# US 2019/0378945 A1 · Method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module and photovoltaic module thus obtained

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- Number: US 2019/0378945 A1
- Document ID: US20190378945A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/435,725
- Filed: 2019-06-10
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-11
- Assignees: Armor
- Applicants: Armor
- Inventors: François ALLAIS; Damien HAU; Jeremiah MWAURA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378945A1

## CPC

- H10F 19/33: Patterning processes to connect the photovoltaic cells, e.g. laser cutting of conductive or active layers
- H10F 10/16: Photovoltaic cells having only PN heterojunction potential barriers
- H10F 19/35: Structures for the connecting of adjacent photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers
- H10F 19/902: {for series or parallel connection of photovoltaic cells}
- H10K 30/81: Electrodes
- H10K 30/30: comprising bulk heterojunctions, e.g. interpenetrating networks of donor and acceptor material domains
- H10K 30/50: Photovoltaic [PV] devices
- Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module, comprising at least two electrically connected photovoltaic cells, said module comprising an insulating substrate covered with a layer of a first conductive material. The method comprises: a) forming a groove defining a first and second lower electrode; and b) forming, on each lower electrode, a stack comprising an upper electrode and a photo-active layer. The method further comprises, between steps a) and b), forming: a first insulating step on the groove; then a conductive strip partially covering said first insulating strip; then a second insulating strip partially covering said conductive strip.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module, comprising at least two electrically connected photovoltaic cells, said module comprising an insulating substrate covered with a layer of a first conductive material; the method comprising the following steps:
a) forming, on the layer of first material, a groove defining a first and a second lower electrodes, electrically isolated from one another; and
b) forming, on each of said lower electrodes, a stack comprising at least: an upper electrode formed by a layer of a second electrically conductive material; and a photo-active layer positioned between the lower and upper electrodes; each of the first and second lower electrodes respectively forming a first and a second photovoltaic cell with the corresponding stack;
wherein step b) is carried out after step a);
the method further comprises the following steps:
c) formation of a first insulating strip on the layer of first material, so as to cover a location of the groove; said first strip comprising a first and second adjacent portion, respectively oriented toward the first and toward the second lower electrodes; then
d) formation of a conductive strip on the layer of first material, said conductive strip covering the second portion and leaving the first portion of the first insulating strip free; said conductive strip comprising a first and second adjacent portion, respectively oriented toward the first and toward the second lower electrode, said first portion forming a relief relative to the first insulating strip; then
e) forming a second insulating strip on the layer of first material, said second strip covering the second portion and leaving the first portion of the conductive strip free;
wherein at least steps d) and e) being carried out between steps a) and b); and
wherein in step b), the upper electrodes of the first and second photovoltaic cells are respectively formed in contact with, and away from, the first portion of the electrically conductive strip.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein step c) is done between steps a) and b), the first insulating strip further being formed in the groove.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second insulating strips is made by depositing a first liquid formulation comprising electrically insulating materials, followed by a passage to the solid state of said first formulation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductive strip is made by depositing a second liquid formulation comprising electrically conductive materials, followed by a passage to the solid state of said second formulation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the passage to the solid state of the second formulation comprises heating to a temperature above 120° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second insulating strips and the conductive strip is formed by a coating or printing technique using a continuous wet method, preferably chosen from among slot-die, photogravure, flexography and rotary serigraphy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A photovoltaic module derived from a method according to claim 1

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The photovoltaic module according to claim 7, wherein the first and second insulating strips and the conductive strip form, with the groove, an inactive zone separating two adjacent photovoltaic cells, a width of the inactive zone being between 0.30 mm and 1.60 mm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The photovoltaic module according to claim 7, wherein a width of at least one of the first and second insulating strips is between 100 μm and 800 μm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The photovoltaic module according to claim 7, wherein a width of the conductive strip is between 200 μm and 900 μm.