NOVELTY - Diodes are manufactured by providing photoactive apparatus having substrate layer, conductive layer, p-type absorber layer, and n-type window layer; removing portion of the components of the apparatus; applying electrical insulator to portion of substrate; removing portion of p-type absorber layer and n-type window layer; and applying translucent conductor layer to the apparatus.    USE - Used in the manufacture of diodes used in planar, thin-film, photovoltaic devices such as solar cells.    ADVANTAGE - The invention overcomes the problem of discrete components through monolithic integration technique that permits diodes to be fully integrated without the need for discrete components.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The manufacture of diodes involves providing photoactive apparatus having electrically insulating substrate layer, conductive layer over the substrate layer, p-type absorber layer on conductive layer, and n-type window layer on the p-type absorber layer; removing portion of the components of the apparatus except that of the substrate layer; applying electrical insulator to portion of the substrate; removing portion of the p-type absorber layer and n-type window layer; applying translucent conductor layer to the apparatus; removing portion of the conductor layer, p-type absorber layer, and n-type window layer; and applying an opaque layer to a portion of the conductive layer.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) an apparatus for use as diode comprising substrate layer; conductive layer; p-type absorber layer; n-type window layer; first trench area on substrate layer and formed into conductive layer, p-type absorber layer, and n-type window layer; electrical insulator, second trench area parallel to first trench area; translucent conductive layer; third trench area near the second trench area; and opaque layer;    (2) a method for manufacturing modules of photovoltaic cells with integrated diodes comprising the inventive manufacturing steps; and    (3) an apparatus for use as protected array of photovoltaic cells comprising mechanism for generating an electric current from electromagnetic radiation provided in a direction and mechanism for providing one-way path for the current in reverse bias to the direction when the apparatus is not generating electric current.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a flow diagram of the steps of the inventive manufacturing method.