An embodiment includes an apparatus comprising: a first photovoltaic cell; a first through silicon via (TSV) included in the first photovoltaic cell and passing through at least a portion of a doped silicon substrate, the first TSV comprising (a)(i) a first sidewall, which is doped oppositely to the doped silicon substrate, and (a)(ii) a first contact substantially filling the first TSV; and a second TSV included in the first photovoltaic cell and passing through at least another portion of the doped silicon substrate, the second TSV comprising (b)(i) a second sidewall, which comprises the doped silicon substrate, and (b)(ii) a second contact substantially filling the second TSV; wherein the first and second contacts each include a conductive material that is substantially transparent. Other embodiments are described herein.

One or more solar cells arranged on a mounting surface along a first direction and extending out from the mounting surface in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. One or more angled reflectors may be arranged on the mounting surface along the first direction. The one or more angled reflectors may include a lens in a wedge shape having: an entrance surface extending along the first direction including a plurality of curved surfaces a bottom surface extending along the second direction and adjacent to the corresponding solar cell of the one or more solar cells, and a reflector surface extending along the second direction at an angle. The reflector surface may include a gradient texture comprising one or more flat surfaces, each of which is substantially parallel to the first direction, and one or more angled elevation surfaces.

A photovoltaic cell is provided that can be used under high levels of solar concentration (1000 suns). The present cell includes at least one junction produced on a substrate based on gallium antimonide, the at least one junction having two alloys based on an antimonide material (Ga.sub.1-xAl.sub.xAs.sub.ySb.sub.1-y) lattice-matched on the substrate GaSb. If there are several junctions, two neighbouring junctions are separated by a tunnel junction.

Structures including crystalline material disposed in openings defined in a non-crystalline mask layer disposed over a substrate. A photovoltaic cell may be disposed above the crystalline material.

Systems and methods are provided for wirelessly transferring power to a multi-junction photovoltaic cell of a space apparatus via a light emission system. The light emission system uses multiple lasers emitting different wavelengths and/or photon energies to produce electron-hole pairs in each layer of the multi-junction photovoltaic cell to prompt power generation by the multi-junction photovoltaic cell. The light emission system may be located on Earth or on another space apparatus. The multi-junction photovoltaic cell can convert sunlight and the light emitted by the light emission system into electrical energy.

A light trapping photovoltaic device includes a substrate having a top surface defining a plurality of openings, and a plurality of light trapping photovoltaic cells recessed into the substrate through the openings of the substrate. Each light trapping cell includes a first photovoltaic face and a second photovoltaic face, both of which are configured to produce electricity in response to an external light. Top edges of the first and second photovoltaic faces are disposed at a perimeter of an opening through which the light trapping cell is recessed and bottom edges of the first and second photovoltaic faces are disposed inside the opening. The first and second photovoltaic faces are inclined to each other at a predetermined angle so that the first and second photovoltaic faces are exposed to the external light through the opening.

A photovoltaic module generates electrical power when installed on a roof. A photovoltaic module preferably has an upper transparent protective layer, and a photovoltaic layer positioned beneath the upper transparent protective layer, the photovoltaic layer comprising a plurality of electrically interconnected photovoltaic cells disposed in an array. A rigid substrate layer is preferably positioned beneath the photovoltaic layer. A plurality of inserts is configured to be fixedly attached to (i) a bottom surface of the rigid substrate and (ii) a surface of a roof. The plurality of inserts is preferably disposed in an array, each foam insert having a substantially triangular-shaped cross section when viewed from a side orthogonal to a line of a roof downward slope.

Provided is a photovoltaic power converter receiver, including a photovoltaic cell, a waveguide coupled to the photovoltaic cell, and an optical transmission device of which an end is coupled to the waveguide for transmitting an optical wave to the photovoltaic cell through the waveguide, wherein the end of the optical transmission device is offset from a longitudinal central axis of the waveguide by a distance D.sub.offset.

A spectrum-splitting concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module utilizes direct fluid cooling of photovoltaic cells in which an array of photovoltaic cells is fully immersed in a flowing heat transfer fluid. Specifically, at least a portion of both the front face and the rear face of each photovoltaic cell comes into direct contact with heat transfer fluid, thereby enhancing coupling of waste heat out of the photovoltaic cells and into the heat transfer fluid. The CPV module is designed to maximize transmission of infrared light not absorbed by the photovoltaic cells, and therefore may be combined with a thermal receiver that captures the transmitted infrared light as part of a hybrid concentrator photovoltaic-thermal system.

A spectrum-splitting concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module utilizes direct fluid cooling of photovoltaic cells in which an array of photovoltaic cells is fully immersed in a flowing heat transfer fluid. Specifically, at least a portion of both the front face and the rear face of each photovoltaic cell comes into direct contact with heat transfer fluid, thereby enhancing coupling of waste heat out of the photovoltaic cells and into the heat transfer fluid. The CPV module is designed to maximize transmission of infrared light not absorbed by the photovoltaic cells, and therefore may be combined with a thermal receiver that captures the transmitted infrared light as part of a hybrid concentrator photovoltaic-thermal system.