Flexible photovoltaic apparatus with multi-layered substrate
AssigneeFlisom AG
InventorJulian Christoph Perrenoud
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to flexible photovoltaic modules that include a multi-layered substrate. In some embodiments, the multi-layered substrate includes one or more layers that are configured to improve the elastic modulus, rigidity, or stiffness of a flexible substrate of a flexible photovoltaic module during a deposition process step at an elevated temperature that is used to form the flexible photovoltaic module. The one or more layers of the multi-layered substrate may also provide improved barrier properties that prevent environmental contaminants from affecting the performance of a formed photovoltaic module, which includes the multi-layered substrate, during normal operation.
Claims14
A photovoltaic apparatus, comprising:
- a photovoltaic device including an array of photovoltaic cells, each photovoltaic cell comprising a back-contact layer, a front-contact layer, and an absorber layer disposed between the front-contact layer and the back-contact layer;
- and
- a multi-layered substrate comprising:
- a base layer formed of a polymer, the base layer having a front surface facing the photovoltaic device and an opposing back surface facing away from the photovoltaic device, wherein the photovoltaic device is disposed over the front surface of the multi-layered substrate;
- and
- a plurality of metallic layers, wherein the base layer is disposed between the photovoltaic device and at least one of the plurality of metallic layers,
- wherein the plurality of metallic layers comprises:
- a first layer disposed on the opposing back surface of the base layer, the first layer formed of titanium nitride,
- a second layer disposed on the first layer, wherein the second layer is formed of titanium, and
- a third layer disposed on the second layer, wherein the third layer is formed of titanium nitride.
A photovoltaic apparatus, comprising:
- a photovoltaic device including an array of photovoltaic cells, each photovoltaic cell comprising a back-contact layer, a front-contact layer, and an absorber layer disposed between the front-contact layer and the back-contact layer;
- and
- a multi-layered substrate comprising:
- a first base layer formed of a polymer, the first base layer having a first front surface facing the photovoltaic device and a first opposing back surface facing away from the photovoltaic device, wherein the photovoltaic device is disposed over the first front surface of the multi-layered substrate;
- and
- a plurality of metallic layers comprising:
- a first front-side layer, wherein the front-side layer is disposed between the photovoltaic device and the first base layer;
- a first back-side layer disposed between the first opposing back surface and a second back-side layer, the first back-side layer is formed of titanium nitride and the second back-side layer is formed of titanium;
- and
- a third back-side layer disposed on the second back-side layer, the third back-side layer is formed of titanium nitride.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.