A photovoltaic conversion device (10) includes a semiconductor substrate (1), a passivation film (3), n-type amorphous semiconductor strips, p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p), and electrodes (7). The passivation film (3) is formed on one of the surfaces of the semiconductor substrate (1). The n- and p-type amorphous semiconductor strips are arranged alternately as viewed along an in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate (1) (Y-axis direction). The p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p) have reduced-thickness regions (51) at some intervals as viewed along the length direction of the p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p) (X-axis direction). The n-type amorphous semiconductor strips have a similar structure. The electrodes (7) are provided on the p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p), but not in areas where the reduced-thickness regions (51) have a positive curvature r with respect to the length direction of the reduced-thickness regions (51). Electrodes on the n-type amorphous semiconductor strips have a similar arrangement.

A solar cell module can include a plurality of solar cell strings, which include first and second solar cell strings including a first and second plurality of solar cells electrically connected in the first direction, respectively, and parallel to each other, first conductive wires connect a first electrode of a first solar cell to a second electrode of a second solar cell neighboring the first solar cell in the first direction within each of the solar cells, the first and second solar cell strings are electrically connected by a second conductive wire connecting a first electrode of a third solar cell located at a first end of the first solar cell string and a second electrode of a fourth solar cell located at a first end of the second solar cell string, and the second conductive wire is between the third solar cell and the fourth solar cell.

The present invention concerns a bifacial solar cell (1) comprising a front side (10) and a back side (20), said front and back sides (10, 20) having a respective outer layer (34) made of transparent conductive oxide, on which is placed a respective metallization grid (11, 21), each metallization grid (11, 21) comprising first collectors (111, 211) running parallel to each other in a horizontal direction (x) of said solar cell (1) and second collectors (112, 212) crossing said first collectors (111, 211), each second collector (112, 212) comprising two vertical elements (112a, 112b, 212a, 212b) and at least one horizontal element (112c, 212c) every one or two first collectors (111) or 3 or 6 first collectors (211) connecting said two vertical elements (112a, 112b, 212a, 212b), said solar cell module being characterized in that said metallization grids (11, 21) furtherly comprise at least one respective front or back area (113, 213), said front or back area (113, 213) comprising said at least one horizontal element (112c, 212c) and a portion of the underlying outer layer (34) made of transparent conductive oxide, so that a cell connector can be attached to said solar cell (1) by means of an electrically conductive adhesive deposited on said front or back area (113, 213) without needing a physical barrier for said electrically conductive adhesive. The present invention also concerns a solar cell module and a method of manufacturing thereof.

A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises forming a first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film on a first surface of a substrate; forming a second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film different from the first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film, on a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface of the substrate; forming a first transparent electrode layer on the first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; and forming a second transparent electrode layer on the second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; forming a first metal seed layer on a first transparent electrode layer; forming a second metal seed layer on a second transparent electrode layer; forming a third metal seed layer on a peripheral edge and on an end-edge of the second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; forming a first plating layer on the first metal seed layer and a third plating layer on the third metal seed layer simultaneously by an electroplating method.

Photovoltaic devices are formed by laser drilling vias through silicon substrates and, following surface preparation of the via sidewalls, plating a continuous, electrically conductive layer on the via sidewalls to electrically connect the emitter side of the cell with the back side of the cell. The electrically conductive layer can be formed on portions of a base emitter within the vias and on the back side of the substrate. Alternatively, the electrically conductive layer can be formed on a passivation layer on the via sidewalls and back side of the cell.

Approaches for the foil-based metallization of solar cells and the resulting solar cells are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate. A plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions is disposed in or above the substrate. A conductive contact structure is disposed above the plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The conductive contact structure includes a plurality of metal seed material regions providing a metal seed material region disposed on each of the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. A metal foil is disposed on the plurality of metal seed material regions, the metal foil having anodized portions isolating metal regions of the metal foil corresponding to the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions.

A solar photovoltaic module laminate for electric power generation is provided. A plurality of solar cells are embedded within module laminate and arranged to form at least one string of electrically interconnected solar cells within said module laminate. A plurality of power optimizers are embedded within the module laminate and electrically interconnected to and powered with the plurality of solar cells. Each of the distributed power optimizers capable of operating in either pass-through mode without local maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) or switching mode with local maximum-power-point tracking (MPPT) and having at least one associated bypass switch for distributed shade management.

An energy harvesting device includes prefabricated thin film energy absorption sheets that are each tuned to absorb electromagnetic energy of a corresponding wavelength. The energy harvesting device can include a prefabricated thin film converter sheet to convert the electromagnetic energy into electrical power. The energy harvesting device can include a prefabricated thin film battery sheet to store the electrical power. Each thin film energy absorption sheet can be fabricated using a roll-to-roll process. The energy harvesting device can be fabricated using a roll-to-sheet process from rolls of the thin film energy absorption sheets.

A tandem solar cell includes a top solar cell and a bottom solar cell. The top solar cell and the bottom solar cell each have a respective front surface and a rear surface, with the respective front surfaces being adapted for facing a radiation source during use. The top solar cell is arranged with its rear surface overlying the front surface of the bottom solar cell. The top solar cell includes a photovoltaic absorber layer with a bandgap greater than that of crystalline silicon. The bottom solar cell includes a crystalline silicon substrate. On at least a portion of the front surface of the bottom solar cell a passivating layer stack is disposed which includes a thin dielectric film and a secondary layer of either selective carrier extracting material or polysilicon. The thin dielectric film is arranged between the silicon substrate and the secondary layer.

This disclosure relates to semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating semiconductor devices. Particularly, the disclosure relates to back-contact-only multijunction solar cells and the process flows for making such solar cells, including a wet etch process that removes semiconductor materials non-selectively without major differences in etch rates between heteroepitaxial III-V semiconductor layers.