Photovoltaic devices and methods for fabricating a photovoltaic devices. The method includes applying a coating layer that surrounds each of a plurality of silicon particles. The method also includes implanting the plurality of silicon particles into a substrate layer such that an exposed portion of each of the plurality of silicon particles extends away from a surface of the substrate layer. The method further includes removing a portion of the coating layer that is positioned around the exposed portion of each of the plurality of silicon particles. The method also includes placing an insulator layer on the surface of the substrate layer. The method further includes placing a selective carrier transport layer on the exposed portion of each of the plurality of silicon particles.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a photovoltaic cell, a method for manufacturing the photovoltaic cell, and a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic cell includes a substrate, and an emitter and a first passivation structure that are located on a first surface of the substrate, where the emitter is located between the substrate and the first passivation structure; a first electrode, penetrating through the first passivation structure and being in contact with the emitter; and a first eutectic, located between the first electrode and the emitter, where the first eutectic includes a material of the first electrode and a material of the emitter, and a part of the first electrode penetrates through the first eutectic and is in contact with the emitter.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a photovoltaic cell, a method for manufacturing the photovoltaic cell, and a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic cell includes a substrate, and an emitter and a first passivation structure that are located on a first surface of the substrate, where the emitter is located between the substrate and the first passivation structure; a first electrode, penetrating through the first passivation structure and being in contact with the emitter; and a first eutectic, located between the first electrode and the emitter, where the first eutectic includes a material of the first electrode and a material of the emitter, and a part of the first electrode penetrates through the first eutectic and is in contact with the emitter.

Solar cells having emitter regions composed of wide bandgap semiconductor material are described. In an example, a method includes forming, in a process tool having a controlled atmosphere, a thin dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate of the solar cell. The semiconductor substrate has a bandgap. Without removing the semiconductor substrate from the controlled atmosphere of the process tool, a semiconductor layer is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The semiconductor layer has a bandgap at least approximately 0.2 electron Volts (eV) above the bandgap of the semiconductor substrate.

Solar cells having emitter regions composed of wide bandgap semiconductor material are described. In an example, a method includes forming, in a process tool having a controlled atmosphere, a thin dielectric layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate of the solar cell. The semiconductor substrate has a bandgap. Without removing the semiconductor substrate from the controlled atmosphere of the process tool, a semiconductor layer is formed on the thin dielectric layer. The semiconductor layer has a bandgap at least approximately 0.2 electron Volts (eV) above the bandgap of the semiconductor substrate.

A solar cell, a manufacturing method therefor, and a photovoltaic module are provided. The solar cell includes a substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, a passivation stack disposed on the front surface, and a tunneling oxide layer and a doped conductive layer disposed on the rear surface. The passivation stack includes an oxygen-containing dielectric layer, a first passivation layer and a second passivation layer. The first passivation layer includes a first interface adjacent to the oxygen-containing dielectric layer and a second interface adjacent to the second passivation layer, the second passivation layer includes a third interface opposite to the second interface, a nitrogen content and a silicon content at the second interface are higher than those at the first interface and the third interface, respectively, and an oxygen content at the second interface is lower than that at the first interface and the third interface, respectively.

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.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for implementing high conversion efficiency solar cells. In one aspect, an optical-to-electrical energy conversion device includes a substrate formed of a doped semiconductor material and having a first region and a second region, an array of multilayered nanoscale structures protruding from the first region of the substrate, in which the nanoscale structures are formed of a first co-doped semiconductor material covered by a layer of a second co-doped semiconductor material forming a core-shell structure, the layer covering at least a portion of the doped semiconductor material of the substrate in the second region, and an electrode formed on the layer-covered portion of the substrate in the second region, in which the multilayered nanoscale structures provide an optical active region capable of absorbing photons from light at one or more wavelengths to generate an electrical signal presented at the electrode.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for implementing high conversion efficiency solar cells. In one aspect, an optical-to-electrical energy conversion device includes a substrate formed of a doped semiconductor material and having a first region and a second region, an array of multilayered nanoscale structures protruding from the first region of the substrate, in which the nanoscale structures are formed of a first co-doped semiconductor material covered by a layer of a second co-doped semiconductor material forming a core-shell structure, the layer covering at least a portion of the doped semiconductor material of the substrate in the second region, and an electrode formed on the layer-covered portion of the substrate in the second region, in which the multilayered nanoscale structures provide an optical active region capable of absorbing photons from light at one or more wavelengths to generate an electrical signal presented at the electrode.

A solar device includes a first string of first solar wafers, wherein a plurality of the first solar wafers each overlap with at least one vertically adjacent solar wafer from the first string. Additionally, the solar device includes a second string of second solar wafers, wherein a plurality of the second solar wafers each overlap with at least one vertically adjacent solar wafer from the second string, wherein a plurality of the first solar wafers overlap with one or more of the plurality of second solar wafers to electrically connect horizontally adjacent solar wafers in parallel.