A method for passivating the surface of crystalline iron disulfide (FeS.sub.2) by encapsulating it in crystalline zinc sulfide (ZnS). Also disclosed is the related product comprising FeS.sub.2 encapsulated by ZnS in which the sulfur atoms at the FeS.sub.2 surfaces are passivated. Additionally disclosed is a photovoltaic (PV) device incorporating FeS.sub.2 encapsulated by ZnS.

After forming an absorber layer containing cracks over a back contact layer, a passivation layer is formed over a top surface of the absorber layer and interior surfaces of the cracks. The passivation layer is deposited in a manner such that that the cracks in the absorber layer are fully passivated by the passivation layer. An emitter layer is then formed over the passivation layer to pinch off upper portions of the cracks, leaving voids in lower portions of the cracks.

A dielectric coating material system for use in a single-sided back contact solar cell is disclosed. The material system serves to electrically isolate electrodes of opposite polarity types on the same side of a silicon-based solar call, and includes titanium and phosphorus.

Passivated contact structures and fabrication methods for back contact back junction solar cells are provided. According to one example embodiment, a back contact back junction photovoltaic solar cell is described that has a semiconductor light absorbing layer having a front side and a backside having base regions and emitter regions. A passivating dielectric insulating layer is on the base and emitter regions. A first electrically conductive contact contacts the passivating dielectric insulating layer together having a work function suitable for selective collection of electrons that closely matches a conduction band of the light absorbing layer. A second electrically conductive contact contacts the passivating dielectric insulating layer together having a work function suitable for selective collection of electrons that closely matches a valence band of the light absorbing layer.

A solar cell includes: first and second conductivity type diffusion layers which are formed on a backside of a light-receiving surface of a substrate, first and second electrode portions, first and second electrode line portions, and first and a second electrode bus bar portions; a first insulator film which is formed to cover a side portion and a top of the second electrode portion in an intersection region of the second electrode portion and the first electrode bus bar portion, a second insulator film which is formed to cover a side portion and a top of the first electrode portion in an intersection region of the first electrode portion and the second electrode bus bar portion, wherein the second electrode portion is formed continuously in a line shape under the first insulator film, and the first electrode portion is formed continuously in a line shape under the second insulator film.

A solar cell having an electrical modulating stack layer is provided. The solar cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. A first electrical modulating stack layer is disposed on the first electrode, wherein the first electrical modulating stack layer includes at least one positively charged layer and at least one negatively charged layer or the first electrical modulating layer includes a first surface modification layer.

Provided are a transparent solar cell and a rear-reflective transparent solar cell module having the same. The transparent solar cell includes a transparent substrate, a first transparent electrode on the transparent substrate, a light absorption layer on the first transparent electrode, a re-absorption enhancing layer on the light absorption layer, and a second transparent electrode on the re-absorption enhancing layer.

Disclosed herein are a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same. The solar cell module includes a semiconductor substrate, a first passivation film located on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second passivation film located on a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, a front electric field region located on the first passivation film on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and being of a same conductivity-type as that of the semiconductor substrate, an emitter region located on the second passivation film on the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate and being of a conductivity-type opposite that of the semiconductor substrate, first electrodes conductively connected to the front electric field region, and second electrode conductively connected to the emitter region.

Disclosed is a solar cell including a semiconductor substrate, a protective-film layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a polycrystalline semiconductor layer over the protective-film layer, a first conductive area formed by selectively doping the semiconductor layer with a first conductive dopant, a second conductive area doped with a second conductive dopant and located between neighboring portions of the first conductive area, an undoped barrier area located between the first conductive area and the second conductive area, a first electrode connected to the first conductive area, and a second electrode connected to the second conductive area. Each of the first conductive area and the second conductive area includes a second crystalline area having a crystalline structure different from that of the barrier area, and the second crystalline areas of the first and second conductive areas include a second polycrystalline area and a fourth crystalline area having different depths.

There are provided an adhesive for a solar-cell back sheet having an excellent curing rate and being capable of exhibiting excellent adhesive performance by short-term aging, and also a polyol composition used for the adhesive, a solar-cell back sheet using the adhesive, and a solar-cell module using the sheet. The adhesive for a solar-cell back sheet contains, as essential components, at least one hydroxyl group-containing resin (A) selected from a polyester polyurethane polyol (A1), a polyester polyol (A2), a hydroxyl group-containing (meth)acrylic resin (A3), and a hydroxyl group-containing fluorocarbon resin (A4), a polyisocyanate (B), and a cyclic amide compound (C).