In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic (PV) top module, to be used together with a PV bottom module, e.g an SI-based PV bottom module, is provided. The method may include monolithically interconnecting a plurality of thin film based PV sub-cells, manufactured using a perovskite material and/or a CIGS material as solar absorbing material, in series on a substrate in order to create a PV top module including at least one first PV top sub-module, and arranging metal grid lines on top and bottom contact layers of the PV top module. The metal grid lines may be arranged either above or below the top and bottom contact layers of the PV top module.

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.

The present disclosure provides interconnect elements and methods of using interconnect elements. In one embodiment, the interconnect element includes: a first end including at least three members, each member having a pair of parallel gap weld positions for mounting an adjoining first component; a second opposing end including at least two members, each member having a pair of parallel gap weld positions for mounting an adjoining second component; and one or more interconnect connecting portions to attach the first end of the interconnect element to the second end of the interconnect element.

The present disclosure provides interconnect elements and methods of using interconnect elements. In one embodiment, the interconnect element includes: a first end including at least three members, each member having a pair of parallel gap weld positions for mounting an adjoining first component; a second opposing end including at least two members, each member having a pair of parallel gap weld positions for mounting an adjoining second component; and one or more interconnect connecting portions to attach the first end of the interconnect element to the second end of the interconnect element.

Thin-film solar cell modules and serial cell-to-cell interconnect structures and methods of fabrication are described. In an embodiment, solar cell module and interconnect includes a conformal transport layer over a subcell layer. The conformal transport layer may also laterally surround an outside perimeter the subcell layer.

Thin-film solar cell modules and serial cell-to-cell interconnect structures and methods of fabrication are described. In an embodiment, solar cell module and interconnect includes a conformal transport layer over a subcell layer. The conformal transport layer may also laterally surround an outside perimeter the subcell layer.

Thin-film solar cell modules and serial cell-to-cell interconnect structures and methods of fabrication are described. In an embodiment, solar cell module and interconnect includes a conformal transport layer over a subcell layer. The conformal transport layer may also laterally surround an outside perimeter the subcell layer.

Thin-film solar cell modules and serial cell-to-cell interconnect structures and methods of fabrication are described. In an embodiment, solar cell module and interconnect includes a conformal transport layer over a subcell layer. The conformal transport layer may also laterally surround an outside perimeter the subcell layer.

A stacked monolithic multijunction solar cell, which includes a first subcell having a p-n junction with an emitter layer and a base layer, the thickness of the emitter layer being less than the thickness of the base layer at least by a factor of ten, and the first subcell comprising a substrate having a semiconductor material from the groups III and V or a substrate from the group IV, and which further includes a second subcell arranged on the first subcell and a third subcell arranged on the second subcell, the two subcells each including an emitter layer and a base layer, and a tunnel diode and a back side field layer each being formed between the subcells, the thickness of the emitter layer being greater than the thickness of the base layer in each case between the second subcell and in the third subcell.