An integrated thin-film lateral multi-junction solar device and fabrication method are provided. The device includes, for instance, a substrate, and a plurality of stacks extending vertically from the substrate. Each stack may include layers, and be electrically isolated against another stack. Each stack may also include an energy storage device above the substrate, a solar cell above the energy storage device, a transparent medium above the solar cell, and a micro-optic layer of spectrally dispersive and concentrating optical devices above the transparent medium. Furthermore, the device may include a first power converter connected between the energy storage device and a power bus, and a second power converter connected between the solar cell and the power bus. Further, different solar cells of different stacks may have different absorption characteristics.

A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingled manner and conductively bonded to each other in their overlapping regions to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module.

A bi-facial tandem solar cell and a method of making a non-toxic perovskite/inorganic thin-film tandem solar cell stable, having matching bandgaps and a hysteresis free design including the steps of depositing a textured oxide buffer layer on an inexpensive substrate, depositing a metal-inorganic film from a eutectic alloy on the buffer layer; and depositing perovskite elements on the metal-inorganic film, thus forming a perovskite layer based on a metal from the metal-inorganic film, incorporating the metal into the perovskite layer wherein said perovskite layer is stable, hysteresis-free, and has a bandgap that matches the bandgap of the metal-inorganic.

An anisotropic conducting adhesive is improved in conductivity without increasing the density of admixed conductive particles by inducing metallic fusion between the surfaces of the conducting particles and the surfaces being bonded. The metallic fusion may be promoted by physical/chemical interaction characteristic of certain materials at a compressed interface; by compression sufficient to deform the conductive particles in a manner that increases the mechanical contact area; by heating (with or without melting of a material), which may also serve to cure the adhesive matrix; or by acoustic vibration, e.g., ultrasonic vibration. The resulting metallic-fusion joint is stronger, as well as more conductive, than a joint in which the particles and surfaces are held in unfused mechanical contact.

Photovoltaic systems and methods for optimizing the harvesting of solar energy are disclosed. A photovoltaic (PV) system includes: a solar panel module. The solar panel module comprises: a plurality of solar cell arrays, wherein each array comprises a grouping of solar cells; and a tubular panel. The plurality of solar cell arrays are arranged along an inside surface of the panel. At least an upper portion of the panel slopes inward such that the panel has a substantially funnel-shaped geometry. The solar cell arrays are arranged in a C-ring pattern. A first solar cell array is separated from a second solar cell array by a predetermined distance. The area between the solar cell arrays is coated with a reflective material to facilitate optimal reflection of incident sunlight back to the solar cells. Recycling of incident light is facilitated within the tube. The light can be intermittently or continuously recycled.

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.

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.

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 PV module includes a transparent substrate, a first solar cell unit, a crystalline silicon solar cell, and a spacer. The first solar cell unit is between the transparent substrate and the crystalline silicon solar cell, and the first solar cell unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a I-III-VI semiconductor layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The I-III-VI semiconductor layer includes at least gallium (Ga) and sulfur (S), and the energy gap thereof is more than that of crystalline silicon. Moreover, the crystalline silicon solar cell and the first solar cell unit are separated by the spacer.

A solar cell module, having at least one first module segment, wherein the first module segment includes a first subsegment and at least one second subsegment, the first and the second subsegment each have at least one solar cell string and each solar cell string has a plurality of solar cells interconnected in series. The first module segment includes a first and an at least second bypass element and bypass connectors. These bypass elements are interconnected via the bypass connectors within the module segment. The shading properties, the electrical characteristics and the material expenditure in the production of the solar module are advantageously adapted via advantageous circuit and geometry arrangements of the elements.