TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Assembly: In the photovoltaic assembly, the thickness of the semiconductor lamina is 1-10 microns. During normal operation of the photovoltaic cell, incident light enters the semiconductor lamina at the first surface. The receiver element comprises glass, preferably soda-lime glass. The longest dimension of the receiver element is not more than 10 percent more than the longest dimension of the first surface. The semiconductor lamina comprises at least a portion of a base of the photovoltaic cell. During normal operation of the photovoltaic cell, current enters the lamina at a heavily doped semiconductor region or regions of a first conductivity type at or adjacent to the second surface, and current leaves the lamina at a heavily doped semiconductor region or regions of a second conductivity type at or adjacent to the second surface, the second conductivity type electrically opposite the first conductivity type. The heavily doped semiconductor region or regions of the first conductivity type, or of the second conductivity type, or both, comprise amorphous silicon. The semiconductor lamina is crystalline silicon, preferably monocrystalline silicon. Preferred Method: In fabricating the photovoltaic assembly, the thickness of the semiconductor lamina between the first and second surfaces is 0.5-20 microns. Providing the crystalline semiconductor lamina comprises: affixing a semiconductor donor body to the receiver element at a first surface of the semiconductor donor body, with zero, one, or more layers intervening; and cleaving the semiconductor lamina from the donor body at a cleave plane, creating the second surface of the semiconductor lamina opposite the first surface, where the lamina remains affixed to the receiver element. The method further comprises, before the affixing step, defining the cleave plane in the semiconductor donor body by implanting gas ions, where the gas ions comprise hydrogen and/or helium ions. The semiconductor donor body is a monocrystalline silicon wafer. The receiver element comprises glass. After the cleaving step, processing temperature does not exceed about 450 degrees C.