# US 2014/0150850 A1 · Solar cell coating

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- Number: US 2014/0150850 A1
- Document ID: US20140150850A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/690,954
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Amtech Systems, LLC
- Applicants: Amtech Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Jeong-Mo Hwang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150850A1

## CPC

- H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells
- F24S 80/52: characterised by the material (for preventing heat loss F24S80/56)
- H02S 40/10: Cleaning arrangements
- F24S 25/20: Peripheral frames for modules
- F24S 80/58: characterised by their mountings or fixing means
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention help prevent Potential-Induced Degradation (PID) in solar cell modules. A solar cell module according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a glass sheet, a frame covering at least a portion of the glass sheet, a plurality of solar cells at least partially covered by the glass sheet, and a hydrophobic coating covering at least a portion of the frame and at least a portion of the glass sheet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell module comprising:
a glass sheet;
a frame covering at least a portion of the glass sheet;
a plurality of solar cells at least partially covered by the glass sheet; and
a hydrophobic coating covering at least a portion of the frame and at least a portion of the glass sheet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the frame is electrically conductive and coupled to electrical ground.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the frame includes:
a top portion;
a bottom portion;
an exterior sidewall; and
a channel formed by top portion, the bottom portion, and the exterior sidewall, wherein the glass sheet is received in the channel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The solar cell module of claim 3, wherein the top portion of the frame includes a top surface, wherein the hydrophobic coating covers the top surface of the frame and a portion of the glass sheet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The solar cell module of claim 4, wherein the hydrophobic coating covers a joint between the top surface of the frame and the glass sheet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The solar cell module of claim 3, wherein the hydrophobic coating covers the entire top surface of the glass sheet.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The solar cell module of claim 3, wherein the hydrophobic coating further covers the exterior sidewall.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The solar cell module of claim 3, wherein bottom portion of the frame includes a bottom surface, and wherein the hydrophobic coating further covers the bottom surface of the frame.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, whereby the hydrophobic coating insulates the glass sheet from the frame and prevents formation of an electric field between the glass sheet and the plurality of solar cells when the glass sheet is exposed to moisture.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The solar cell module of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic coating is applied to the solar cell module using one or more of the group consisting of: vapor deposition, spraying, brush-coating, dip-coating, spin-coating, and inkjet printing.