Series connected solar cells and method of formation
AssigneeAtlantic Richfield Company
InventorsDon L. Morel, Robert R. Gay, Gary B. Turner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photovoltaic device has a continuous thin film with a plurality of spaced photovoltaic regions thereon and front and back electrode portions substantially coextensive with each of the photovoltaic regions. Electrical connection between the regions is provided directly through the film itself, from each back electrode portion to the front electrode portion of an adjacent region. Thus, at least two of the photovoltaic regions are connected in series to increase the output voltage of the device.
Claims14
A photovoltaic device comprising:
- a continuous thin film having front and back major surfaces and a plurality of spaced photovoltaic regions thereon;
- transparent electrode means at the front surface having a plurality of discrete front electrode portions formed prior to formation of the continuous film and substantially coextensive with the respective photovoltaic regions;
- other electrode means at the back surface having a plurality of discrete back electrode portions substantially coextensive with the respective photovoltaic regions;
- each front electrode portion including at least one contact portion which is substantially thicker than said film and overlaps the back electrode portion of an adjacent photovoltaic region at a preselected area to establish electrical connection with said back electrode through the continuous film.
A method of manufacturing a device having a photovoltaic thin film of preselected overall thickness which defines a plurality of photovoltaic regions, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of spaced apart transparent front electrode means, each having at least one contact portion substantially thicker than the overall thickness of the thin film, on a major surface of a transparent substrate;
- forming the thin film over the front electrode means and over the major surface of the substrate therebetween;
- and
- forming a plurality of spaced apart back electrode means on the continuous thin film, each of the back electrode means substantially overlying one of the front electrode means to define a photovoltaic region therebetween and overlapping an electrode means of an adjacent photovoltaic region at the contact portion thereof;
- such that electrical connection is established through the continuous film between each back electrode means and the contact portion that it overlaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.