Methods for forming a photovoltaic device include forming a buffer layer between a transparent electrode and a p-type layer. The buffer layer includes a work function that falls substantially in a middle of a barrier formed between the transparent electrode and the p-type layer to provide a greater resistance to light induced degradation. An intrinsic layer and an n-type layer are formed over the p-type layer.

A method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based solar cell having a photoelectric conversion section includes a silicon-based layer of an opposite conductivity-type on a first principal surface side of a crystalline silicon substrate of a first conductivity-type, and a collecting electrode formed by an electroplating method on a first principal surface of the photoelectric conversion section. By applying laser light from a first or second principal surface side of the photoelectric conversion section, an insulation-processed region his formed where a short-circuit between the first principal surface and a second principal surface of the photoelectric conversion section is eliminated. On the collecting electrode and/or the insulation-processed region, a protecting layer s formed for preventing diffusion of a metal contained in the collecting electrode into the substrate. After the protecting layer is formed, the insulation-processed region is heated to eliminate leakage between the substrate and the silicon-based layer.

Disclosed is a solar cell including a substrate, an electrode layer disposed on the substrate, a p-type light-absorption layer disposed on the electrode layer, an n-type ZnS layer disposed on the p-type light-absorption layer, and a transparent electrode layer disposed on the n-type ZnS layer. The substrate can be immersed into an acidic solution of zinc salt, chelate, and thioacetamide, thereby forming the n-type ZnS layer on the substrate.

A method of forming a solar cell structure is provided, which includes forming a metal electrode on a substrate, forming an absorber layer on the metal electrode, and forming a buffer layer on the absorber layer. The method also forms a titanium oxide layer on the buffer layer, wherein a thickness of the titanium oxide layer is greater than 0 and less than 10 nm. The method further forms a transparent conductive oxide layer on the titanium oxide layer. The step of forming the titanium oxide layer is atomic layer deposition (ALD) performed at a temperature of 100 C. to 180 C. with a precursor of titanium tetraisopropoxide.

Described herein is a method of using the buffer layer of a transparent conductive substrate as a dopant source for the n-type window layer of a photovoltaic device. The dopant source of the buffer layer distributes to the window layer of the photovoltaic device during semiconductor processing. Described herein are also methods of manufacturing embodiments of the substrate structure and photovoltaic device. Disclosed embodiments also describe a photovoltaic module and a photovoltaic structure with a plurality of photovoltaic devices having an embodiment of the substrate structure.

A method for forming a back contact on an absorber layer in a photovoltaic device includes forming a two dimensional material on a first substrate. An absorber layer including CuZnSnS(Se) (CZTSSe) is grown over the first substrate on the two dimensional material. A buffer layer is grown on the absorber layer on a side opposite the two dimensional material. The absorber layer is exfoliated from the two dimensional material to remove the first substrate from a backside of the absorber layer opposite the buffer layer. A back contact is deposited on the absorber layer.

Hybrid transparent conducting materials are disclosed with combine a polycrystalline film and conductive nanostructures, in which the polycrystalline film is percolation doped with the conductive nanostructures. The polycrystalline film preferably is a single atomic layer thickness of polycrystalline graphene, and conductive nanostructures preferably are silver nanowires.

A base material with a transparent conductive film on or above the base material is provided. The transparent conductive film includes a conductive layer; and a protective layer being located on a side of the conductive layer and containing a first resin, the side not opposing to the base material. The transparent conductive film includes a conductive portion and a non-conductive portion in a plan view. The conductive layer contains no metal wires in the conductive portion or contains less metal wires per unit area in the non-conductive portion than the conductive layer contains the metal wires per unit area in the conductive portion. The protective layer contains a particle in the conductive portion, and includes an aperture penetrating the first resin in a thickness direction in the non-conductive portion. The particle is soluble in an acidic etching solution, and the first resin is resistant to the acidic etching solution.

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.