An interconnect assembly. The interconnect assembly includes a trace that includes a plurality of electrically conductive portions. The plurality of electrically conductive portions is configured both to collect current from a first solar cell and to interconnect electrically to a second solar cell. In addition, the plurality of electrically conductive portions is configured such that solar-cell efficiency is substantially undiminished in an event that any one of the plurality of electrically conductive portions is conductively impaired.

A photovoltaic module, and method of making, is disclosed in which a flexible circuit is electrically coupled to a plurality of photovoltaic cells, where the photovoltaic cells are electrically coupled in series to form a series of cells. Each photovoltaic cell has free-standing metallic articles coupled to the top and bottom surfaces of a semiconductor substrate. A cell interconnection element of each photovoltaic cell is electrically coupled to a free-standing metallic article of an adjacent photovoltaic cell, where the interconnection elements of the initial and final cells in the series serve as contact ends for the series of cells. Contact tabs of the flexible circuit are electrically coupled to the contact ends of the series of cells, and a junction box is electrically coupled to a junction box contact region of the flexible circuit.

A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter region of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, which is positioned at a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, a front passivation part positioned on a front surface of the emitter region, a front electrode part which passes through the front passivation part and is electrically connected to the emitter region, a back passivation part positioned on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a back electrode part which passes through the back passivation part and is electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate. The front passivation part and the back passivation part each include a silicon oxide layer. One of the front passivation part and the back passivation part includes an aluminum oxide layer.

A photovoltaic laminate is disclosed. Embodiments include placing a first encapsulant on a substantially transparent layer that includes a front side of a photovoltaic laminate. Embodiments also include placing a first solar cell on the first encapsulant. Embodiments include placing a metal foil on the first solar cell, where the metal foil uniformly contacts a back side of the first solar cell. Embodiments include forming a metal bond that couples the metal foil to the first solar cell. In some embodiments, forming the metal bond includes forming a metal contact region using a laser source, wherein the formed metal contact region electrically couples the metal foil to the first solar cell. Embodiments can also include placing a backing material on the metal foil. Embodiments can further include forming a back layer on the backing material layer and curing the substantially transparent layer, first encapsulant, first solar cell, metal foil, backing material and back layer to form a photovoltaic laminate.

Intercalation pastes for use with semiconductor devices are disclosed. The pastes contain precious metal particles, intercalating particles, and an organic vehicle and can be used to improve the material properties of metal particle layers. Specific formulations have been developed to be screen-printed directly onto a dried metal particle layer and fired to make a fired multilayer stack. The fired multilayer stack can be tailored to create a solderable surface, high mechanical strength, and low contact resistance. In some embodiments, the fired multilayer stack can etch through a dielectric layer to improve adhesion to a substrate. Such pastes can be used to increase the efficiency of silicon solar cells, specifically multi- and mono-crystalline silicon back-surface field (BSF), and passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) photovoltaic cells. Other applications include integrated circuits and more broadly, electronic devices.

An integrated thin-film lateral multi-junction solar device and fabrication method are provided. The device includes, for instance, a substrate, and a plurality of stacks extending vertically from the substrate. Each stack may include layers, and be electrically isolated against another stack. Each stack may also include an energy storage device above the substrate, a solar cell above the energy storage device, a transparent medium above the solar cell, and a micro-optic layer of spectrally dispersive and concentrating optical devices above the transparent medium. Furthermore, the device may include a first power converter connected between the energy storage device and a power bus, and a second power converter connected between the solar cell and the power bus. Further, different solar cells of different stacks may have different absorption characteristics.

Disclosed are a solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same. A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a tunnel layer on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive type semiconductor region on the tunnel layer and includes impurities of a first conductive type, a second conductive type semiconductor region on a second surface and includes impurities of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, a first passivation film on the first conductive type semiconductor region, a first electrode formed on the first passivation film and connected to the first conductive type semiconductor region through an opening portion formed in the first passivation film, a second passivation film on the second conductive type semiconductor region, and a second electrode formed on the second passivation film and connected to the second conductive type semiconductor region through an opening portion formed in the second passivation film.

A solar cell can include a silicon semiconductor substrate; an oxide layer on a first surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate; a polysilicon layer on the oxide layer; a diffusion region at a second surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate; a dielectric film on the polysilicon layer; a first electrode connected to the polysilicon layer through the dielectric film; a passivation film on the diffusion region; and a second electrode connected to the diffusion region through the passivation film.

A photovoltaic device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate including a p-n junction with a p-type semiconductor portion and an n-type semiconductor portion one lying on top of the other, wherein an upper exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate represents a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of patterned antireflective coatings is located on the front side surface to provide a grid pattern including a busbar region and finger regions. The busbar region includes at least a real line interposed between at least two dummy lines. A material stack including at least one metal layer located on the semiconductor substrate in the busbar region and the finger regions.

A method of fabricating an optoelectronic device includes the steps of providing a semiconductor unit and forming a plurality of metal contacts on a surface of the semiconductor unit for electrical conduction. The method further includes the step of forming a plurality of color coating regions on top of the plurality of metal contacts, the plurality of color coating regions imparting a color different than a color of the plurality of metal contacts.