TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The encapsulant film is formed using the non-vacuum process that is a non-vacuum, lamination process or a non-vacuum, non-lamination process. The encapsulant film comprises: many discrete nanolaminate layers, which are self-assembled in a configuration of alternating organic material layers and inorganic material layers; fused silica beads; a composite where a majority of the volume is occupied by particles of glass and/or other transparent inorganic material and deposited as a thin film coating over the photovoltaic cells; fused particles; at least one discrete layer comprising at least a first layer having a first composition having at least one of scratch resistance, UV resistance, water diffusion resistance, or oxygen diffusion resistance, and at least a second layer having a second composition which exhibits at least one of the properties more strongly than the first layer and is not a main property of the first layer; a polymer; and a transparent PVC material. The organic material comprises of a polymer and a hydrophobic polymer. The inorganic material layer consists essentially of an inorganic material. The particles have a shape of spheres, platelets, flakes, ovals and/or cone. The particles are fused by a rapid thermal process at a temperature and/or duration that will not damage the underlying photovoltaic cells. The film is substantially without pinholes and/or microvoids. Preferred Method: The forming step comprises: using a non-vacuum, non-lamination process to form the encapsulant film; forming many discrete nanolaminate layers, where the nanolaminate layers self-assemble in a configuration of alternating organic material layers and inorganic material layers; forming a templated nanolaminate barrier film having many beads with concentric nanolaminate layers about each of the beads, where the concentric nanolaminate layers self-assemble about each of the beads; forming a fused silica barrier film; forming a polymer-based barrier film; using a solution deposition process to form the encapsulant film; and using a dry powder process to deposit at least a portion of the encapsulant film. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.