There is disclosed ultrahigh-efficiency single- and multi-junction thin-film solar cells. This disclosure is also directed to a substrate-damage-free epitaxial lift-off (“ELO”) process that employs adhesive-free, reliable and lightweight cold-weld bonding to a substrate, such as bonding to plastic or metal foils shaped into compound parabolic metal foil concentrators. By combining low-cost solar cell production and ultrahigh-efficiency of solar intensity-concentrated thin-film solar cells on foil substrates shaped into an integrated collector, as described herein, both lower cost of the module as well as significant cost reductions in the infrastructure is achieved.

A radiation detector includes a flexible substrate, plural pixels provided on the substrate and each including a photoelectric conversion element, a scintillator stacked on the substrate and including plural columnar crystals, and a bending suppression member configured to suppress bending of the substrate. The bending suppression member has a rigidity that satisfies R≥L−r/tan Φ+4r.Math.{(L−r/tan Φ).sup.2−(d/2).sup.2}.sup.1/2/d, wherein L is an average height of the columnar crystals, r is an average radius of the columnar crystals, d is an average interval between the columnar crystals, Φ is an average tip angle of the columnar crystals, and R is a radius of curvature of bending occurring in the substrate due to the weight of the scintillator.

The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.

An object of the invention is to provide a photoelectric conversion element exhibiting an excellent production suitability. Also, the other object of the invention is to provide an optical sensor and an imaging element comprising the photoelectric conversion element. The photoelectric conversion element of the invention includes a conductive film, a photoelectric conversion film, and a transparent conductive film, in this order, in which the photoelectric conversion film contains a compound represented by Formula (1) below. ##STR00001##

A flexible and stretchable imager includes a first rigid substrate carrying at least one first photodetector, a second rigid substrate carrying at least one second photodetector, and a flexible and stretchable arm connected to the first and second rigid substrates. The first rigid substrate, the second rigid substrate, and the flexible and stretchable arm are made of a same material.

A method for applying an electrical conductor to an electrically insulating substrate, the method comprising providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of grooves formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising particles of a conductive material. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back surface of the substrate. A pressure is then applied between the substrate and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded into the grooves adheres to the substrate. The membrane(s) may remain on the electrically insulating substrate. The electrically conductive particles in the composition can then be sintered to form a pattern of electrical conductors on the substrate, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

An apparatus is disclosed for transferring a pattern of a composition containing particles of an electrically conductive material and a thermally activated adhesive from a surface of a flexible web to a surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises: respective drive mechanisms for advancing the web and the substrate to a nip through which the web and the substrate pass at the same time and where a pressure roller acts to press the surfaces of the web and the substrate against one another, a heating station for heating at least one of the web and the substrate prior to, or during, passage through the nip, to a temperature at which the adhesive in the composition is activated, a cooling station for cooling the web after passage through the nip, and a separating device for peeling the web away from the substrate after passage through the cooling station, to leave the pattern of composition adhered to the surface of the substrate.

A method is disclosed for applying an electrical conductor to a solar cell, which comprises providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of groove formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising conductive particles. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back of a solar cell. A pressure is then applied between the solar cell and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded to the grooves adheres to the solar cell. The membrane(s) and the solar cell are separated and the composition in the groove is left on the solar cell surface. The electrically conductive particles in the composition are then sintered or otherwise fused to form a pattern of electrical conductor on the solar cell, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

A composition for glass, and aluminosilicate glass, preparation method therefor, and use thereof. In molar percentage, in the composition, the total content of SiO.sub.2, B.sub.2O.sub.3, P.sub.2O.sub.5, GeO.sub.2 and TeO.sub.2 is 60˜85 mol %; the total content of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and Ga.sub.2O.sub.3 is 3˜20 mol %; the total content of ZnO and Y.sub.2O.sub.3 is 0.1˜5 mol %; and the total content of alkaline earth metal oxide is 4˜30 mol %. The glass has a high strain point, a low melting temperature, and a high thermal expansion coefficient, has good toughness, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

A blocking diode board (“BDB”) for use with a rollable solar power module (“RSPM”) array is disclosed. The DBD includes a blocking diode, first flat electrical conductor, second flat electrical conductor, first tubular hook, and second tubular hook.