The present application relates to semiconductor photodetectors, in particular to a silicon carbide-based UV-visible-NIR full-spectrum-responsive photodetector and a method for fabricating the same. The photodetector includes a silicon carbide substrate, and metal counter electrodes and a surface plasmon polariton nanostructure arranged thereon. The silicon carbide substrate and the metal counter electrodes constitute a metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector with coplanar electrodes. When the ultraviolet light is input, free carriers directly generated in silicon carbide are collected by an external circuit to generate electrical signals. When the visible light is input, hot carriers generated in the surface plasmon polariton nanostructure tunnel into the silicon carbide semiconductor to become free carriers to generate electrical signals.

A method for manufacturing high efficiency solar cells is disclosed. The method comprises providing a thin dielectric layer and a doped polysilicon layer on the back side of a silicon substrate. Subsequently, a high quality oxide layer and a wide band gap doped semiconductor layer can both be formed on the back and front sides of the silicon substrate. A metallization process to plate metal fingers onto the doped polysilicon layer through contact openings can then be performed. The plated metal fingers can form a first metal gridline. A second metal gridline can be formed by directly plating metal to an emitter region on the back side of the silicon substrate, eliminating the need for contact openings for the second metal gridline. Among the advantages, the method for manufacture provides decreased thermal processes, decreased etching steps, increased efficiency and a simplified procedure for the manufacture of high efficiency solar cells.

A method of fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a metal layer on the dielectric layer. The method can also include configuring a laser beam with a particular shape and directing the laser beam with the particular shape on the metal layer, where the particular shape allows a contact to be formed between the metal layer and the solar cell structure.

A back contact solar cell assembly and methods for its manufacture and assembly onto a panel for use in space vehicles are described. The solar cell assembly includes a compound semiconductor multijunction solar cell having a contact at the top surface of the solar cell, a conductive semiconductor element extending from the contact on the top surface to the back surface of the assembly where it forms a first back contact of a first polarity type, and a second back contact of a second polarity at the back surface of the assembly electrically coupled to the back surface of the solar cell.

Disclosed is a photovoltaic-electrochromic-battery all-in-one device in which the functions of a dye-sensitized solar cell, an electrochromic device, and a lithium secondary battery are fused into one device. The all-in-one device according to the disclosure includes a photoelectrode uses as an active layer of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a counter electrode used as an electrochromic layer opposite to the photoelectrode, and an electrolyte containing a lithium salt. The all-in-one device according to the disclosure allows the function of the DSSC that generates electrons by receiving solar energy, the function of an electrochromic device (ECD) that blocks light by discoloring an electrode with generated electrons, and the function of a lithium secondary battery (LIB) that stores generated electrons and uses the stored electrons again to be all implemented by one device.

A back-contacting solar cell includes: a silicon substrate (1), wherein a shadow face of the silicon substrate (1) is delimited into a first region and a second region (2), and the second region (2) is doped to form a second-charge-carrier collecting end; a metal-chalcogen-compound layer (4), wherein the metal-chalcogen-compound layer (4) is deposited within at least the first region of the silicon substrate (1), and a region of the metal-chalcogen-compound layer (4) that corresponds to the first region forms a first-charge-carrier collecting end; a first electrode (5), wherein the first electrode (5) is correspondingly provided on the first-charge-carrier collecting end; and a second electrode (6), wherein the second electrode (6) is correspondingly provided within a region that corresponds to the second region (2). The collection and transferring of the first charge carrier are realized by using the first-charge-carrier collecting end.

A back-contacting solar cell includes: a silicon substrate (1), wherein a shadow face of the silicon substrate (1) is delimited into a first region and a second region (2), and the second region (2) is doped to form a second-charge-carrier collecting end; a metal-chalcogen-compound layer (4), wherein the metal-chalcogen-compound layer (4) is deposited within at least the first region of the silicon substrate (1), and a region of the metal-chalcogen-compound layer (4) that corresponds to the first region forms a first-charge-carrier collecting end; a first electrode (5), wherein the first electrode (5) is correspondingly provided on the first-charge-carrier collecting end; and a second electrode (6), wherein the second electrode (6) is correspondingly provided within a region that corresponds to the second region (2). The collection and transferring of the first charge carrier are realized by using the first-charge-carrier collecting end.

A transparent photovoltaic cell is proposed. The transparent photovoltaic cell may include a transparent substrate, a plurality of micro-pillars arranged on an upper part of the transparent substrate and formed with respective transparent windows, through which incident sunlight transmits, on respective upper parts thereof. The transparent photovoltaic cell may also include a photoelectric converter formed on an upper surface of the transparent substrate between each of the plurality of micro-pillars and on side surfaces of each micro-pillar, and configured to generate power through absorption of incident sunlight.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solar cell and a solar cell module. The solar cell includes a first region and a second region, and further includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a tunneling layer covering the second surface; a first emitter disposed on part of the tunneling layer in the first region; and a second emitter disposed on part of the tunneling layer in the second region and on the first emitter, a conductivity type of the second emitter being different from a conductivity type of the first emitter. The solar cell further includes a first electrode disposed in the first region and configured to electrically connect with the first emitter by penetrating through the second emitter; and a second electrode disposed in the second region and configured to electrically connect with the second emitter.

A solar cell module includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate opposite the upper substrate, a solar cell panel positioned between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the solar cell panel including a plurality of solar cells which are arranged in a matrix form and are connected to one another through a wiring member, a passivation layer configured to package the solar cell panel, a frame configured to surround an outer perimeter of the solar cell panel, a connection terminal configured to connect two adjacent strings in the solar cell panel, and a cover member configured to cover the connection terminal.