Polyvinyl butyral (or PVB) is a resin mostly used for applications that require strong binding, optical clarity, adhesion to many surfaces, toughness and flexibility.

When laminated under these conditions, the PVB interlayer becomes optically clear and binds the two panes of glass together.

The polymer interlayer of PVB is tough and ductile, so brittle cracks will not pass from one side of the laminate to the other.

PVB interlayer can be manufactured in colored sheets, such as for the blue or green "shade band" at the top edge of many automobile windshields[citation needed].

The photovoltaic circuit is formed on a sheet of glass using thin film deposition and patterning techniques.

Current is extracted from the module at a sealed terminal box that is attached to the circuit through a hole in the back glass.

Since its introduction in 1938, the worldwide market for PVB interlayer has been dominated by a handful of large chemical companies.