Substrate structures for integrated series connected photovoltaic arrays and process of manufacture of such arrays

In combination, multiple photovoltaic cells and a substrate structure,

• said photovoltaic cells comprising semiconductor material positioned on at least a portion of the top surface of a supporting electrically conductive cell foil,
• said cell foil having a bottom surface oppositely disposed to said top surface and separated from said top surface by a thickness,
• said substrate structure comprising one or more electrically conductive substrate regions,
• said one or more electrically conductive substrate regions comprising conductive substrate material extending over a selected material length and a material width, said material width defined as being in the direction of net current flow between series connected cells in a final array, the full extent of said conductive material width defining first and second terminal edges of said conductive substrate region,
• said substrate further comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate region positioned vicinal a said terminal edge of a first of said conductive substrate regions,
• said combination characterized by having at least a portion of said cell foil bottom surface of a first cell attached to said conductive region and having a least a portion of said bottom cell foil surface of a second cell attached to said non-conductive substrate region
• said cells being initially separate and distinct from said substrate structure.

In combination, multiple photovoltaic cells and a substrate structure,

• said photovoltaic cells comprising semiconductor material positioned on at least a portion of the top surface of a supporting electrically conductive cell foil
• said supporting cell foil and having a bottom surface oppositely disposed to said top surface and separated from said top surface by a thickness,
• said supporting cell foil having a foil length and foil width, the full extent of said foil width specifying a linear dimension whose endpoints define first and second cell foil terminal edges,
• said substrate structure comprising one or more electrically conductive substrate regions,
• said one or more electrically conductive substrate regions comprising conductive substrate material extending over a selected material length and a material width, said material width defined as being in the direction of net current flow between series connected cells in a final array, the full extent of said conductive material width defining first and second terminal edges of said conductive substrate region,
• said substrate further comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate region joined to a first of said conductive substrate regions,
• said combination characterized by having at least a portion of said bottom surface of said supporting cell foil of a first of said cells attached to said first of said conductive substrate regions and having at least a portion of said bottom surface of said supporting cell foil of a second of said cells being attached to said non-conductive substrate region,
• said combination further characterized by having cell positioning of said cells on said substrate such that a line drawn in said material width direction between said terminal edges of any selected of said conductive substrate regions crosses a said cell foil terminal edge of at most a single cell.

In combination, multiple photovoltaic cells and a substrate structure,

• said photovoltaic cells comprising semiconductor material positioned on at least a portion of a top surface of a supporting cell foil,
• said supporting foil being metal-based and having a bottom surface separated from said top surface by a thickness,
• said cell metal-based foil having a foil length, a foil width, and a foil thickness, the full extent of said foil width specifying a linear dimension whose endpoints define first and second cell foil terminal edges,
• said cell metal-based foil thickness being between 0.001 cm. and 0.025 cm.,
• said substrate structure comprising one or more electrically conductive substrate surfaces,
• a first of said one or more electrically conductive substrate surfaces extending over a conductive surface width defined as being in the direction of net current flow between series connected cells in a final array, the full extent of said electrically conductive surface width defining first and second terminal edges of said electrically conductive surface,
• said substrate further comprising at least one electrically non-conductive substrate surface,
• said combination characterized by having said bottom surface of said foil of a first of said cells attached to a first of said electrically conductive substrate surfaces,
• said combination further characterized by having cell positioning of said cells on said substrate such that a line drawn in said conductive surface width direction between said terminal edges of any selected said first of said conductive substrate surfaces extends across a said cell terminal edge of at most a single cell.

In combination, two or more photovoltaic cells and a substrate structure for facilitating interconnections among two or more of said cells, said combination characterized by having,

• each of said cells comprising semiconductor material and a transparent electrode positioned on a supporting structure comprising a metal-based foil and having top and bottom support structure surfaces, said support structure being substantially devoid of holes extending through said support structure from said top to said bottom support structure surfaces, and
• said substrate structure comprising one or more units, each of said units comprising contiguous electrically conductive and electrically insulating regions, said electrically conductive region being distinct from said transparent electrode, said electrically conductive region having top and bottom conductive region surfaces,
• said combination characterized in that said supporting structure of a first of said cells is positioned to overlay at least a portion of said conductive region of a first of said units and electrical joining is achieved between said supporting structure lower surface of said first of said cells and said electrically conductive region of said first of said units,
• said combination further characterized by having said supporting structure of a second of said cells joined to said insulating region of said first of said units.

In combination, multiple photovoltaic cells and a substrate structure,

• said photovoltaic cells comprising a supporting structure having top and bottom supporting structure surfaces separated by a supporting structure thickness,
• each of said cells further comprising semiconductor material positioned on at least a portion of said top supporting structure surface,
• said supporting structure comprising metal-based foil having a length and a width, the full extent of said foil width defining first and second terminal width edges of said metal-based foil,
• said combination characterized by having two or more of said cells placed on said substrate positioned such that a said first terminal width edge of said foil of a first of said cells is separated from said second terminal width edge of said foil of an adjacent second of said cells leaving a gap therebetween,
• said combination further characterized by having holes extending from said top to said bottom substrate surfaces positioned within said gap.