A photoelectric conversion element having a photoelectric conversion layer formed between a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, in which the photoelectric conversion layer contains Cu and Ag, which are Group I elements, In and Ga, which are Group III elements, and Se and S, which are Group VI elements. A portion at which a minimum value of a band gap appears in a thickness direction of the photoelectric conversion layer is included in the intermediate region. When a ratio of a mole amount of Ag to a sum of mole amounts of the Group I elements other than Ag, the Group III elements, and the Group VI elements is defined as an Ag concentration, a portion at which a maximum value of the Ag concentration appears in the thickness direction of the photoelectric conversion layer is included in the intermediate region.

According to the embodiment, there is provided a solar cell including: a back electrode layer; a light absorbing layer on the back electrode layer; a buffer layer on the light absorbing layer; and a front electrode layer on the buffer layer, wherein the front electrode layer comprises an intrinsic region and a doping region having a conductive dopant, and a concentration of the conductive dopant is gradually lowered in upward and downward directions from an excess doping region of the doping region.

A metal-chalcogenide photovoltaic device includes a first electrode, a window layer spaced apart from the first electrode, and a photon-absorption layer between the first electrode and the window layer. The photon-absorption layer includes a metal-chalcogenide semiconductor. The window layer includes a layer of metal-oxide nanoparticles, and at least a portion of the window layer provides a second electrode that is substantially transparent to light within a range of operating wavelengths of the metal-chalcogenide photovoltaic device. A method of producing a metal-chalcogenide photovoltaic device includes providing a photovoltaic substructure, providing a solution of metal-oxide nanoparticles, and forming a window layer on the substructure using the solution of metal-oxide nanoparticles such that the window layer includes a layer of metal-oxide nanoparticles formed by a solution process.

A polymer substrate and back contact structure for a photovoltaic element, and a photovoltaic element include a CIGS photovoltaic structure, a polymer substrate having a device side at which the photovoltaic element can be located and a back side opposite the device side. A layer of dielectric is optionally formed at the back side of the polymer substrate. A metal structure is formed at the device side of the polymer substrate.

Methods of making a semiconductor layer from nanocrystals are disclosed. A film of nanocrystals capped with a ligand can be deposited onto a substrate; and the nanocrystals can be irradiated with one or more pulses of light. The pulsed light can be used to substantially remove the ligands from the nanocrystals and leave the nanocrystals unsintered or sintered, thereby providing a semiconductor layer. Layered structures comprising these semiconductor layers with an electrode are also disclosed. Devices comprising such layered structures are also disclosed.

An electrical transmission system has solar electrical generation stations mounted directly to existing utility poles along a transmission line. Solar panels and securing brackets define each solar electric generation station. Each station has at least one generally East facing panel, at least one generally South facing panel, and at least one generally West facing panel. A power coupling conducts electricity generated by the solar electric generation station into the transmission lines. In one embodiment, a plurality of spacer members support the separate and distinct solar collector surfaces in a fixed position relative to the utility pole and have a plurality of clamp passages. A plurality of clamps pass through the clamp passages to guide and retain the clamps. In another embodiment, a plurality of adjustable brackets affix with the spacer members adjacent a first end and to the utility pole adjacent a second end distal to the first end.

A semiconductor nanocrystal include a first I-III-VI semiconductor material and have a luminescence quantum yield of at least 10%, at least 20%, or at least 30%. The nanocrystal can be substantially free of toxic elements. Populations of the nanocrystals can have an emission FWHM of no greater than 0.35 eV.

A solar cell according to the embodiment includes a back electrode layer on a support substrate; a first through hole dividing the back electrode layer into a plurality of back electrodes; a first contact pattern in the back electrode layer; a light absorbing layer formed on the back electrode layer and including a second contact pattern on the first contact pattern; and a front electrode layer on the light absorbing layer.

Disclosed is a photovoltaic device that includes a solar cell on a light transmissive substrate in the form of an array of equal diameter optical fibers laid adjacent to each other in the transversal direction of the fibers. With such an arrangement, light harvesting at high angles is improved by 30%.

In various embodiments, photovoltaic devices incorporate discontinuous passivation layers (i) disposed between a thin-film absorber layer and a partner layer, (ii) disposed between the partner layer and a front contact layer, and/or (iii) disposed between a back contact layer and the thin-film absorber layer.