Provided are optical devices and systems fabricated, at least in part, via printing-based assembly and integration of device components. In specific embodiments the present invention provides light emitting systems, light collecting systems, light sensing systems and photovoltaic systems comprising printable semiconductor elements, including large area, high performance macroelectronic devices. Optical systems of the present invention comprise semiconductor elements assembled, organized and/or integrated with other device components via printing techniques that exhibit performance characteristics and functionality comparable to single crystalline semiconductor based devices fabricated using conventional high temperature processing methods. Optical systems of the present invention have device geometries and configurations, such as form factors, component densities, and component positions, accessed by printing that provide a range of useful device functionalities. Optical systems of the present invention include devices and device arrays exhibiting a range of useful physical and mechanical properties including flexibility, shapeability, conformability and stretchablity.

A groove is cut along a line between adjacent solar cells of a wafer. A coating powder is processed to form a coating layer on the surface of the groove. The solar cells are thereafter physically separated from each other along the groove, with the coating layer serving as an edge coat. The solar cells are electrically connected in series and packaged in a solar module.

A solar cell apparatus 100 and a method for forming said solar cell apparatus 100, comprising a substrate 101, a n-type transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer 102 deposited atop said substrate 101, a p-i-n structure 200 that includes a p-type layer 103, an i-type layer 104, a n-type layer 105, a metal back layer 106 deposited atop said n-type layer 105 of the p-i-n structure 200. The n-type layer 105 comprises n-type donors 115 including phosphorus atoms. The n-type donors 115 include oxygen atoms at an atomic concentration comprised between 5% and 25% of the overall atomic composition of the n-type layer 105.

Described herein are methods of fabricating solar cells. In an example, a method of fabricating a solar cell includes forming an amorphous dielectric layer on the back surface of a substrate opposite a light-receiving surface of the substrate. The method also includes forming a microcrystalline silicon layer on the amorphous dielectric layer by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The method also includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on the microcrystalline silicon layer by PECVD. The method also includes annealing the microcrystalline silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer to form a homogeneous polycrystalline silicon layer from the microcrystalline silicon layer and the amorphous silicon layer. The method also includes forming an emitter region from the homogeneous polycrystalline silicon layer.

Provided are a solar cell, a manufacturing method thereof, and a photovoltaic module. The solar cell includes: a semiconductor substrate, in which a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate having a first texture structure, the first texture structure includes two or more first substructures at least partially stacked on one another, and a one-dimensional size of the top surface of the outermost first substructure is less than or equal to 45 μm; a first passivation layer located on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate; a tunnel oxide layer located on the first texture structure; a doped conductive layer located on a surface of the tunnel oxide layer, the doped conductive layer includes a P-type doped conductive layer and an N-type doped conductive layer; and a second passivation layer located on a surface of the doped conductive layer.

A method for manufacturing a solar cell can include forming a tunneling layer on first and second surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, the tunneling layer including a dielectric material; forming a polycrystalline silicon layer on the tunnel layer at the first surface and on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate; removing portions of the tunnel layer and the polycrystalline silicon layer formed at the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a doping region at the first surface of the semiconductor substrate by diffusing a dopant; forming a passivation layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer at the second surface of the semiconductor substrate; and forming a second electrode connected to the polycrystalline silicon layer by penetrating through the passivation layer.

A groove is cut along a line between adjacent solar cells of a wafer. A coating powder is processed to form a coating layer on the surface of the groove. The solar cells are thereafter physically separated from each other along the groove, with the coating layer serving as an edge coat. The solar cells are electrically connected in series and packaged in a solar module.

Provided are a solar cell, including: a semiconductor substrate, in which a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate having non-pyramid-shaped microstructures, the non-pyramid-shaped microstructures include two or more first substructures at least partially stacked on one another, and a one-dimensional size of the surface of the outermost first substructure is less than or equal to 45 m; a first passivation layer located on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate; first and second tunnel oxide layers located on the non-pyramid-shaped microstructures; first and second doped conductive layers located on a surface of the first and second tunnel oxide layers, the first and second doped conductive layer has different conductive types; a second passivation layer located on a surface of the first and second doped conductive layers; and electrodes formed by penetrating through the second passivation layer to be in contact with the first and second doped conductive layers.

An image sensor includes a plurality of pixel sensing portions arranged in m columns and n rows. Each of the pixel sensing portions includes at least one thin film transistor and a photodetection diode (13) including n-type (16), intrinsic (15) and p-type (14) semiconductor layers. The p-type semiconductor layer (14) includes a multi-layered structure including lower (142) and upper (141) p-type semiconductor layered portions. The upper p-type semiconductor layered portion (141) has a band gap greater than 1.7 eV and has a p-type dopant in an amount not less than two times of that of the lower p-type semiconductor layered portion (142). An image sensing-enabled display apparatus and a method of making the image sensor are also disclosed.

Discussed is a solar cell including a semiconductor substrate, a tunneling layer formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive semiconductor layer formed on a surface of the tunneling layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer formed on the surface the tunneling layer. A separation portion separates the first and second conductive semiconductor layers from each other, and is formed on the surface of the tunneling layer at a location corresponding to at least a portion of a boundary between the first and second conductive semiconductor layers.