A method of hydrogenation of a silicon photovoltaic junction device is provided, the silicon photovoltaic junction device comprising p-type silicon semiconductor material and n-type silicon semiconductor material forming at least one p-n junction. The method comprises: i) ensuring that any silicon surface phosphorus diffused layers through which hydrogen must diffuse have peak doping concentrations of 1×10.sup.20 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less and silicon surface boron diffused layers through which hydrogen must diffuse have peak doping concentrations of 1×10.sup.19 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less; ii) Providing one or more hydrogen sources accessible by each surface of the device; and iii) Heating the device, or a local region of the device to at least 40° C. while simultaneously illuminating at least some and/or advantageously all of the device with at least one light source whereby the cumulative power of all the incident photons with sufficient energy to generate electron hole pairs within the silicon (in other words photons with energy levels above the bandgap of silicon of 1.12 eV) is at least 20 mW/cm.sup.2.

To improve characteristics, reliability, and the like of a solar cell element, the solar cell element includes: a semiconductor substrate which includes a first main surface and a second main surface that is positioned opposite to the first main surface, and in which a p-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region are stacked in such a manner that the p-type semiconductor region is positioned closest to the first main surface and the n-type semiconductor region is positioned closest to the second main surface; a first passivation layer which is disposed on the p-type semiconductor region that is positioned closest to the first main surface, and which includes aluminum oxide; and a first protective layer that is disposed on the first passivation layer. The first protective layer includes an oxide that contains at least one kind of zirconium and hafnium.

Photovoltaic structures are provided with field-effect inversion/accumulation layers as emitter layers induced by work-function differences between gate conductor layers and substrates thereof. Localized contact regions are in electrical communication with the gate conductors of such structures for repelling minority carriers. Such localized contact regions may include doped crystalline or polycrystalline silicon regions between the gate conductor and silicon absorption layers. Fabrication of the structures can be conducted without alignment between metal contacts and the localized contact regions or high temperature processing.

A solar cell, having a front side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a back side opposite the front side can include a silicon substrate having doped regions and a polysilicon layer disposed over the doped regions. The solar cell can include a conductive filling formed between a first metal layer and doped regions and through or at least partially through the polysilicon layer, where the conductive filling electrically couples the first metal layer and the doped region. In an embodiment, a second metal layer is formed on the first metal layer, where the first metal layer and the conductive filling electrically couple the doped regions and the second metal layer. In some embodiments, the solar cell can be a front contact solar cell or a back contact solar cell.

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a transparent conductor is provided. In the method, a silver nanowire layer including a plurality of silver nanowires and having openings is formed on a graphene film supported by a copper support. Then, a transparent resin layer insoluble in a copper-etching solution is formed on the silver nanowire layer such that the transparent resin layer contacts the graphene film through the openings. The copper support is then brought into contact with the non-acidic copper-etching solution to remove the copper support, thereby exposing the graphene film.

A method of manufacturing a solar cell, including providing a patterned silicon wafer having a covered area and an uncovered area, and forming at least one electrode layer in the uncovered area in a low-temperature process.

Conductive thick-film paste is useful in forming front-side contact of a solar cell or other semiconductor devices. Unlike conventional conductive frit pastes, a conductive paste according to the present invention does not include frit particles, and contains silver particles, nano-sized inorganic additives and an organic solvent. The conductive paste according to the present invention provides better etching ability through the anti-reflecting coating on the semiconductor substrate than conventional conductive frit pastes.

A textured structure of a crystalline silicon solar cell that is mainly constructed by a plurality of micro-structures similar to inverted pyramids; the lower part of the micro-structure similar to the inverted pyramid is an inverted pyramidal structure, and the upper part thereof is an inverted circular truncated conical structure; and the top of the micro-structure similar to the inverted pyramid is selected from one or more of a circle, an oval, or a closed figure enclosed by multiple curves. Experiments prove that the conversion efficiency of a cell piece may be improved by 0.25-0.4%, thereby obtaining unexpected effects.

The invention relates to the use in a photovoltaic module of a monolayer film as a backsheet, this composition comprising, with respect to the total weight of the composition from 50 to 100% of amorphous copolyester. The invention further comprises a backsheet of the amorphous copolyester film with two optional films adhered to it, an adhesion promoting film and an anti-weathering film. The invention further encompasses a photovoltaic module comprising the backsheet composition, and an optional scrim layer, according to the invention.

A photodetector structure comprises a semiconductor substrate extending substantially along a horizontal plane and having a bulk refractive index and a front surface defining a front side of the photodetector structure. The front surface comprises high aspect ratio nanostructures forming an optical conversion layer having an effective refractive index gradually changing towards the bulk refractive index to reduce reflection of light incident on the photodetector structure from the front side thereof. Further, the semiconductor substrate comprises an induced junction.