Method of making a current collecting grid for solar cells, including the steps of a) providing a continuous layer stack (1) on a substrate (8), the layer stack (1) including an upper (2) and a lower (3) conductive layer having a photoactive layer (4) interposed there between; b) selectively removing the upper conductive layer (2) and the photoactive layer (4) for obtaining a first contact hole (10) extending through the upper conductive layer (2) and photoactive layer (4) exposing the lower conductive layer (3); c) printing a front contact body (4) on the upper conductive layer (2) and a back contact body (5) in the first contact hole (10) on the lower conductive layer (3) and forming an electrically insulating first gap surrounding the back contact body (5) between the upper conductive layer (2) and the back contact body (2).

Method of making a current collecting grid for solar cells, including the steps of a) providing a continuous layer stack (1) on a substrate (8), the layer stack (1) including an upper (2) and a lower (3) conductive layer having a photoactive layer (4) interposed there between; b) selectively removing the upper conductive layer (2) and the photoactive layer (4) for obtaining a first contact hole (10) extending through the upper conductive layer (2) and photoactive layer (4) exposing the lower conductive layer (3); c) printing a front contact body (4) on the upper conductive layer (2) and a back contact body (5) in the first contact hole (10) on the lower conductive layer (3) and forming an electrically insulating first gap surrounding the back contact body (5) between the upper conductive layer (2) and the back contact body (2).

A solar cell of an embodiment includes a p-electrode, an n-electrode, a p-type light-absorbing layer located between the p-electrode and the n-electrode and mainly containing a cuprous oxide, and an n-type layer includes a first n-type layer which is located between the p-type light-absorbing layer and the n-electrode and mainly contains a compound represented by Ga.sub.x1M1.sub.x2M2.sub.x3M3.sub.x4O.sub.x5, the M1 being Al and/or B, the M2 being one or more selected from the group consisting of In, Ti, Zn, Hf, and Zr, the M3 being one or more selected from the group consisting of Sn, Si, and Ge, the x1 and the x5 being more than 0, the x2, the x3, and the x4 being 0 or more, and the x5 when a sum of the x1, the x2, the x3, and the x4 is 2 being 3.0 or more and 3.8 or less, and a second n-type layer which is located between the first n-type layer and the n-electrode and mainly contains a compound represented by Ga.sub.y1M1.sub.y2M2.sub.y3M3.sub.y4O.sub.y5, the y1 and the y5 being more than 0, the y2, the y3, and the y4 being 0 or more, and the y5 when a sum of the y1, the y2, the y3, and the y4 is 2 being 3.0 or more and 3.8 or less, or a first n-type region which is located between the p-type light-absorbing layer and the n-electrode and mainly contains a compound represented by Ga.sub.x1M1.sub.x2M2.sub.x3M3.sub.x4O.sub.x5, the M1 being Al and/or B, the M2 being one or more selected from the group consisting of In, Ti, Zn, Hf, and Zr, the M3 being one or more selected from the group consisting of Sn, Si, and Ge, the x1 and the x5 being more than 0, the x2, the x3, and the x4 being 0 or more, and the x5 when a sum of the x1, the x2, the x3, and the x4 is 2 being 3.0 or more and 3.8 or less, and a second n-type region which is located between the first n-type region and the n-electrode and mainly contains a compound represented by Ga.sub.y1M1.sub.y2M2.sub.y3M3.sub.y4O.sub.y5, the y1 and the y5 being more than 0, the y2, the y3, and the y4 being 0 or more, and the y5 when a sum of the y1, the y2, the y3, and the y4 is 2 being 3.0 or more and 3.8 or less, wherein (x2+x3) is larger than (y2+y3).

A moldable photovoltaic module is provided. The module includes a flexible polymeric flex-circuit substrate having an electrically conductive printed wiring pattern and solder pads defined on it. Small photovoltaic cells are affixed to the flex-circuit substrate by back-surface contacts in electrical contact with the solder pads. At least one thermoformable polymeric film is joined to the flex-circuit substrate. Each said solder pad comprises a solder composition that, after an initial melt, has a melting point that lies above at least a portion of the temperature range for thermoforming the polymeric film.

A moldable photovoltaic module is provided. The module includes a flexible polymeric flex-circuit substrate having an electrically conductive printed wiring pattern and solder pads defined on it. Small photovoltaic cells are affixed to the flex-circuit substrate by back-surface contacts in electrical contact with the solder pads. At least one thermoformable polymeric film is joined to the flex-circuit substrate. Each said solder pad comprises a solder composition that, after an initial melt, has a melting point that lies above at least a portion of the temperature range for thermoforming the polymeric film.

The invention relates to a concentrator photovoltaic module comprising a housing, a photovoltaic chip, at least two electrical contacts for contacting the photovoltaic chip, and a transparent cover. The housing has a recess forming a receiving tray with a recessed bottom portion for receiving the photovoltaic chip. The receiving tray has side walls with at least a first and a second reflective region. The first reflective region is oriented at a first angle with respect to a horizontal plane of the housing and the second reflective region is oriented at a second angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the housing. The first angle is different from the second angle.

The invention relates to a concentrator photovoltaic module comprising a housing, a photovoltaic chip, at least two electrical contacts for contacting the photovoltaic chip, and a transparent cover. The housing has a recess forming a receiving tray with a recessed bottom portion for receiving the photovoltaic chip. The receiving tray has side walls with at least a first and a second reflective region. The first reflective region is oriented at a first angle with respect to a horizontal plane of the housing and the second reflective region is oriented at a second angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the housing. The first angle is different from the second angle.

A tandem photovoltaic cell includes a top cell having a first absorber and a bottom cell having a second absorber. The top cell and the bottom cell are electrically coupled in series. The top cell is configured to receive solar radiation through a first surface of the top cell and to transmit photons through a second surface of the top cell to the bottom cell, and the bottom cell is configured to receive the photons from the top cell through a first surface of the bottom cell and to receive solar radiation through a second surface of the bottom cell. A photovoltaic module includes a multiplicity of the tandem photovoltaic cells.

A solar cell panel using a back contact solar cell is disclosed. The solar cell panel includes a front substrate, a back sheet positioned opposite the front substrate, a plurality of solar cells positioned between the front substrate and the back sheet and connected to one another by a plurality of conductive lines electrically connecting two adjacent solar cells, an encapsulant covering the plurality of solar cells, and at least one blocking portion blocking the plurality of conductive lines that is otherwise visible between the solar cells from being visually seen. The at least one blocking portion is positioned between a back surface of the front substrate and the encapsulant.

A solar cell panel using a back contact solar cell is disclosed. The solar cell panel includes a front substrate, a back sheet positioned opposite the front substrate, a plurality of solar cells positioned between the front substrate and the back sheet and connected to one another by a plurality of conductive lines electrically connecting two adjacent solar cells, an encapsulant covering the plurality of solar cells, and at least one blocking portion blocking the plurality of conductive lines that is otherwise visible between the solar cells from being visually seen. The at least one blocking portion is positioned between a back surface of the front substrate and the encapsulant.