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.

Approaches for fabricating foil-based metallization of solar cells based on a leave-in etch mask, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a back surface and an opposing light-receiving surface. A plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions is disposed in or above the back surface of the substrate. A conductive contact structure is disposed on the plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The conductive contact structure includes metal foil portions in alignment with corresponding ones of the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. A patterned wet etchant-resistant polymer layer is disposed on the conductive contact structure. Portions of the patterned wet etchant-resistant polymer layer are disposed on and in alignment with the metal foil portions.

A solar cell structure includes P-type and N-type doped regions. A dielectric spacer is formed on a surface of the solar cell structure. A metal layer is formed on the dielectric spacer and on the surface of the solar cell structure that is exposed by the dielectric spacer. A metal foil is placed on the metal layer. A laser beam is used to weld the metal foil to the metal layer. A laser beam is also used to pattern the metal foil. The laser beam ablates portions of the metal foil and the metal layer that are over the dielectric spacer. The laser ablation of the metal foil cuts the metal foil into separate P-type and N-type metal fingers.

The present disclosure provides methodologies for manufacturing high efficiency silicon photovoltaic devices using hydrogen passivation to improve performance. The processing techniques disclosed use tailored thermal processes, sometimes coupled with exposure to radiation to enable the use of cheaper silicon material to manufacture high efficiency photovoltaic devices.

Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type region architectures, and the resulting solar cells, are described herein. In an example, a solar cell includes an N-type semiconductor substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A plurality of N-type polycrystalline silicon regions is disposed on a first thin dielectric layer disposed on the back surface of the N-type semiconductor substrate. A plurality of P-type polycrystalline silicon regions is disposed on a second thin dielectric layer disposed in a corresponding one of a plurality of trenches interleaving the plurality of N-type polycrystalline silicon regions in the back surface of the N-type semiconductor substrate.

A method for manufacturing a solar cell, including the steps of: forming unevenness on both of main surfaces of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; forming an emitter layer on a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a diffusion mask on the emitter layer; removing the diffusion mask in a pattern; forming a base layer on the portion where the diffusion mask have been removed; removing the remaining diffusion mask; forming a dielectric film on the first main surface; forming a base electrode on the base layer; and forming an emitter electrode on the emitter layer. This provides a method for manufacturing a solar cell that can bring high photoelectric conversion efficiency while decreasing the number of steps.

A laser light collecting assembly for a wireless power receiver. The assembly includes a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) mirror and an optical to electrical converter. The CPC minor has curved internal walls that define an inlet aperture and connect the inlet aperture to an outlet aperture. The inlet aperture may be larger than the outlet aperture. The internal walls may focus a majority of the laser light entering the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture. The optical to electrical converter may be positioned adjacent to the outlet aperture and configured to receive the laser light exiting the outlet aperture so as to convert optical power in the laser light to electrical power.

A transceiver assembly for a wireless power transfer system includes a transceiver system comprising a photodiode assembly, a voltage converter and a light emitting diode and a photodiode. The photodiode assembly may be configured to receive a high-power laser beam from a transmitter and to convert the high-power laser beam to electrical energy. The voltage converter may be configured to adjust an input impedance based on a voltage measure of the photodiode assembly so as to maximize power transfer from the photodiode assembly to an energy storage device electrically coupled to the voltage converter. The light emitting diode and the photodiode may be configured to enable free space optical communication with the transmitter. The light emitting diode may emit signals indicating a presence and a location of the transceiver to the transmitter at least when the energy storage device requires a charge.

Approaches for fabricating one-dimensional metallization for solar cells, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a back surface and an opposing light-receiving surface. A plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions is disposed in or above the back surface of the substrate and parallel along a first direction to form a one-dimensional layout of emitter regions for the solar cell. A conductive contact structure is disposed on the plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The conductive contact structure includes a plurality of metal lines corresponding to the plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The plurality of metal lines is parallel along the first direction to form a one-dimensional layout of a metallization layer for the solar cell.

A photoelectrode for a photoelectrochemical cell is disclosed. The photoelectrode comprises a back-contact solar cell comprising emitter and collector contacts being spaced apart by first openings. The emitter and collector contacts are respectively collected in an emitter busbar and a collector busbar. The photoelectrode further comprises a contact passivation layer to separate the emitter and collector contacts from the electrolyte when in use. The contact passivation layer further comprises second openings in correspondence with the first openings. The photoelectrode further comprises a resin layer covering the openings and a portion of the contact passivation layer such that in use only charge carriers from the emitter contacts traverse the contact passivation layer in its way to the electrolyte while charge carriers from the collector contacts are collected in the collector busbar. An electrocatalyst layer is further provided covering respectively the resin layer and/or the contact passivation layer.