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.

Monochromatic photosensitive devices (MPDs) having series connected photosensitive diode cell arrays in two configurations are disclosed. The MPDs employ a protection diode to bypass either one or multiple photosensitive diodes in each photosensitive diode cell should a photosensitive diode fail as an open circuit or become blocked from the monochromatic light. The protection diode is vertically (epitaxial growth direction) integrated with a photosensitive diode layer structure during epitaxial growth, thereby permitting monolithic fabrication of the one or multiple photosensitive diode cells. The bulk of the one or multiple photosensitive diodes are formed of a material having a bandgap corresponding to the wavelength of the monochromatic light, while the protection diodes are formed of a material having a bandgap greater than the wavelength of the monochromatic light. The monochromatic light passes through the protection diode before being absorbed by the one or multiple photosensitive diodes.

Apparatus, systems, and methods for designing photovoltaic panels are described herein. The photovoltaic panels are composed substrings of photovoltaic cells. The substrings of photovoltaic cells may be oriented in a horizontal fashion with respect to a layout of the photovoltaic panels. In the event of snow coverage, partial shading, mutual shading, and so forth, orienting the substrings of the photovoltaic cells in this manner enables those substrings which are disposed higher up in the photovoltaic panel to resume operation even while those substrings which are disposed lower down in the photovoltaic panel remain covered, shaded or otherwise blocked or impeded from functioning. Accordingly, the overall productivity of a photovoltaic panel designed as described herein is increased. Related apparatus, systems, and methods are also described.

The present invention relates to a thin film solar cell module (20) comprising a first solar cell (21a) and a second solar cell (21b) disposed on a substrate (1) and connected in series, wherein the first solar cell (21a) comprises a first bottom electrode layer (22a) disposed on the substrate, a first stack (27) disposed on the first bottom electrode layer (22a), and a first top electrode layer disposed on the first stack (27), wherein the first stack (27) is configured to generate electric current when the first stack (27) is illuminated, the second solar cell (21b) comprises a second bottom electrode layer (22b) disposed on the substrate, a second stack (28) disposed on the second bottom electrode layer (22b), and a second top electrode layer disposed on the second stack (28), wherein the second stack (28) is configured to generate electric current when the second stack (28) is illuminated, wherein the first solar cell (31a; 41a; 51a) further comprises a first by-pass diode (32a; 42a; 52a) electrically connected in parallel with the first stack (27); the first by-pass diode (32a; 42a, 52a) is disposed between the first bottom electrode layer (22a) and the first top electrode layer.

In-pixel separation structures may divide photodiodes of a pixel array into multiple regions. As a result, a lens of an image sensor device may be focused by using combining signals associated with different portions of the photodiodes. As a result, the lens may be focused faster and with fewer pixels of the pixel array, which conserves power, processing resources, and raw materials.

An optical blocking region formed with patterned metal reduces light reflection toward pixel sensors in a pixel sensor array. The optical blocking region may be formed of a metal nanoscale grid in order to reflect more light away from the pixel sensors. The optical blocking region may include a dielectric layer, supporting the patterned metal, with high absorption structures or shallow deep trench isolation structures in order to increase absorption and thus reduce light reflection toward the pixel sensors.

A solar cell assembly is presented. The solar cell assembly includes one or more solar cell units coupled in series. The solar cell unit includes a first solar cell series and a second solar cell series connected in parallel. The first and second solar cell series include a plurality of solar cells connecting in series respectively. The solar cell assembly also includes a bypass diode coupled to each solar cell unit and shared between the first and second solar cell series in each solar cell unit.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure, the structure including an absorber layer comprising gallium arsenide. A bypass function is provided in a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure, where under reverse-bias conditions the p-n junction breaks down in a controlled manner by a Zener breakdown effect.

The present disclosure provides methods of fabricating a multijunction solar cell panel in which one or more of the steps are performed using an automated process. In some embodiments, the automated process uses machine vision.

An integral inverter, usable with a solar cell module comprising a solar cell panel, can include a terminal for inputting a DC power from the solar cell panel; a bypass diode electrically connected to the terminal; an inverter member including a direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) inverter electrically connected to the bypass diode; a case to integrate at least one of the terminal and the bypass diode with the DC-AC inverter located therein, and attached to a back surface of the solar cell panel using an adhesive; and an AC cable for outputting AC power from the case.