Provided are a solar cell, a manufacturing method thereof and a photovoltaic module. The solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; a first passivation layer and a first electrode layer that are located on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a second passivation layer and a second electrode layer that are located on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. A donor material film layer is provided between the first passivation layer and the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, and/or an acceptor material film layer is provided between the second passivation layer and the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.

A high efficiency configuration for a string of solar cells comprises series-connected solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingle pattern. Front and back surface metallization patterns may provide further increases in efficiency.

A high efficiency configuration for a string of solar cells comprises series-connected solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingle pattern. Front and back surface metallization patterns may provide further increases in efficiency.

The solar cell includes a plurality of light-receiving-side finger electrodes on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion section having a semiconductor junction. The light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion section is covered with a first insulating layer. Each light-receiving-side finger electrodes include: a first metal seed layer provided between the photoelectric conversion section and the first insulating layer; and a first plating metal layer being conduction with the first metal seed layer through openings formed in the first insulating layer. The solar cell includes an isolated plating metal layer pieces contacting neither the light-receiving-side finger electrodes nor the back-side finger electrodes. On the surface of the first insulating layer, an isolated plating metal crowded region is present in a form of a band-shape extending parallel to an extending direction of the light-receiving-side finger electrodes.

The solar cell includes a plurality of light-receiving-side finger electrodes on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion section having a semiconductor junction. The light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion section is covered with a first insulating layer. Each light-receiving-side finger electrodes include: a first metal seed layer provided between the photoelectric conversion section and the first insulating layer; and a first plating metal layer being conduction with the first metal seed layer through openings formed in the first insulating layer. The solar cell includes an isolated plating metal layer pieces contacting neither the light-receiving-side finger electrodes nor the back-side finger electrodes. On the surface of the first insulating layer, an isolated plating metal crowded region is present in a form of a band-shape extending parallel to an extending direction of the light-receiving-side finger electrodes.

A photovoltaic device includes: a silicon substrate having a front surface having a texture; and an amorphous silicon layer having an uneven surface corresponding to the texture, wherein the amorphous silicon layer is amorphous in peak portions and slope portions extending between the peak portions and valley portions of the uneven surface, and has crystalline regions which grow, in a pillar manner, approximately perpendicularly from a substrate surface of the silicon substrate in the valley portions, the crystalline regions being discretely present along upper ends of the valley portions, the upper ends being opposite lower ends of the valley portions, the lower ends being in contact with the silicon substrate, wherein coverage of the crystalline regions in the valley portions is higher than coverage of amorphous regions in the valley portions.

A photovoltaic device includes: a silicon substrate having a front surface having a texture; and an amorphous silicon layer having an uneven surface corresponding to the texture, wherein the amorphous silicon layer is amorphous in peak portions and slope portions extending between the peak portions and valley portions of the uneven surface, and has crystalline regions which grow, in a pillar manner, approximately perpendicularly from a substrate surface of the silicon substrate in the valley portions, the crystalline regions being discretely present along upper ends of the valley portions, the upper ends being opposite lower ends of the valley portions, the lower ends being in contact with the silicon substrate, wherein coverage of the crystalline regions in the valley portions is higher than coverage of amorphous regions in the valley portions.

A solar cell includes: a semiconductor substrate formed of n-type crystalline silicon; a first stack formed of amorphous silicon in a first region on a first principle surface of the semiconductor substrate; a second stack formed of amorphous silicon in a second region different from the first region on the first principle surface; and a third stack formed of amorphous silicon on a second principle surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite from the first principle surface. The second stack has an oxygen concentration that is higher than that of the first stack.

A solar cell includes: a semiconductor substrate formed of n-type crystalline silicon; a first stack formed of amorphous silicon in a first region on a first principle surface of the semiconductor substrate; a second stack formed of amorphous silicon in a second region different from the first region on the first principle surface; and a third stack formed of amorphous silicon on a second principle surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite from the first principle surface. The second stack has an oxygen concentration that is higher than that of the first stack.

A solar cell module includes a solar cell, a wiring member electrically connected to the solar cell, a light-receiving-surface encapsulant and a back-surface encapsulant that cover the solar cell, a light-receiving-surface protecting member; and a back-surface protecting member. The back-surface protecting member does not contain a metal foil. A back-side metal electrode contacts the back-surface encapsulant. The arithmetic mean roughness of the surface of the back-side metal electrode that contacts the back-surface encapsulant is less than 0.1 μm. The back-surface encapsulant comprises a crosslinked olefin resin.