Exemplary semiconductor structures may include a silicon-containing substrate. The structures may include a layer of a metal nitride overlying the silicon-containing substrate. The structures may include a gallium nitride structure overlying the layer of the metal nitride. The structures may include an oxygen-containing layer disposed between the layer of the metal nitride and the gallium nitride structure.

A substrate for solar cells is fabricated such that an area of the substrate remains exposed when at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region is attached to the substrate; the area of the substrate that remains exposed includes one or more conductors printed on the substrate; and electrical connections between the solar cell and the conductors are made in the corner region resulting from the cropped corner of the solar cell. The substrate may also include buried conductors for making series connections that determine a flow of power through a plurality of solar cells, including corner-to-corner and column-to-column connections for the plurality of solar cells that are attached to the substrate in a two-dimensional (2-D) grid of an array. The substrate may also be covered by a polyimide overlay for preventing electrostatic discharge (ESD).