Sodium-containing aluminosilicate and boroaluminosilicate glasses are described herein. The glasses can be used as substrates for photovoltaic devices, for example, thin film photovoltaic devices such as CIGS photovoltaic devices. These glasses can be characterized as having strain points 540 C., thermal expansion coefficient of from 6.5 to 9.5 ppm/ C., as well as liquidus viscosities in excess of 50,000 poise. As such, they are ideally suited for being formed into sheet by the fusion process.

Embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor and methods for pixel sub-column data read from the within a pixel array.

A photovoltaic cell is provided that enables cost reduction and stable operation with a simple configuration and enhances conversion efficiency by a new technology of forming an energy level in a band gap. In the photovoltaic cell, a substrate, a conductive first electrode, an electromotive force layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and a conductive second electrode are laminated, electromotive force is generated by photoexciting the electron in the band gap of the electromotive force layer by light irradiation, the electromotive force layer is filled with an n-type metal oxide semiconductor of fine particles coated by an insulating coat, a new energy level is formed in a band gap by photoexcited structural change caused by ultraviolet irradiation, and efficient and stable operation can be performed by providing a layer of an n-type metal oxide semiconductor between the first electrode and the electromotive force layer.

Monolithic tandem chalcopyrite-perovskite photovoltaic devices and techniques for formation thereof are provided. In one aspect, a tandem photovoltaic device is provided. The tandem photovoltaic device includes a substrate; a bottom solar cell on the substrate, the bottom solar cell having a first absorber layer that includes a chalcopyrite material; and a top solar cell monolithically integrated with the bottom solar cell, the top solar cell having a second absorber layer that includes a perovskite material. A monolithic tandem photovoltaic device and method of formation thereof are also provided.

The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor wafer with an integrated circuit, formed by a plurality of dies, a further semiconductor wafer, which differs from the semiconductor wafer in diameter and semiconductor material, the semiconductor wafer and the further semiconductor wafer being bonded to one another by means of a bonding layer, and an electrically conductive contact layer arranged on the further semiconductor wafer opposite to the bonding layer.

Embodiments of a photovoltaic device are provided herein. The photovoltaic device can include a layer stack and an absorber layer disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer can include a first region and a second region. Each of the first region of the absorber layer and the second region of the absorber layer can include a compound comprising cadmium, selenium, and tellurium. An atomic concentration of selenium can vary across the absorber layer. The first region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. The second region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. A ratio of an average atomic concentration of selenium in the first region of the absorber layer to an average atomic concentration of selenium in the second region of the absorber layer can be greater than 10.

Provided are photovoltaic devices with polycrystalline type II-VI semiconductor absorber materials including n-type absorber compositions and having p-type hole contact layers are described herein. Methods of treating semiconductor absorber layers and forming hole contact layers are described.

A photovoltaic device and a method of making a photovoltaic device that includes a stack of layers, including a substrate and an electrode layer. The photovoltaic device includes a semiconductor light absorption layer that is formed on the stack by a coating liquid that includes a plurality of semiconducting particles. The coating liquid may also include a solvent and a plurality of additive molecules. The photovoltaic device also includes a transparent conducting layer disposed on the semiconductor light absorption layer and a grid electrode disposed on the transparent conducting layer.

A process for preparing alloy products powders is described using a self-sustaining or self-propagating SHS-type combustion process. Binary, ternary and quaternary alloy having cadmium, selenium and optionally a third element X or Y selected from Group VIA (such as S or Te) or from group IIB (such as Zn or Hg). The alloy products may be doped or not with a wide variety of other elements. The process involves heating to ignition, maintaining an elevated temperature less than melting for homogenization, followed by cooling and crushing. An optional de-oxidation process may follow to further purify the alloy and balance the stoichiometry.

A gamma ray detector includes a gamma ray detecting rod elongated along a longitudinal axis, wherein gamma ray detection is enhanced along the longitudinal axis, and a gamma ray shield encapsulating the rod, the shield having an aperture at an end of the detecting rod along the longitudinal axis to admit gamma rays substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated detecting rod, wherein gamma ray detection is enhanced along the longitudinal axis and aperture to substantially collimate the sensitivity of the gamma ray detector along the combined aperture and longitudinal axis of the detecting rod.