TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Device: The solar cells are multi-crystalline solar cells, thin film solar cells, compound semiconductor solar cells, or amorphous silicon solar cells.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The metal film is aluminum foil.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The polymeric film comprises polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, cyclic polyolefin, norbornene polymer, polystyrene, syndiotactic polystyrene, styrene-acrylate copolymer, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethersulfone, polysulfone, nylon, polyurethane, acrylic, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, cellophane, vinyl chloride polymer, polyvinylidene chloride, vinylidene chloride copolymer, fluoropolymer, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, PTFE, or ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer. When the preformed bi-layer sheet is laminated to the light-receiving side of solar cell layer and serves as a front-sheet encapsulant layer, a back-sheet encapsulant layer of polyvinyl butyral, ionomer, ethylene vinyl acetate, acoustic polyvinyl acetal, acoustic polyvinyl butyral, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, metallocene-catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, polyolefin block elastomer, ethylene acrylate ester copolymer, acid copolymer, silicone elastomer, or epoxy resin is laminated to the back side of solar cell layer. When the preformed bi-layer sheet is laminated to the back side of solar cell layer and serves as a back-sheet encapsulant layer, a front-sheet encapsulant layer of polyvinyl butyral, ionomer, ethylene vinyl acetate, acoustic polyvinyl acetal, acoustic polyvinyl butyral, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, metallocene-catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, polyolefin block elastomer, ethylene acrylate ester copolymer, acid copolymer, silicone elastomer, or epoxy resin is laminated to the light-receiving side of solar cell layer.