizing the semiconductor nanofibers, wherein the light absorption material has a first light absorption bandwidth, and depositing a second light absorption material in contact with and forming respective shells on the respective semiconductor nanofibers on which the first light absorption material is adsorbed, wherein the second light absorption material has a second light absorption bandwidth complementary to the first light absorption bandwidth.

Approaches for silicon photonics integration are provided. A method includes: forming at least one encapsulating layer over and around a photodetector; thermally crystallizing the photodetector material after the forming the at least one encapsulating layer; and after the thermally crystallizing the photodetector material, forming a conformal sealing layer on the at least one encapsulating layer and over at least one device. The conformal sealing layer is configured to seal a crack in the at least one encapsulating layer. The photodetector and the at least one device are on a same substrate. The at least one device includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor device or a passive photonics device.

Methods and systems for reducing dark current in a photodiode include heating a photodiode above room temperature. A reverse bias voltage is applied to the heated photodiode to reduce a dark current generated by the photodiode.