A method for fabricating semiconductor based sensor devices with sensors which are in communication with the environment surrounding the sensor devices, and such a sensor device is described. The method comprises the steps of providing a semiconductor-based device wafer, fabricating a plurality of sensors on the semiconductor-based device wafer, providing a capping wafer, and attaching the capping wafer on the device wafer with each sensor arranged below a recess of the capping wafer. The capping wafer comprises at least one gas permeable section between each recess and the second side, to provide a gas passage between the recess and the environment surrounding the sensor device. The method further comprises the steps of applying a protective layer on all gas permeable sections of the capping wafer, dividing the device wafer and the attached capping wafer into individual sensor devices, and removing the protective layer from all gas permeable sections.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module including forming a solar cell assembly by connecting a plurality of solar cells in an alignment direction in series, forming a plurality of solar cell units by cutting the solar cell assembly along a cutting line in a direction being different from the alignment direction, and disposing the plurality of solar cell units in an encapsulation member such that angles defined by a height direction of the encapsulation member and upper surfaces of the solar cell units are 30 degrees to 90 degrees.

Automatic assembly method of a photovoltaic panel with cells of the back-contact type provided with a conductive backsheet with a thermoplastic encapsulating layer; the loading of the cells occurs in combination with their pre-fixing in a combined station sequentially placed before the superimposition of the upper encapsulating layer and after the laying of the conductive adhesive. The loading is carried out with a first device of the automatic mechanical hand type which takes a group of cells, aligns them with the back contacts in correspondence of the holes and lays them vertically from above. Furthermore, a second device of the presser-heater type carries out the pre-fixing of the cells holding them in the final position also with localized heating on at least one portion of each cell in such a way as to activate the adhesive function of the underlying thermoplastic encapsulating layer. A combined loading and pre-fixing station is also disclosed.

Examples of the various techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a mesa height adjustment approach during shallow trench isolation formation, a transistor via first approach, and a multiple absorption layer approach. As described further below, the techniques introduced herein include a variety of aspects that can individually and/or collectively resolve or mitigate one or more traditional limitations involved with manufacturing PDs and transistors on the same substrate, such as above discussed reliability, performance, and process temperature issues.

Fabricating an optics wafer includes providing a wafer comprising a core region composed of a glass-reinforced epoxy, the wafer further comprising a first resin layer on a top surface of the core region and a second resin layer on a bottom surface of the core region. The core region and first and second resin layers are substantially non-transparent for a specific range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The wafer further includes vertical transparent regions that extend through the core region and the first and second resin layers and are composed of a material that is substantially transparent for the specific range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The wafer is thinned, for example by polishing, from its top surface and its bottom surface so that a resulting thickness is within a predetermined range without causing glass fibers of the core region to become exposed. Respective optical structures are provided on one or more exposed surfaces of at least some of the transparent regions.

A coating-removal apparatus may include a source positioned on a mounting plate, and operable to emit a laser beam at a first path, where the mounting plate is configured to receive an edge of a photovoltaic module in a designated region substantially proximate to the mounting plate, such that the first path intersects the designated region, and where the mounting plate is further configured to reposition the source to create an additional path that intersects with the designated region, where the additional path is distinct from the first path.

A system for processing solar cells is disclosed which includes a separation module for separating a processing frame from solar cells that are fed along a conveyance line. The processing frame can be separated without requiring manual lifting of the processing frame by feeding the processing frame and solar cells into a magnetic roller system. The magnetic roller system can gradually lift the processing frame away from the solar cells and divert the processing frame to a separate roller system. The solar cells can remain on the main conveyance line for further processing.

Solar cells having a plurality of sub-cells coupled by metallization structures having a metal bridge, and singulation approaches to forming solar cells having a plurality of sub-cells coupled by metallization structures, are described. In an example, the metal bridge can provide structural support and provide for an electrical connection between a first contact pad and a first busbar. Adjacent ones of the singulated and physically separated semiconductor substrate portions have a groove there between and where the metal bridge can be perpendicular to the groove. The solar cell can include a first contact pad adjacent to a second contact pad.

An apparatus for and a method of forming a plurality of groups of laser beams (2, 2, 2) are defined. Each group (2, 2, 2) may comprise two or more laser beams. The apparatus comprises a first diffractive optical element (3, referred as DOE) and a second diffractive optical element (8), the first DOE (3) being arranged to receive a first laser beam (1) and to divide this into a plurality of second laser sub-beams and the second DOE (8) being arranged to receive said plurality of second laser sub-beams and to divide each of these into two or more groups of third laser sub-beams (2, 2, 2), the separation of the groups in a direction perpendicular to a first axis being adjustable by rotation of the first DOE (3) about its optical axis and the separation of the third laser sub-beams (2, 2, 2) within each group in a direction perpendicular to the first axis being adjustable by rotation of the second DOE (8) about its optical axis.

An impurity-diffusing composition including (A) a polysiloxane represented by Formula (1) and (B) an impurity diffusion component. ##STR00001## In the formula, R.sup.1 represents an aryl group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, and a plurality of R.sup.1 may be the same or different. R.sup.2 represents any of a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and an aryl group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, and a plurality of R.sup.2 may be the same or different. R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 each represent any of a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and an acyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and a plurality of R.sup.3 and a plurality of R.sup.4 each may be the same or different. The ratio of n:m is 95:5 to 25:75.