Segmented thin film solar cells
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsHans-Juergen Eickelmann, Ruediger Kellmann, Markus Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Use of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and/or pure mechanical polishing to separate sub-cells in a thin film solar cell. In one embodiment the CMP is only used to separate the active, thin film layer into sub-cells, with scribing still being used to achieve sub-cell separation in conductive layers above and below the active, thin film layer. Also, the active layer may be placed over a series of protrusions so that the CMP removes the active layer that is over the protrusion, while leaving intact the flat, planar portions of the active layer. In this way, the removed active layer, from over the protrusions then becomes the division between sub-cells in the active layer.
Claims5
1-13. (canceled)
An electromagnetic radiation cell comprising:
- a lower conductive layer;
- a substrate;
- and
- an active layer;
- wherein:
- the substrate includes an upper surface having a set of protrusions including at least one protrusion with each protrusion including two upstanding lateral surfaces;
- and
- the lower conductive layer is located between the substrate and the active layer so that:
- (i) the lower conductive layer extends over the upstanding surfaces of the protrusions, and (ii) the active layer is segmented into a plurality of mutually isolated sub-cells by the lower conductive layer and the upstanding portions of the protrusions underlying the lower conductive layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.