Thin Film Photovoltaic Module With Contoured Deairing Substrate
AssigneeSolutia Inc.
InventorsFrancois Andre Koran, Stephen Joseph Norton, Khanh Duc Tran
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a thin film photovoltaic module that has a protective substrate, such as glass, that has been contoured to define a space that allows air to avoid entrapment by a bus bar on the thin film photovoltaic device. The contouring of the protective substrate greatly facilitates the deairing and lamination of the module because it reduces or eliminates the amount of trapped air during lamination. Photovoltaic modules of the present invention can be processed with a minimum of waste caused by deairing and related lamination problems.
Claims19
A thin film photovoltaic module, comprising:
- a base substrate;
- a thin film photovoltaic device disposed in contact with said base substrate, wherein said photovoltaic device comprises a bus bar, wherein said bus bar protrudes from the surface of said device;
- a polymer layer disposed in contact with said photovoltaic device;
- and,
- a protective substrate disposed in contact with said polymer layer, wherein said protective substrate is contoured so as to provide one or more directional depressions around said bus bar.
A method of making a thin film photovoltaic module, comprising:
- providing a base substrate;
- forming a thin film photovoltaic device on said base substrate, wherein said photovoltaic device comprises a bus bar, wherein said bus bar protrudes from the surface of said device;
- placing a polymer layer in contact with said photovoltaic device;
- placing a protective substrate in contact with said polymer layer, wherein said protective substrate is contoured so as to provide one or more directional depressions around said bus bar;
- and,
- laminating said base substrate with said device, said polymer layer, and said protective substrate to form said module.
A thin film photovoltaic module made by the process comprising the steps:
- providing a base substrate;
- forming a thin film photovoltaic device on said base substrate, wherein said photovoltaic device comprises a bus bar, wherein said bus bar protrudes from the surface of said device;
- placing a polymer layer in contact with said photovoltaic device;
- placing a protective substrate in contact with said polymer layer, wherein said protective substrate is contoured so as to provide one or more directional depressions around said bus bar;
- and,
- laminating said base substrate with said device, said polymer layer, and said protective substrate to form said module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.