Disclosed is a solar cell including a semiconductor substrate including a semiconductor material, a tunneling layer disposed over one surface of the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive area and a second conductive area disposed over the tunneling layer and having opposite conductive types, and an electrode including a first electrode electrically connected to the first conductive area and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive area. At least one of the first conductive area and the second conductive area is configured as a metal compound layer.

A transparent conductor includes a metallic glass, and a method of manufacturing a transparent conductor includes: preparing a metallic glass or a mixture comprising the metallic glass; and firing the metallic glass or the mixture comprising the metallic glass at a predetermined temperature higher than a glass transition temperature of the metallic glass.

The disclosure relates to a method for forming a conformal coating on a substrate having a topography presenting a relief. One method of the disclosure includes setting the temperature of the substrate within the range 140-275 C., and coating an aqueous solution including a sol-gel precursor on said substrate. The disclosure also relates to a method for fabricating a battery, a capacitor, a catalyst, a photovoltaic cell or a sensor using such a method, and to an aqueous solution for use in such a method.

The invention relates to the use of a coating composition to coat the backing film of a photovoltaic module. The coating composition is a 2-component coating composition comprising a resin component (A) and a crosslinker component (B). The resin component (A) comprises a1) a polyester having a hydroxyl number of 60 to 300 mg KOH/g and a glass transition temperature T.sub.g of 65 C. to 50 C., a2) a poly(meth)acrylate (co)polymer having a hydroxyl number of 50 to 250 mg KOH/g and a glass transition temperature of 65 C. to 50 C., a3) pigments and/or fillers, a4) coating additives, a5) optionally a light stabilizer, a6) a phosphoric ester, and a7) organic solvent.

The crosslinker component (B) comprises b1) a polyisocyanate and b2) optionally organic solvent.

The invention also relates to a corresponding photovoltaic module.

A solar cell element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a p-type semiconductor layer; an n-type semiconductor layer disposed on a first main surface of the p-type semiconductor layer; an insulating layer disposed on a first main surface of the n-type semiconductor layer, and including a through hole in a thickness direction; an electrode disposed on a portion of the first main surface of the n-type semiconductor layer in the through hole of the insulating layer, and being thicker than the insulating layer; and a conductor layer disposed on a first main surface of the insulating layer, being out of contact with the electrode, and having a lower work function than the n-type semiconductor layer.

A silicon solar cell has doped amorphous silicon contacts formed on a tunnel silicon oxide layer on a surface of a silicon substrate. High temperature processing is unnecessary in fabricating the solar cell.

A method of forming a photovoltaic device is provided that includes a p-n junction with a p-type semiconductor portion and an n-type semiconductor portion, wherein an upper exposed surface of one of the semiconductor portions represents a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate. Patterned antireflective coating layers are formed on the front side surface of the semiconductor surface to provide a grid pattern including a busbar region and finger region. A mask having a shape that mimics each patterned antireflective coating layer is provided atop each patterned antireflective coating layer. A metal layer is electrodeposited on the busbar region and the finger regions. After removing the mask, an anneal is performed that reacts metal atoms from the metal layer react with semiconductor atoms from the busbar region and the finger regions forming a metal semiconductor alloy.

A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter layer, of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, positioned at one surface of the substrate, a first electrode electrically connected to the emitter layer, a first protective layer positioned on a front surface of the emitter layer where the first electrode is not positioned, a back surface field layer positioned at another surface of the substrate, a second electrode electrically connected to the back surface field layer, and a second protective layer positioned on a back surface of the substrate where the second electrode is not positioned. Each of the first and second protective layers is formed of a material having fixed charges of the first conductive type.

A solar cell module is discussed. The solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cells each including a plurality of first current collectors and a plurality of second current collectors, a first protective layer positioned on incident surfaces of the solar cells, a transparent member positioned on the first protective layer, and a conductive pattern part positioned on non-incident surfaces of the plurality of solar cells. The conductive pattern part includes a first pattern having a plurality of first protrusions connected to first current collectors of one solar cell and a second pattern having a plurality of second protrusions connected to second current collectors of the one solar cell. The plurality of first current collectors and the plurality of second current collectors are positioned on a surface of each solar cell on which light is not incident.

A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell includes a silicon substrate; a front passivation layer positioned on a front surface of the silicon substrate; an n-doped layer positioned on the front surface of the silicon substrate; an anti-reflection layer positioned on the n-doped layer; a p-doped region positioned on a rear surface of the silicon substrate; an n-doped region positioned on the rear surface of the silicon substrate and spaced apart from the p-doped region; a rear passivation layer positioned on the rear surface of the silicon substrate, the rear passivation layer including: a first portion positioned between the p-doped region and the silicon substrate; a second portion positioned between the n-doped region and the silicon substrate, the second portion being space apart from the first potion; and a third portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion; a first electrode directly contacted to the p-doped region; and a second electrode directly contacted to the n-doped region.