# US 10,121,917 B2 · Solar cell and solar cell module

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- Number: US 10,121,917 B2
- Document ID: US10121917B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/072,903
- Filed: 2016-03-17
- Published: 2016-07-07
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-19
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Naofumi Hayashi; Takahiro Mishima; Tsuyoshi Takahama; Tsutomu Yamaguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121917B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/227: {for emitter wrap-through [EWT] photovoltaic cells, e.g. interdigitated emitter-base back-contacts}
- H10F 10/166: the Group IV-IV heterojunctions being heterojunctions of crystalline and amorphous materials, e.g. silicon heterojunction [SHJ] photovoltaic cells
- H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells
- H10F 19/908: {for back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/148: {Shapes of potential barriers}
- H10F 77/219: {Arrangements for electrodes of back-contact photovoltaic cells}
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar cell includes: a base substrate that has a principle surface; a first semiconductor layer provided in a first region on the principle surface; a second semiconductor layer provided in a second region on the principle surface; an n-side electrode provided on the first semiconductor layer; a p-side electrode provided on the second semiconductor layer; and grooves that separate the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode from each other. The respective widths of the grooves in a direction in which the n-side electrode and the p-side electrode are spaced apart are set to be wider in the outer peripheral region than in the inner region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell comprising:
a base substrate that has a principle surface;
a first semiconductor layer that is provided in a first region on the principle surface;
a second semiconductor layer that is provided in a second region, which is different from the first region, on the principle surface;
an n-side electrode that includes a plurality of n-side finger electrodes extending in a first direction and that is provided on the first semiconductor layer; and
a p-side electrode that includes a plurality of p-side finger electrodes extending in the first direction and that is provided on the second semiconductor layer,
wherein the n-side finger electrodes and the p-side finger electrodes are alternately arrayed in a second direction that intersects with the first direction,
wherein the outer periphery of the principle surface has a first side extending in the first direction and a second side extending in the first direction and opposing the first side in the second direction,
wherein the principle surface has a first outer peripheral region provided along the first side, a second outer peripheral region provided along the second side, and an inner region provided between the first and second outer peripheral regions,
wherein a plurality of first grooves are provided in the first outer peripheral region to separate n-side finger electrodes and p-side finger electrodes,
wherein a plurality of second grooves are provided in the second outer peripheral region to separate n-side finger electrodes and p-side finger electrodes,
wherein a plurality of third grooves are provided in the inner region to separate the n-side finger electrodes and the p-side finger electrodes, and
wherein the widths of the first and second grooves in the second direction are larger than the widths of the third grooves in the second direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, further comprising:
an insulating layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, the insulating layer including a first insulating layer provided at each of the plurality of first grooves, a second insulating layer provided at each of the plurality of second grooves, and a third insulating layer provided at each of the plurality of third grooves,
wherein the widths of the first and second insulating layers in the second direction are larger than the width of the third insulating layer in the second direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1,
wherein the widths of the plurality of first grooves in the second direction increase toward the first side, and
wherein the widths of the plurality of second grooves in the second direction increase toward the second side.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The solar cell according to claim 3,
wherein the widths of the plurality of first grooves in the second direction vary depending on the distance from the first side, the widths of the plurality of the second grooves in the second direction vary depending on the distance from the second side, and the widths of the plurality of second grooves in the second direction are constant regardless of the distance from the outer periphery.

### Claim 5

A solar cell module comprising:
a plurality of solar cells and a sealing layer that seals the solar cells,
wherein the solar cells include:
a base substrate that has a principle surface;
a first semiconductor layer that is provided in a first region on the principle surface;
a second semiconductor layer that is provided in a second region, which is different from the first region, on the principle surface;
an n-side electrode that includes a plurality of n-side finger electrodes extending in a first direction and that is provided on the first semiconductor layer; and
a p-side electrode that includes a plurality of p-side finger electrodes extending in the first direction and that is provided on the second semiconductor layer,
wherein the n-side finger electrodes and the p-side finger electrodes are alternately arrayed in a second direction that intersects with the first direction,
wherein the outer periphery of the principle surface has a first side extending in the first direction and a second side extending in the first direction and opposing the first side in the second direction,
wherein the principle surface has a first outer peripheral region provided along the first side, a second outer peripheral region provided along the second side, and an inner region provided between the first and second outer peripheral regions,
wherein a plurality of first grooves are provided in the first outer peripheral region to separate n-side finger electrodes and p-side finger electrodes,
wherein a plurality of second grooves are provided in the second outer peripheral region to separate n-side finger electrodes and p-side finger electrodes,
wherein a plurality of third grooves are provided in the inner region to separate the n-side finger electrodes and the p-side finger electrodes, and
wherein the widths of the first and second grooves in the second direction are larger than the widths of the third grooves in the second direction.