TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The acid terpolymer comprises 18-25 (preferably 18-23) wt.% of copolymerized units of the alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and 0.5-5 or 15-40 wt.% of copolymerized units of the alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, where the alpha -olefin is ethylene (preferred), propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 1-hexene, 1-heptene, 3-methyl-1-butene, and/or 4-methyl-1-pentene, the alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid is acrylic acids and methacrylic acids (both preferred), itaconic acids, maleic acids, maleic anhydrides, fumaric acids, and/or monomethyl maleic acids, and the alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester is methyl acrylates and butyl acrylates (both preferred), methyl methacrylates, ethyl acrylates, ethyl methacrylates, isopropyl acrylates, isopropyl methacrylates, and/or butyl methacrylates. The first layer is in contact with the tin side of the glass sheet. The second layer comprises an ionomer having a melting point of at least 80 degrees C. The bi-layer film or sheet has a total thickness of 0.051-6.35 mm. In the article, each of the first and second layers has a thickness of 0.5-5 mils and the total thickness of the multilayer film or sheet is 2-250 mils. The article further comprises a solar cell component formed of at least one electronically interconnected solar cells having a light-receiving side that faces a light source and a back side that is opposite from the light source. The solar cell is multi-crystalline solar cells, thin film solar cells, compound semiconductor solar cells, and/or amorphous silicon solar cells. The multi-layer film or sheet is positioned next to the light-receiving of the solar cell component and serves as a front encapsulant. The layers are deposited onto a glass or flexible film substrate and the multi-layer film or sheet is an encapsulant. The article comprises a front encapsulant layer positioned next to the light receiving side of the solar cell component and a back encapsulant layer positioned next to the back side of the solar cell component, where the front encapsulant layer is formed of the bi-layer film or sheet and has a thickness of 2-20 mils, and the back encapsulant layer is formed of the polymeric material. The article further comprises a backing layer positioned next to the back encapsulant layer, where the backing layer comprises or is formed of (i) glass sheet, (ii) polymeric sheet, (iii) polymeric film, (iv) metal sheet, and (v) ceramic plate, the polymeric sheet comprises or is formed of polycarbonates, acrylics, polyacrylates, cyclic polyolefins, polystyrenes, polyamides, polyesters, and/or fluoropolymers, and the polymeric film comprises or is formed of a polymeric material comprising polyesters, polycarbonate, polyolefins, norbornene polymers, polystyrene, styrene-acrylate copolymers, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, polysulfones, nylons, polyurethanes, acrylics, cellulose acetates, cellophane, poly(vinyl chlorides), and/or fluoropolymers. Preferred Process: The laminating step is conducted by subjecting the assembly to heat, and further subjecting the assembly to vacuum or pressure.