At least one solar cell is mounted to a flexible substrate using an adhesive, wherein: the flexible substrate includes at least one insulating layer and at least one conductive layer patterned on the insulating layer as one or more traces for making electrical connections with the solar cell; the traces on the flexible substrate are unencapsulated and at least some of the traces remain exposed after the solar cell is mounted to the flexible substrate; the solar cell is positioned above the traces on the flexible substrate; and a backside metal layer of the solar cell does not make contact to the traces on the flexible substrate when the solar cell is mounted on the flexible substrate. The result is a rollable solar array or panel having a reduced stress energy and a reduced minimum rolling radius as compared to a baseline solar cell mounted to a baseline flexible substrate.

A solar cell system and a flexible solar panel are disclosed herein. The solar cell system includes a glass housing, a set of rows of solar cells each defining a front side and a rear side and arranged within the glass housing. The solar cell system can also include a reflective element disposed in the glass housing and facing the rear side of the set of rows of solar cells and a first terminal coupled to a first end of the set of rows of solar cells, traversing through and sealed against the first end of the glass housing. The solar cell system can be configured with other solar cell systems into the flexible solar panel that is deployable in a wide range of potential applications.

A solar cell system and a flexible solar panel are disclosed herein. The solar cell system includes a glass housing, a set of rows of solar cells each defining a front side and a rear side and arranged within the glass housing. The solar cell system can also include a reflective element disposed in the glass housing and facing the rear side of the set of rows of solar cells and a first terminal coupled to a first end of the set of rows of solar cells, traversing through and sealed against the first end of the glass housing. The solar cell system can be configured with other solar cell systems into the flexible solar panel that is deployable in a wide range of potential applications.

A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap and positioned for receiving an incoming light beam; a second solar subcell disposed below and adjacent to and lattice matched with said upper first solar subcell, and having a second band gap smaller than said first band gap; wherein the upper first solar subcell covers less than the entire upper surface of the second solar subcell, leaving an exposed portion of the second solar subcell around the periphery of the multijunction solar sell that lies in the path of the incoming light beam.

A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap and positioned for receiving an incoming light beam; a second solar subcell disposed below and adjacent to and lattice matched with said upper first solar subcell, and having a second band gap smaller than said first band gap; wherein the upper first solar subcell covers less than the entire upper surface of the second solar subcell, leaving an exposed portion of the second solar subcell around the periphery of the multijunction solar sell that lies in the path of the incoming light beam.

A visibly transparent planar structure using a CPA scheme to boost the absorption of a multi-layer thin-film configuration, requiring no surface patterning, to overcome the intrinsic absorption limitation of the absorbing material. This is achieved in a multi-layer absorbing Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity, namely a thin-film amorphous silicon solar cell. Omni-resonance is achieved across a bandwidth of 80 nm in the near-infrared (NIR), thus increasing the effective absorption of the material, without modifying the material itself, enhancing it beyond its intrinsic absorption over a considerable spectral range. The apparatus achieved an increased external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 90% of the photocurrent generated in the 80 nm NIR region from 660 to 740 nm as compared to a bare solar cell. over the spectral range of interest.

The present invention belongs to the field of photovoltaic cells and relates to a thermo-photovoltaic cell able of converting into electric power the practical totality of the radiant power emitted from an incandescent source and absorbed by the thermo-photovoltaic cell and returning to the incandescent source a large amount of the non absorbed radiation by means of a mirror. The invention also relates to a module comprising such a thermo-photovoltaic cell and a method of manufacturing such a thermo-photovoltaic cell.

The present invention belongs to the field of photovoltaic cells and relates to a thermo-photovoltaic cell able of converting into electric power the practical totality of the radiant power emitted from an incandescent source and absorbed by the thermo-photovoltaic cell and returning to the incandescent source a large amount of the non absorbed radiation by means of a mirror. The invention also relates to a module comprising such a thermo-photovoltaic cell and a method of manufacturing such a thermo-photovoltaic cell.

A backside illuminated multi-junction solar cell module includes a substrate, multiple multi-junction solar cells, and a cell interconnection that provides a series connection between at least two of the multi-junction solar cells. The substrate may include a material that is substantially transparent to solar radiation. Each multi-junction solar cell includes a first active cell, grown over the substrate, for absorbing a first portion of the solar radiation for conversion into electrical energy and a second active cell, grown over the first active cell, for absorbing a second portion of the solar radiation for conversion into electrical energy. At least one of the first and second active cells includes a nitride.

A backside illuminated multi-junction solar cell module includes a substrate, multiple multi-junction solar cells, and a cell interconnection that provides a series connection between at least two of the multi-junction solar cells. The substrate may include a material that is substantially transparent to solar radiation. Each multi-junction solar cell includes a first active cell, grown over the substrate, for absorbing a first portion of the solar radiation for conversion into electrical energy and a second active cell, grown over the first active cell, for absorbing a second portion of the solar radiation for conversion into electrical energy. At least one of the first and second active cells includes a nitride.