Disclosed are a solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell includes a molybdenum layer on a support substrate; an ohmic layer on the molybdenum layer; a light absorbing layer on the ohmic layer; and a front electrode layer on the light absorbing layer, wherein the ohmic layer comprises a first ohmic layer and a second ohmic layer having crystal structures different from each other.

Various embodiment include optical and optoelectronic devices and methods of making same. Under one aspect, an optical device includes an integrated circuit having an array of conductive regions, and an optically sensitive material over at least a portion of the integrated circuit and in electrical communication with at least one conductive region of the array of conductive regions. Under another aspect, a film includes a network of fused nanocrystals, the nanocrystals having a core and an outer surface, wherein the core of at least a portion of the fused nanocrystals is in direct physical contact and electrical communication with the core of at least one adjacent fused nanocrystal, and wherein the film has substantially no defect states in the regions where the cores of the nanocrystals are fused. Additional devices and methods are described.

A beach towel with reinforced slits and a storage pouch which stores anchoring stakes and other beach accessories is disclosed. The anchoring stakes have a generally round or square tapered elongated body with multiple projections extending transverse to and outwardly from the elongated body which pass through the slits into sand to securely hold the towel from being displaced. When the stakes are removed from the pouch, the pouch can then be used to store cellphones and other personal effects usually brought to the beach. The pouch is designed to be removably attached to the underside of the beach towel for safekeeping of personal effects. Optionally, solar powered charging apparatus for charging cellphones and other electronic devices is stowed in the pouch. Additionally, a method for deploying the beach towel on the sand and an anchorable beach towel kit is disclosed.

An electrical device that includes an electrically-conductive substrate having a flexible structure; and wherein the flexible structure is formed by coating, encapsulating, and entangling it with porous silicon nano-particles, and wherein the porous silicon nano-particles are produced according to steps of: (I) alloying a raw silicon material with at least one distillable alloying metal selected from zinc and magnesium to form an alloy; (II) milling the alloy to form alloy nano-particles of 100 nm-150 nm in diameter, and doing the milling in an inert environment to alleviate oxidation of the alloy; (III) distilling the alloying metal from the alloy nano-particles so that a porous silicon structure is produced, the distilling being performed in a vacuum furnace; and (IV) milling the porous silicon structure in an inert environment to break the porous silicon structure apart, thereby to produce the porous silicon nano-particles.

A radiant energy transfer panel is resized from an array of individually sealed segments by cutting the array along a cut line, thereby damaging some segments by breaking their seals. Other segments adjacent to the damaged segments are left intact. Each segment has two electrodes for power connection. Electrodes of the damaged segments remain electrically connected to electrodes of undamaged segments after cutting. An edge member may be positioned to overlap damaged segments and redirect light from undamaged segments to compensate for the damaged segments. In alternative embodiments, the edge member may be light-blocking. The radiant energy transfer panel may be an electroluminescent panel or a photovoltaic panel.

A method for applying an electrical conductor to an electrically insulating substrate, the method comprising providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of grooves formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising particles of a conductive material. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back surface of the substrate. A pressure is then applied between the substrate and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded into the grooves adheres to the substrate. The membrane(s) may remain on the electrically insulating substrate. The electrically conductive particles in the composition can then be sintered to form a pattern of electrical conductors on the substrate, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

A solar cell according to an embodiment includes at least one first solar cell panel, a flexible substrate, a bypass diode, and a package. The at least one first solar cell panel is disposed with a light receiving surface thereof oriented in a predetermined direction. The flexible substrate is disposed in the vicinity of the at least one first solar cell panel when viewed in the predetermined direction. The flexible substrate forms a bypass line for the at least one first solar cell panel. The bypass diode is mounted on the flexible substrate and is connected to the at least one first solar cell panel in parallel. The package houses the at least one first solar cell panel, the flexible substrate, and the bypass diode. The at least one first solar cell panel is disposed between both ends of the flexible substrate and the bypass diode in the predetermined direction.

A photovoltaic powered flexible electronic device comprising a flexible photovoltaic module, electrodes (such as anode and cathode) incorporated into the flexible photovoltaic module, wherein the electrodes are at least partially exposed, and a flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is attached to one of the following: (a) the flexible photovoltaic module, (b) a flexible substrate located on the flexible photovoltaic module, and (c) an adhesive located on the flexible photovoltaic module, the flexible circuit board comprising: a recharging circuit, wherein the recharging circuit is electrically connected to the cathode and anode electrodes; an energy storage unit; and a radio emitting device, wherein the photovoltaic powered flexible electronic device comprises a Young's Modulus of 150 GPa or less. The flexible electronic device can be a flexible organic electronic device.

Provided is a photoelectric conversion module capable of improving bonding strength between photoelectric conversion elements adjacent to each other. The photoelectric conversion module (100) comprises a first photoelectric conversion element (10a) including a collector electrode (30a) and a second photoelectric conversion element (10b) including a conductive substrate (20b). The first photoelectric conversion element (10a) and the second photoelectric conversion element (10b) are arranged side by side so as to partially overlap each other. The photoelectric conversion module comprises a conductor (200) electrically connecting the collector electrode (30a) of the first photoelectric conversion element (10a) and the conductive substrate (20b) of the second photoelectric conversion element (10b) to each other. The conductor (200) is provided from a region of the collector electrode (30a) of the first photoelectric conversion element (10a) to a region outside the collector electrode (30a).

High-performance perovskite solar cell (PSC) devices, arrays thereof, and modules manufactured on flexible and stretchable substrates using roll-to-roll high throughput manufacturing techniques. The flexible cells can be cut into strips and are connected via flexible and/or stretchable interconnects. The interconnect can be a layer deposited on a wavy surface of the stretchable substrate, a coiled or hinged wire, or a conductive paste that can be deformed prior to curing. The highly deformable solar modules can conform to complex organic contours and shapes, such as those that are common in vehicle designs. Such shapes typically require at least one axis of flex and at least one axis of stretch.