Photovoltaic cells integrated with bypass diode

1. A system, comprising:

a photovoltaic cell comprising first and second electrodes, a first hole carrier layer, a first hole blocking layer, and a photoactive layer between the first hole carrier layer and the first hole blocking layer the photoactive layer comprising an organic material; and

a diode comprising third and fourth electrodes, a second hole carrier layer and a second hole blocking layer;

wherein the photoactive layer is also between the second hole carrier layer and the second hole blocking layer, the photoactive layer comprises a semiconductor material, the first hole carrier layer is electrically connected with the second hole blocking layer, and the second hole carrier layer is electrically connected with the first hole blocking layer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diode is so configured that, when the photovoltaic cell is exposed to light, the diode is not exposed to light.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first hole carrier layer is electrically connected with the second hole blocking layer via an electrode.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second hole carrier layer is electrically connected with the first hole blocking layer via an electrode.

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

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the electron donor material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of discotic liquid crystals, polythiophenes, polyphenylenes, polyphenylvinylenes, polysilanes, polythienylvinylenes, and polyisothianaphthalenes.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the electron donor material comprises poly(3-hexylthiophene).

8. The system of claim 5 , 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.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the electron acceptor material comprises a substituted fullerene.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first or second hole carrier layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polythiophenes, polyanilines, polyvinylcarbazoles, polyphenylenes, polyphenylvinylenes, polysilanes, polythienylenevinylenes, polyisothianaphthanenes, and combinations thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first or second hole blocking layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of LiF, metal oxides and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic cell is an organic photovoltaic cell.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first hole carrier layer is in contact with the first electrode, the first hole blocking layer is in contact with the second electrode, the second hole carrier layer is in contact with the third electrode, the second hole blocking layer is in contact with the fourth electrode, the first electrode is electrically connected with the fourth electrode, and the second electrode is electrically connected with the third electrode.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first and fourth electrodes are one electrode.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second and third electrodes are one electrode.

16. A system, comprising:

a photovoltaic cell comprising a first hole carrier layer, a first hole blocking layer, and a photoactive layer between the first hole carrier layer and the first hole blocking layer, the photoactive layer comprising an organic material; and

a diode comprising a second hole carrier layer and a second hole blocking layer;

wherein the photoactive layer is also between the second hole carrier layer and the second hole blocking layer, the photoactive layer comprises a semiconductor material, the first hole carrier layer is electrically connected with the second hole blocking layer via a first common electrode, and the second hole carrier layer is electrically connected with the first hole blocking layer via a second common electrode.