A solar panel includes a first photovoltaic cell, a second photovoltaic cell, and a flexible electrical connection structure which comprises an electrically conductive connector that electrically connects the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell in series along a connection direction. The electrically conductive connector does not extend from a first major surface of a flexible transparent insulating sheet through a thickness of the flexible transparent insulating sheet to a second major surface of the flexible transparent insulating sheet.

A method of increasing a work function of an electrode is provided. The method comprises obtaining an electronegative species from a precursor using electromagnetic radiation and reacting a surface of the electrode with the electronegative species. An electrode comprising a functionalized substrate is also provided.

A photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a transparent conductive oxide, an n-type window layer, a p-type absorber layer and an electron reflector layer. The electron reflector layer may include zinc telluride doped with copper telluride, zinc telluride alloyed with copper telluride, or a bilayer of multiple layers containing zinc, copper, cadmium and tellurium in various compositions. A process for manufacturing a photovoltaic device includes forming a layer over a substrate by at least one of sputtering, evaporation deposition, CVD, chemical bath deposition process, and vapor transport deposition process. The process includes forming an electron reflector layer over a p-type absorber layer.

An optoelectronic device including a carrier having a face including flat butt-jointed facets inclined in relation to each other; seeds, mainly made of a first compound selected from the group including the compounds III-V, the compounds II-VI, and the compounds IV, in contact with the carrier in the region of at least some of the joints between the facets; and conical or frustoconical, wire-like three-dimensional semiconductor elements of a nanometric or micrometric size, mainly made of the first compound, on the seeds.

A tandem solar cell module includes a transparent substrate, a first solar cell unit, and a second solar cell unit disposed between the transparent substrate and the first solar cell unit. The first solar cell unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first absorption layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the second solar cell unit includes a third electrode, a fourth electrode, and a second absorption layer disposed between the third electrode and the fourth electrode, wherein the second electrode is located adjacent to the third electrode, and the positions of the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode are corresponding to each other.

The invention provides an optoelectronic device comprising a photoactive region, which photoactive region comprises: an n-type region comprising at least one n-type layer; a p- type region comprising at least one p-type layer; and, disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region: a layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity. The perovskite semiconductor is generally light-absorbing. In some embodiments, disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region is: (i) a first layer which comprises a scaffold material, which is typically porous, and a perovskite semiconductor, which is typically disposed in pores of the scaffold material; and (ii) a capping layer dis -posed on said first layer, which capping layer is said layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity, wherein the perovskite semiconductor in the capping layer is in contact with the perovskite semiconductor in the first layer. The layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity (which may be said capping layer) typically forms a planar heterojunction with the n-type region or the p-type region. The invention also provides processes for producing such optoelectronic devices which typically involve solution deposition or vapour deposition of the perovskite. In one embodiment, the process is a low temperature process; for instance, the entire process may be performed at a temperature or temperatures not exceeding 150° C.

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a transparent conductor is provided. In the method, a silver nanowire layer including a plurality of silver nanowires and having openings is formed on a graphene film supported by a copper support. Then, a transparent resin layer insoluble in a copper-etching solution is formed on the silver nanowire layer such that the transparent resin layer contacts the graphene film through the openings. The copper support is then brought into contact with the non-acidic copper-etching solution to remove the copper support, thereby exposing the graphene film.

Photovoltaic cell comprising: an assembly comprising a substrate, first and second passivation layers covering opposite faces of the substrate and also lateral faces of the substrate, and first and second charge-collecting layers; a first layer of TCO disposed against the first main face of the assembly and such that edges of the first main face of the assembly are not covered by the first layer of TCO; a second layer of TCO covering the whole of the second main face of the assembly; a non-reflective coating partly covering the first and/or second charge-collecting layers on the lateral faces of the substrate and not covered by the second layer of TCO, and also covering the edges of the first main face.

Disclosed is a photovoltaic cell including a first electrode and a second electrode having transparency and disposed facing each other, and a photovoltaic cell layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, and configured to produce electric energy by absorbing a part of incident light, wherein the photovoltaic cell layer includes a plurality of unit cells disposed in a specific distance from each other and formed with a plurality of slits for polarizing the incident light, and a transparent insulator disposed in the plurality of slits.

Disclosed herein is the formation of p-type transparent conducting oxides (TCO) having a structure of Mg.sub.xNi.sub.1-xO or Zn.sub.xNi.sub.1-xO. These structures disrupt the two-dimensional confinement of individual holes (the dominant charge carrier transport mechanism in pure NiO) creating three-dimensional hole transport by providing pathways for hole transfer in directions that are unfavorable in pure NiO. Forming these structures preserves NiO's transparency to visible light since the band gaps do not deviate significantly from that of pure NiO. Furthermore, forming Mg.sub.xNi.sub.1-xO or Zn.sub.xNi.sub.1-xO does not lead to hole trapping on O ions adjacent to Zn and Mg ions. The formation of these alloys will lead to creation of three-dimensional hole transport and improve NiO's conductivity for use as p-type TCO, without adversely affecting the favorable properties of pure NiO.