A monolithic multiple solar cell includes at least three partial cells, with a semiconductor mirror placed between two partial cells. The aim of the invention is to improve the radiation stability of said solar cell. For this purpose, the semiconductor mirror has a high degree of reflection in at least one part of a spectral absorption area of the partial cell which is arranged above the semiconductor mirror and a high degree of transmission within the spectral absorption range of the partial cell arranged below the semiconductor mirror.

A monolithic multiple solar cell includes at least three partial cells, with a semiconductor mirror placed between two partial cells. The aim of the invention is to improve the radiation stability of said solar cell. For this purpose, the semiconductor mirror has a high degree of reflection in at least one part of a spectral absorption area of the partial cell which is arranged above the semiconductor mirror and a high degree of transmission within the spectral absorption range of the partial cell arranged below the semiconductor mirror.

A tandem junction photovoltaic cell has a first p-n junction with a first energy band gap, and a second p-n junction with a second energy band gap less than the first energy band gap. The junctions are separated by a quantum tunneling junction. The first p-n junction captures higher energy photons and allows lower energy photons to pass through and be captured by the second p-n junction. Quantum dots positioned within the first p-n junction promote quantum tunneling of charge carriers to increase the current generated by the first p-n junction and match the current of the second p-n junction for greater efficiency.

Illumination panel comprises: (1) a receiver substrate assembly including: (a) a rigid sheet of light transmissive material having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a conductor pattern attached to the first surface; and (b) at least one receiver assembly affixed to the rigid sheet, each receiver assembly including a light source in electrical communication with the conductor pattern; and (2) at least one light-guide optic attached to and supported by the receiver substrate assembly, each light-guide optic in optical communication with the photovoltaic cell of an associated one of the at least one receiver assembly for guiding light for output via the rigid sheet.

Illumination panel comprises: (1) a receiver substrate assembly including: (a) a rigid sheet of light transmissive material having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a conductor pattern attached to the first surface; and (b) at least one receiver assembly affixed to the rigid sheet, each receiver assembly including a light source in electrical communication with the conductor pattern; and (2) at least one light-guide optic attached to and supported by the receiver substrate assembly, each light-guide optic in optical communication with the photovoltaic cell of an associated one of the at least one receiver assembly for guiding light for output via the rigid sheet.

A measurement method of subcell photocurrents and a matching degree of the subcell photocurrents of a multi-junction photovoltaic cell is provided. The measurement method includes measuring an I-V characteristic of the multi-junction photovoltaic cell; and measuring currents corresponding to respective current steps in an I-V curve to obtain approximate values of short-circuit currents of subcells in the multi-junction photovoltaic cell, and then calculating a mismatching degree of the multi-junction photovoltaic cell using step currents. According to the measurement method, a current mismatching degree of the multi-junction photovoltaic cell is obtained by calculating the mismatching degree of the step currents occurring in the I-V curve. The measurement method is rapid and simple, the measurement method avoids complicated and time-consuming processes where the subcell photocurrents are calculated based on a standard light source spectrum integral with bias lights applied.

A method is disclosed for making semiconductor films from a eutectic alloy comprising a metal and a semiconductor. Through heterogeneous nucleation said film is deposited at a deposition temperature on relatively inexpensive buffered substrates, such as glass. Specifically said film is vapor deposited at a fixed temperature in said deposition temperature where said deposition temperature is above a eutectic temperature of said eutectic alloy and below a temperature at which the substrate softens. Such films could have widespread application in photovoltaic and display technologies.

A method is disclosed for making semiconductor films from a eutectic alloy comprising a metal and a semiconductor. Through heterogeneous nucleation said film is deposited at a deposition temperature on relatively inexpensive buffered substrates, such as glass. Specifically said film is vapor deposited at a fixed temperature in said deposition temperature where said deposition temperature is above a eutectic temperature of said eutectic alloy and below a temperature at which the substrate softens. Such films could have widespread application in photovoltaic and display technologies.

Isoelectronic co-doping of semiconductor compounds and alloys with acceptors and deep donors is used to decrease bandgap, to increase concentration of the dopant constituents in the resulting alloys, and to increase carrier mobilities lifetimes. For example, Group III-V compounds and alloys, such as GaAs and GaP, are isoelectronically co-doped with, for example, B and Bi, to customize solar cells, and other semiconductor devices. Isoelectronically co-doped Group II-VI compounds and alloys are also included.

A photovoltaic device and method for fabrication include multijunction cells, each cell having a material grown independently from the other and including different band gap energies. An interface is disposed between the cells and configured to wafer bond the cells wherein the cells are configured to be adjacent without regard to lattice mismatch.