Approaches for the foil-based metallization of solar cells and the resulting solar cells are described. A method involves patterning a first surface of a metal foil to provide a plurality of alternating grooves and ridges in the metal foil. Non-conductive material regions are formed in the grooves in the metal foil. The metal foil is located above a plurality of alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions disposed in or above a substrate to provide the non-conductive material regions in alignment with locations between the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions and to provide the ridges in alignment with the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The ridges of the metal foil are adhered to the alternating N-type and P-type semiconductor regions. The metal foil is patterned through the metal foil from a second surface of the metal foil at regions in alignment with the non-conductive material regions.

Various technologies described herein pertain to assembling electronic devices into a microsystem. The electronic devices are disposed in a solution. Light can be applied to the electronic devices in the solution. The electronic devices can generate currents responsive to the light applied to the electronic devices in the solution, and the currents can cause electrochemical reactions that functionalize regions on surfaces of the electronic devices. Additionally or alternatively, the light applied to the electronic devices in the solution can cause the electronic devices to generate electric fields, which can orient the electronic devices and/or induce movement of the electronic devices with respect to a receiving substrate. Further, electrodes on a receiving substrate can be biased to attract and form connections with the electronic devices having the functionalized regions on the surfaces. The microsystem can include the receiving substrate and the electronic devices connected to the receiving substrate.

A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.

Described herein is a photovoltaic plant (1; 1; 1; 1) including a plurality of photovoltaic modules (PV) arranged in arrays (2) spaced with respect to each other, and wherein the photovoltaic modules (PV) of each array (2) have a first assigned inclination (-l) with respect to a reference direction. Each array (2) of photovoltaic modules (PV) is associated to an array (4; 4; 4) of mobile reflection devices (RF) set adjacent thereto, and at least one array (4; 4; 4) of mobile reflection devices (RF) is located in a space between successive arrays (2) of photovoltaic modules. The mobile reflection devices (RF) of each array have a second assigned inclination (a2) with respect to a reference direction. The arrays (2) of photovoltaic modules (PV) and the arrays (4; 4; 4) of mobile reflection devices (RF) associated to one another includes respective front surfaces (12, 14; 14) set facing one another, and the mobile reflection devices (RF) of each array are orientable by variation of said second inclination (a2) in order to intercept the incident solar radiation (ISR) and reflect the latter (RSR) towards the photovoltaic modules (PV) of the associated array (2).

Solar cells are obtained by singulating a non-rectangular solar cell wafer into a plurality of solar cells, in one embodiment a first solar cell having a surface area corresponding to at least 60% of the wafer surface area but less than 90% of the wafer surface area, and at least two second solar cells each having a surface area of less than 10% of the wafer surface area. Such a first solar cell can be connected in parallel with a plurality of the second solar cells, to establish a substantially rectangular subassembly, and such subassemblies can be combined into a larger solar cell assembly, which may be mounted on a support including other electrical components on the backside thereof, and attached to a small satellite (e.g., CubeSat) exterior surface, or deployable wing.

An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, at least one photodiode, which is formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, at least one trench, which extends from the surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate and surrounds a region of the semiconductor substrate on which the photodiode Is arranged, and at least one cavity in the semiconductor substrate, which is located below the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The at least one trench and the at least one cavity form an electrical insulation structure between the region of the semiconductor substrate on which the photodiode is arranged and one or more adjacent regions of the semiconductor substrate.

A solar cell is provided, including: a substrate; a passivation layer formed over a surface of the substrate; fingers penetrating the passivation layer to be electrically connected to the substrate and including first and second fingers alternatingly arranged; connection electrodes each in electrical contact with end portions of at least two adjacent first fingers on a same side and includes one of a sectional structure and a curved wave-like structure. The sectional structure includes at least a first connection section and a second connection section connected to each other, where the first connection section is connected to an end portion of a respective finger of the at least two adjacent first fingers, the first connection section and the respective finger has an included angle that is not equal to 180, and the first connection section and the second connection section has an included angle that is not equal to 180.

A photovoltaic cell and a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer arranged on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality busbars, and a plurality of electrode pads arranged on the passivation layer. Each of the plurality of electrode pads are electrically connected to an electrode line, and along a thickness direction of the photovoltaic cell, the plurality of electrode pads are arranged on a side of the plurality of busbars facing away from the passivation layer, or arranged on the passivation layer. Along a thickness direction of the photovoltaic cell, a vertical distance between a highest point of the plurality of electrode pads and a surface of the passivation layer is greater than or equal to a vertical distance between a highest point of the plurality of busbars and the surface of the passivation layer.

A photovoltaic cell and a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer arranged on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality busbars, and a plurality of electrode pads arranged on the passivation layer. Each of the plurality of electrode pads are electrically connected to an electrode line, and along a thickness direction of the photovoltaic cell, the plurality of electrode pads are arranged on a side of the plurality of busbars facing away from the passivation layer, or arranged on the passivation layer. Along a thickness direction of the photovoltaic cell, a vertical distance between a highest point of the plurality of electrode pads and a surface of the passivation layer is greater than or equal to a vertical distance between a highest point of the plurality of busbars and the surface of the passivation layer.

A mounting system 110 for a solar panel 11 includes a base plate 114 having an elongated mounting slot 116, a spacer beam 124 with a slot 128, a first T-shaped fastener 131 having a mounting plate 132 with a width slightly smaller than the size of the slot and a length larger than the size of the slot, so that the mounting plate may be passed through the slot and then rotated so that it then cannot pass back through the slot. A second T-shaped fastener 137 having the same configuration couples the solar panel to the spacer. The system optionally has a ballast system 145 which includes a ballast tray 146 and third T-shaped fastener 155 of the same configuration for coupling the tray to the base plate. An anti-creep strip 161 is coupled to the base member through fourth T-shaped fasteners 162 of the same configuration.