Photovoltaic devices with electroplated metal grids
AssigneeSolarCity Corporation
InventorsJianming Fu, Jiunn Benjamin Heng, Christopher J. Beitel, Zheng Xu
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar cell. The solar cell includes a photovoltaic structure and a front-side metal grid situated above the photovoltaic structure. The front-side metal grid also includes one or more electroplated metal layers. The front-side metal grid includes one or more finger lines, and each end of a respective finger line is coupled to a corresponding end of an adjacent finger line via an additional metal line, thus ensuring that the respective finger line has no open end.
Claims25
A solar cell, comprising:
- a photovoltaic structure;
- and
- a first electrode positioned on a first side of the photovoltaic structure,
- wherein the first electrode comprises one or more finger lines,
- wherein an end of a respective finger line is coupled to a corresponding end of an adjacent finger line via a connecting metal line, and
- wherein a portion of the respective finger line that is in the vicinity of the coupled end is wider than a center portion of the respective finger line.
A metal grid on a photovoltaic structure, the metal grid comprising:
- a first finger line on a first side of the photovoltaic structure;
- a second finger line on the first side of the photovoltaic structure;
- and
- a metal line connecting the first finger line and the second finger line;
- wherein an intersection between the metal line and the first finger line is rounded and wider than the first finger line.
A metal grid on a photovoltaic structure, the grid comprising:
- a busbar on a first side of the photovoltaic structure;
- a first finger line on the first side of the photovoltaic structure orthogonal to the busbar;
- a second finger line on the first side of the photovoltaic structure and orthogonal to the busbar;
- a third finger line on the first side of the photovoltaic structure and orthogonal to the busbar;
- and
- a connecting metal line, wherein the connecting metal line electrically connects the first, second and the third finger lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.