Photovoltaic cells with interconnects to external circuit

1. A system, comprising:

first and second electrodes;

a photoactive layer between the first and second electrodes;

an electrically conductive layer electrically connected with the first electrode;

a first substrate between the electrically conductive layer and the first electrode, the first substrate having an opening;

a first adhesive layer between the first substrate and the electrically conductive layer, the first adhesive layer having an opening; and

an electrically conductive member that is electrically connected to both the first electrode and the electrically conductive layer, the electrically conductive member being in both the opening of the first substrate and the opening of the first adhesive layer,

wherein the electrically conductive layer is a continuous layer without openings and comprises an electrically conductive material distributed continuously throughout the entire electrically conductive layer, the electrically conductive member is entirely disposed between the first electrode and the electrically conductive layer, the first electrode is configured to be electrically connected to an external load via both the electrically conductive member and the electrically conductive layer, and the system is configured as a photovoltaic cell.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises brass, tinned copper, tinned stainless steel, or tinned nickel.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is in the shape of a ribbon or a mesh.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a bus.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a first electrically conductive adhesive material.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first electrically conductive adhesive material comprises a polymer impregnated with a metal.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive member further comprises a metal disk.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the metal disk comprises titanium, stainless steel, palladium, platinum, copper, tin, aluminum, indium, gold, silver, nickel, or an alloy thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive member comprises an electrically conductive pad.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the electrically conductive pad comprises a polymer containing a metal spring or carbon.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the polymer comprises rubber, silicone, or a curable elastomeric polymer.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a low-melting metal or alloy.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is electrically connected with the first electrode at two or more locations on the first electrode.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second substrate, wherein the electrically conductive layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first or second substrate comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalates, polyimides, polyethylene naphthalates, polymeric hydrocarbons, cellulosic polymers, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyethers, polyether ketones, and combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second adhesive layer between the first substrate and the first electrode.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first or second adhesive layer comprises epoxies, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyesters, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, polyethylene-based polymers, or polypropylene-based polymers.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises a metal foil.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the metal foil comprises titanium, stainless steel, palladium, platinum, copper, aluminum, indium, gold, silver, nickel, or an alloy thereof.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive material comprises an electron donor material and an electron acceptor material.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the electron acceptor material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fullerenes, inorganic nanoparticles, oxadiazoles, discotic liquid crystals, carbon nanorods, inorganic nanorods, polymers containing CN groups, polymers containing CF 3 groups, and combinations thereof.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the electron donor material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of discotic liquid crystals, polythiophenes, polyphenylenes, polyphenylvinylenes, polysilanes, polythienylvinylenes, and polyisothianaphthalenes.

23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive material comprises a photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the photosensitized interconnected nanoparticle material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of selenides, sulfides, tellurides, titanium oxides, tungsten oxides, zinc oxides, zirconium oxides, and combinations thereof.

25. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive material comprises amorphous silicon or CIGS.

26. The system of claim 7 , wherein the electrically conductive member further comprises a second electrically conductive adhesive material, and the metal disk is between the first and second electrically conductive adhesive materials.

27. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second adhesive layer has an opening, and the electrically conductive member is disposed in the opening of the second adhesive layer.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the electrically conductive member comprises a first electrically conductive adhesive material.

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the electrically conductive member further comprises a metal disk.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the electrically conductive member further comprises a second electrically conductive adhesive material, and the metal disk is between the first and second electrically conductive adhesive materials.

31. The system of claim 30 , further comprising a second substrate, wherein the electrically conductive layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.