Ways of making and using tandem photovoltaic devices are provided, where such devices can include a first submodule, a second submodule, and an interface between the first submodule and the second submodule. The interface permits a portion of light to pass therethrough and optically couples the first submodule and the second submodule. Optically coupling the first submodule and the second submodule includes reducing reflection of the portion of light passing through the interface.

A photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a semiconductor stack and a transparent tunnel junction. The semiconductor stack includes an n-type layer selected from a first transparent conductive oxide layer, or a window layer, or both; and a p-type absorber layer disposed on the n-type layer, wherein the absorber layer consists essentially of CdSexTe(1-x), wherein x is from 1 to about 40 at. %. The transparent tunnel junction comprises a transparent interface layer of Cd.sub.yZn.sub.(1-y)Te doped to be p+type, and a transparent contact layer doped to be n+type, and the interface layer is disposed between the p-type absorber layer and the transparent contact layer. In bifacial embodiments, the tunnel junction forms a transparent back contact and electrode; and in multi-junction embodiments, the tunnel junction forms a diode-like connector between top and bottom cells. The transparent contact layer may comprise tin oxide or zinc oxide doped with aluminum, fluorine or indium. The photovoltaic device may also include an electron reflector layer and/or an optical reflector layer.

Provided are a conductive film which is excellent in hygrothermal characteristics and has excellent bending performance, and an electronic device having such a conductive film. A conductive film is obtained by forming, on one surface or both surfaces of a substrate, a zinc tin oxide (ZTO) layer and a transparent conductive film that is formed of zinc oxide other than zinc tin oxide sequentially from the substrate side, in which a thickness of the zinc tin oxide layer is 5 to 500 nm, a thickness of the zinc oxide-based transparent conductive film is 5 to 1000 nm, and a water-vapor transmittance rate of the zinc tin oxide (ZTO) layer is 0.1 g/(m.sup.2.Math.day) or less.

Manufacture for an improved stacked-layered thin film solar cell. Solar cell has reduced absorber thickness and an improved back contact for Copper Indium Gallium Selenide solar cells. The back contact provides improved reflectance particularly for infrared wavelengths while still maintaining ohmic contact to the semiconductor absorber. This reflectance is achieved by producing a back contact having a highly reflecting metal separated from an absorbing layer with a dielectric layer.

A photovoltaic device and method include forming a plurality of pillar structures in a substrate, forming a first electrode layer on the pillar structures and forming a continuous photovoltaic stack including an N-type layer, a P-type layer and an intrinsic layer on the first electrode. A second electrode layer is deposited over the photovoltaic stack such that gaps or fissures occur in the second electrode layer between the pillar structures. The second electrode layer is wet etched to open up the gaps or fissures and reduce the second electrode layer to form a three-dimensional electrode of substantially uniform thickness over the photovoltaic stack.

A method of fabricating a color tunable thin film photovoltaic device includes depositing a layer of a semiconducting compound configured to exhibit a photovoltaic effect, and depositing a buffer layer over the layer of the semiconducting compound. Depositing transparent conducting oxides (TCO) over the buffer layer is followed by selecting two or more layers of optically transparent materials such that constructive interference among wavelengths reflected by the buffer layer, the TCO, and the two or more layers results in a desired exhibited color and depositing the two or more layers of the optically transparent materials above the TCO.

Manufacture of an improved stacked-layered thin film solar cell. The solar cell has reduced absorber thickness and an improved back contact for Copper Indium Gallium Selenide solar cells. The back contact provides improved reflectance particularly for infrared wavelengths while still maintaining ohmic contact to the semiconductor absorber. This reflectance is achieved by producing a back contact having a highly reflecting metal separated from an absorbing layer with a dielectric layer.

A method for forming a photovoltaic device includes forming a photovoltaic absorption stack on a substrate including one or more of I-III-VI.sub.2 and I.sub.2-II-IV-VI.sub.4 semiconductor material. A transparent conductive contact layer is deposited on the photovoltaic absorption stack at a temperature less than 200 degrees Celsius. The transparent conductive contact layer has a thickness of about one micron and is formed on a front light-receiving surface. The surface includes pyramidal structures due to an as deposited thickness. The transparent conductive contact layer is wet etched to further roughen the front light-receiving surface to reduce reflectance.

The invention relates to a passivated emitter rear solar cell, comprising a silicon substrate having a front and back surface, a rear passivation layer on the back surface of the silicon substrate having a plurality of open holes formed therein, an aluminum back contact layer formed in the open holes of the rear passivation layer, and at least one backside soldering tab on the back surface of the silicon substrate. The backside soldering tab is formed from an electroconductive paste composition comprising conductive metallic particles, at least one lead-free glass frit, and an organic vehicle comprising at least one silicone oil.

Disclosed are a photovoltaic with improved visibility, which can improve optical-to-electric conversion efficiency and can be applied to a window of a building or a view window of a moving means such as a vehicle, and a method of manufacturing the same. The photovoltaic includes a transparent substrate, a transparent electrode formed on one surface of the transparent substrate, a plurality of photovoltaic cells configured to each include a first electrode formed on the transparent electrode, an optical-to-electric conversion part formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the optical-to-electric conversion part, and a separation part provided between adjacent photovoltaic cells. The separation part exposes the transparent electrode to incident sunlight.