a p-type amorphous oxide semiconductor including gallium, a method of manufacturing the same, a solar cell including the same and a method of manufacturing the solar cell are disclosed. The p-type oxide semiconductor where gallium (Ga) is further combined with combination of one or more components selected from a group of CuS, SnO, ITO, IZTO, IGZO and IZO is provided.

A solar cell assembly (100) comprising: a layered structure (102) comprising a photovoltaic element and a conductive surface (111); and an electrode assembly (101) comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced conductive elements (104a-104f) arranged side by side, the plurality of conductive elements comprising a first conductive element (104b) having a first cross-sectional area and a second conductive element (104a) having a second cross-sectional area that is larger than the first cross-sectional area, the electrode assembly arranged on the conductive surface of the layered structure such that the conductive elements are in ohmic contact with the conductive surface.

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.

According to one embodiment, a solar cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. In a case where a photoluminescence spectrum of the photoelectric conversion layer is measured at a temperature of 100 K or lower, a first maximum value (A) which is a maximum value of emission intensity in a wavelength range of more than 650 nm and 1000 nm or less is 100 times or less of a second maximum value (B) which is a maximum value of emission intensity in a wavelength range of 600 nm or more and 650 nm or less (A100B).

The inventive concepts provide a solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The method includes preparing a substrate in a chamber, forming a light absorbing layer on the substrate by setting temperature in the chamber to a first temperature and by supplying a first source into the chamber, forming a buffer layer on the substrate by setting temperature in the chamber to a second temperature lower than the first temperature and by supplying the first source into the chamber, and forming a window layer on the substrate by supplying a second source different from the first source into the chamber.

Thermoelectric conversion materials, expressed by the following formula: Bi.sub.1-xM.sub.xCu.sub.1-wO.sub.a-yQ1.sub.yTe.sub.b-zQ2.sub.z. Here, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, Cs, K, Na, Cd, Hg, Sn, Pb, Mn, Ga, In, Tl, As and Sb; Q1 and Q2 are at least one element selected from the group consisting of S, Se, As and Sb; x, y, z, w, a, and b are 0x<1, 0<w<1, 0.2<a<4, 0y<4, 0.2<b<4, 0z<4 and x+y+z>0. These thermoelectric conversion materials may be used for thermoelectric conversion elements, where they may replace thermoelectric conversion materials in common use, or be used along with thermoelectric conversion materials in common use.

A photovoltaic device having three dimensional (3D) charge separation and collection, where charge separation occurs in 3D depletion regions formed between a p-type doped group III-nitride material in the photovoltaic device and intrinsic structural imperfections extending through the material. The p-type group III-nitride alloy is compositionally graded to straddle the Fermi level pinning by the intrinsic structural imperfections in the material at different locations in the group III-nitride alloy. A field close to the surfaces of the intrinsic defects separates photoexcited electron-hole pairs and drives the separated electrons to accumulate at the surfaces of the intrinsic defects. The intrinsic defects function as n-type conductors and transport the accumulated electrons to the material surface for collection. The compositional grading also creates a potential that drives the accumulated separated electrons toward an n-type group III-nitride layer for collection. The p-type group III-nitride alloy may comprise an alloy of InGaN, InAlN or InGaAlN.

A method of fabricating a diode includes forming a first semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion on a substrate; forming first and second electrodes on the substrate, the first electrode extending over and being in contact with the first portion of the first semiconductor layer; forming an insulting film to cover the first electrode and the first portion of the first semiconductor layer; and forming a second semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion on the substrate. The second portion of the second semiconductor layer overlapping with the second portion of the first semiconductor layer to define a vertically stacked heterojunction therewith. The first portion of the second semiconductor layer extending over and being in contact with the second electrode. Each of the first and second semiconductor layers includes an atomically thin semiconductor.

A concrete having a smooth surface, which is wholly or partly coated with a polymer film obtained by polymerisation under the action of radiation, where the film is itself wholly or partly coated with a thin photovoltaic film.

A photoelectrosynthetically active heterostructure (PAH) is manufactured by forming or providing cavities in an electrically insulating material; forming or providing an electrically conductive layer on a side of the electrically insulating material; depositing an electrocatalyst cathode layer in the cavities; depositing one or more layers of light-absorbing semiconductor material in the cavities; depositing an electrocatalyst anode layer in the cavities; removing the layer of electrically conductive metal; and forming a hydrogen permeable layer over the electrocatalyst cathode layer. The one or more layers of light-absorbing semiconductor material can form a p-n junction or Schottky junction. The PAH can be used in photoelectrosynthetic processes to produce desired products, such as reduction product (e.g., methane gas, methanol, or carbon monoxide) from carbon dioxide and liquid waste streams.