A photovoltaic or light detecting device is provided that includes a periodic array of dome or dome-like protrusions at the light impingement surface and a metal-less reflector/back electrode at the device back. The beneficial interaction between an appropriately designed top protrusion array and metal-less reflector/electrode back contact (R/EBC) serves (1) to refract the incoming light thereby providing photons with an advantageous larger momentum component parallel to the plane of the back (R/EBC) contact and (2) to provide optical impedance matching for the short wavelength incoming light. The metal-less reflector/back electrode operates as a back light reflector and counter electrode to the periodic array of dome or dome-like structures. A substrate supports the metal-less reflector/back electrode.

An optical detection device includes an optical semiconductor element having a plurality of light receiving portions and a light transmitting substrate bonded to the optical semiconductor element directly or via only a light transmitting adhesive layer. A surface of the light transmitting substrate on a side opposite to the optical semiconductor element is provided with a first refractive index changing layer having a projecting and recessed structure in which a refractive index continuously changes from a refractive index of air to a refractive index of the light transmitting substrate toward the light transmitting substrate. When a distance between the optical semiconductor element and the first refractive index changing layer is A, a distance between adjacent light receiving portions of the plurality of light receiving portions is B, and a refractive index of the light transmitting substrate to a refractive index of the air is n, A>B/[2 tan{sin.sup.1(sin 1/n)}] is established.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a solar cell and a method for producing the same. The solar cell includes: a substrate having a first textured surface, a plurality of sheet-shaped anti-reflection films, and a plurality of grid lines. A plurality of grid-line areas spaced from each other are formed on the first textured surface, and each grid-line area has a second textured surface. One or more sheet-shaped anti-reflection films of the plurality of sheet-shaped anti-reflection films are formed on a portion of the second textured surface of each grid-line area. Each grid line of the plurality of grid lines is formed on a respective grid-line area, and each grid line is in contact with the one or more sheet-shaped anti-reflection films and with a remaining portion of the second textured surface of the respective grid-line area not covered by any sheet-shaped anti-reflection films. grid linegrid line.

The present disclosure provides an adhesive film for a photovoltaic module and a photovoltaic module. The adhesive film includes an edge portion, a transition portion, and a middle portion. The edge portion is provided with a first embossment recessed towards the interior of the edge portion. The transition portion is provided with a second embossment recessed towards the interior of the transition portion. The middle portion is provided with a third embossment recessed towards the interior of the middle portion. The edge portion is connected to the middle portion through the transition portion, a recessed space volume per unit area of the third embossment is greater than a recessed space volume per unit area of the second embossment, and the recessed space volume per unit area of the second embossment is greater than a recessed space volume per unit area of the first embossment.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a solar cell and a method for producing the same. The solar cell includes: a substrate having a first textured surface, a plurality of sheet-shaped anti-reflection films, and a plurality of grid lines. A plurality of grid-line areas spaced from each other are formed on the first textured surface, and each grid-line area has a second textured surface. One or more sheet-shaped anti-reflection films of the plurality of sheet-shaped anti-reflection films are formed on a portion of the second textured surface of each grid-line area. Each grid line of the plurality of grid lines is formed on a respective grid-line area, and each grid line is in contact with the one or more sheet-shaped anti-reflection films and with a remaining portion of the second textured surface of the respective grid-line area not covered by any sheet-shaped anti-reflection films.

The present invention provides a coated steel plate suitable for an inline thin-film photovoltaic module, comprising a steel substrate and a composite insulating layer on the surface of the steel substrate. The composite insulating layer comprises an insulating base layer and a laser scribing buffer layer; one side of the insulating base layer is the steel substrate, and the other side is the laser scribing buffer layer. The laser scribing buffer layer contains at least one of the following components: Si.sub.xN.sub.y, where 0.75x:y1; and Si.sub.1-x(R).sub.xO.sub.y, where R is an element selected from Sb, Au, Cu, Sn, and Ag, and 0<x0.05, 1.9y2. Since the silicon nitride and the doped silicon dioxide used in the laser scribing buffer layer can exhibit specific colors, part of the energy of the laser can be absorbed during the laser etching process, and the damage and the loss of insulation of the insulating base layer during etching can be avoided, thereby ensuring that the coated steel plate for inline thin-film photovoltaic modules provided by the present invention has stable working performance. Additionally, the present invention further discloses a method for manufacturing the aforementioned coated steel plate.

A system is provided that integrates an autonomous energy harvesting capacity in a mobile device in an aesthetically neutral manner. A unique set of structural features combine to implement a hidden energy harvesting system on a surface of the mobile device body structure or casing to provide electrical power to the mobile device, and/or to individually electrically-powered components in the mobile device. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below. The layers appear opaque when observed from a light incident side, while allowing at least 50%, and as much as 80+%, of the energy impinging on the energy or incident side to pass through the layer.

Textured optoelectronic devices and associated methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. In several embodiments, a method of manufacturing a solid state optoelectronic device can include forming a conductive transparent texturing material on a substrate. The method can further include forming a transparent conductive material on the texturing material. Upon heating the device, the texturing material causes the conductive material to grow a plurality of protuberances. The protuberances can improve current spreading and light extraction from the device.

The present disclosure describes a strategy to create self-healing, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS). Roughened (e.g., porous) surfaces can be utilized to lock in place a lubricating fluid, referred to herein as Liquid B to repel a wide range of materials, referred to herein as Object A (Solid A or Liquid A). SLIPS outperforms other conventional surfaces in its capability to repel various simple and complex liquids (water, hydrocarbons, crude oil and blood), maintain low-contact-angle hysteresis (<2.5), quickly restore liquid-repellency after physical damage (within 0.1-1 s), resist ice, microorganisms and insects adhesion, and function at high pressure (up to at least 690 atm). Some exemplary application where SLIPS will be useful include energy-efficient fluid handling and transporation, optical sensing, medicine, and as self-cleaning, and anti-fouling materials operating environments.

A method and apparatus to modify the surface structure of a silicon substrate or deposited silicon layer in a controllable manner using gas only in an atmospheric environment, suitable for making photovoltaic (PV) wafer based devices. The method and apparatus comprising the steps of disposing the substrate or deposited layer on a moveable carrier; pre-heating the substrate or deposited layer; and moving the substrate or deposited layer for etching through an atmospheric reactor; under an etchant delivering module inside the reactor and applying at least one etchant in gas form at a controlled flow rate and angle to the substrate or deposited layer in the reactor, wherein the at least one etchant gas is selected from the group comprising fluoride-containing gases and chlorine-based compounds. The technical problem that has been solved is the provision of a high throughput dry etching method at atmospheric pressure. This apparatus does not require plasma to aid the etching process using fluoride-containing gases and chlorine-based compounds and is performed at open atmospheric pressure. The use of elemental fluorine, which has a significantly lower bonding energy than any of the other etchants used to date, allows for the use of much lower power energy source to crack the elemental fluorine in to its etching radicals. The apparatus enables the delivery of a predetermined texture finish by controlling the flow rate of the gasses which are bombarded on the surface of the substrate.