A solar battery module according to an embodiment has at least one solar battery panel, a flexible substrate and a package. A solar battery cell is formed in the at least one solar battery panel. The flexible substrate is directly or indirectly connected to the at least one solar battery panel. A bypass diode is mounted on the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate forms a bypass line of the at least one solar battery panel. The package accommodates the at least one solar battery panel. The flexible substrate has a base material and a wiring. The wiring is supported by the base material. The wiring has a flying lead and a terminal. The flying lead protrudes from the base material. The flying lead is connected to the at least one solar battery panel. The terminal is provided on an outward side of the package.

A solar cell module comprises: two base plates each including a conductive layer on at least one side; and a plurality of submodules interposed between respective conductive layers of the two base plates. The plurality of submodules each include a plurality of cells connected to each other as a result of a conductive material electrically connecting the respective conductive layers of the two base plates. The two base plates each have a plurality of insulating grooves in a gap between the plurality of submodules. The plurality of insulating grooves of one of the two base plates and the plurality of insulating grooves of an other one of the two base plates define at least one insulating space that prevents short circuiting between adjacent submodules.

In a thin film photoelectric conversion device fabricated by addition of a catalyst element with the use of a solid phase growth method, defects such as a short circuit or leakage of current are suppressed. A catalyst material which promotes crystallization of silicon is selectively added to a second silicon semiconductor layer formed over a first silicon semiconductor layer having one conductivity type, the second silicon semiconductor layer is partly crystallized by a heat treatment, a third silicon semiconductor layer having a conductivity type opposite to the one conductivity type is stacked, and element isolation is performed at a region in the second silicon semiconductor layer to which a catalyst material is not added, so that a left catalyst material is prevented from being diffused again, and defects such as a short circuit or leakage of current are suppressed.

The present invention relates to multi-cell devices fabricated on a common substrate that are more desirable than single cell devices, particularly in photovoltaic applications. Multi-cell devices operate with lower currents, higher output voltages, and lower internal power losses. Prior art multi-cell devices use physical isolation to achieve electrical isolation between cells. In order to fabricate a multicell device on a common substrate, the individual cells must be electrically isolated from one another. In the prior art, isolation generally required creating a physical dielectric barrier between the cells, which adds complexity and cost to the fabrication process. The disclosed invention achieves electrical isolation without physical isolation by proper orientation of interdigitated junctions such that the diffusion fields present in the interdigitated region essentially prevent the formation of a significant parasitic current which would be in opposition to the output of the device.

Some embodiments include a high efficiency, lightweight solar sheet. Some embodiments include a solar sheet configured for installation on a surface of a UAV or on a surface of a component of a UAV. The solar sheet includes a plurality of solar cells and a polymer layer to which the plurality of solar cells are attached. Some embodiments include a kit for supplying solar power in a battery-powered or fuel cell powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by incorporating flexible solar cells into a component of a UAV, affixing flexible solar cells to a surface of a UAV, or affixing flexible solar cells to a surface of a component of a UAV. The kit also includes a power conditioning system configured to operate the solar cells within a desired power range and configured to provide power having a voltage compatible with an electrical system of the UAV.

A handle substrate having at least one metallization region is provided on a stressor layer that is located above a base substrate such that the at least one metallization region is in contact with a surface of the stressor layer. An upper portion of the base substrate is spalled, i.e., removed, to provide a structure comprising, from bottom to top, a spalled material portion of the base substrate, the stressor layer and the handle substrate containing the at least one metallization region in contact with the surface of the stressor layer.

The present technology relates to multi-cell devices fabricated on a common substrate that are more desirable than single cell devices, particularly in photovoltaic applications. Multi-cell devices operate with lower currents, higher output voltages, and lower internal power losses. Prior art multi-cell devices use physical isolation to achieve electrical isolation between cells. In order to fabricate a multicell device on a common substrate, the individual cells must be electrically isolated from one another. In the prior art, isolation generally required creating a physical dielectric barrier between the cells, which adds complexity and cost to the fabrication process. The disclosed technology achieves electrical isolation without physical isolation by proper orientation of interdigitated junctions such that the diffusion fields present in the interdigitated region essentially prevent the formation of a significant parasitic current which would be in opposition to the output of the device.

A device, method and process of fabricating an interdigitated multicell thermo-photo-voltaic component that is particularly efficient for generating electrical energy from photons in the red and near-infrared spectrum received from a heat source in the near field. Where the absorbing region is germanium, the device is capable of generating electrical energy by absorbing photon energy in the greater than 0.67 electron volt range corresponding to radiation in the infrared and near-infrared spectrum. Use of germanium semiconductor material provides a good match for converting energy from a low temperature heat source. The side that is opposite the photon receiving side of the device includes metal interconnections and dielectric material which provide an excellent back surface reflector for recycling below band photons back to the emitter. Multiple cells may be fabricated and interconnected as a monolithic large scale array for improved performance.

There is provided a hydrogen production device which is high in the light use efficiency and can produce hydrogen with high efficiency without decreasing the hydrogen generation rate. The hydrogen production device according to the present invention comprises: a photoelectric conversion part having a light acceptance surface and a back surface; a first gas generation part and a second gas generation part provided on the back surface, wherein one of the first gas generation part and the second gas generation part is a hydrogen generation part to generate H.sub.2 from an electrolytic solution, and the other thereof is an oxygen generation part to generate O.sub.2 from the electrolytic solution, and at least one of the first gas generation part and the second gas generation part is plural, and the photoelectric conversion part is electrically connected to the first gas generation part and the second gas generation part so that an electromotive force generated by a light acceptance of the photoelectric conversion part is supplied to the first gas generation part and the second gas generation part.

A thin-film photoelectric converter in which a first electrode layer formed of a transparent conductive material, a photoelectric conversion layer for photoelectric conversion, and a second electrode layer formed of a conductive material that reflects light are stacked in that order on an insulating light-transmitting substrate. The photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode layer are divided by dividing grooves into islands that form a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells separated from each other, adjacent ones of the plurality of photoelectric conversion cells separated by the dividing grooves being electrically connected in series. The photoelectric conversion layer includes: a first semiconductor layer including a microcrystalline structure; and a second semiconductor layer including an amorphous structure, the second semiconductor layer being disposed so as to surround all side wall portions of the first semiconductor layer that extend in in-plane directions of the insulating light-transmitting substrate.