Patent ID: 8012851

Claim:
A method for fabricating a solar cell, the method comprising: providing a support member having a surface region, a bottom portion, and a determined thickness between the surface region and the bottom portion; forming a releasable material overlying the surface region of the support member; transferring a first thickness of semiconductor material from a donor substrate overlying the releasable material to form the first thickness of transferred material overlying the releasable material, the releasable material overlying the support member; separating the first thickness of material from the releasable material to detach the first thickness of material from the releasable material; and forming photovoltaic cells in one or more portions in the first thickness of material; wherein the silicon support member comprises an opening region extending from the bottom portion of the support member, through the thickness of the support member, to a portion of the surface region, the opening region being coupled to a fluidic drive source, the fluidic drive source being capable of causing a pressure gradient within the opening region between the bottom portion and the portion of the surface region.