Thin-film solar cell module of see-through type
AssigneeKaneka Corporation
InventorsMasafumi Hiraishi, Naoaki Nakanishi
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Abstract
A thin-film solar cell module of a see-through structure has a plurality of integrated thin-film solar cell segments, each having a rectangular surface, provided on at least a portion of a surface region of a light-transmitting substrate having a rectangular surface and are spaced apart from each other. Adjacent solar cell segments are spaced apart at substantially regular intervals, with their long sides extending parallel to each other. Those portions of the substrate, which lie between the solar cell segments, are exposed, defining light-transmitting windows. A transparent sealing resin fills the gaps between the adjacent solar cell segments.
Claims11
A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell module of a see-through structure comprising:
- providing a light-transmitting substrate having a rectangular surface;
- providing a plurality of integrated thin-film solar cell segments on the entire surface of the substrate,
- removing a portion of each solar cell segment that overlies a peripheral portion of the substrate,
- wherein each solar cell segment comprises a plurality of integral unit cells electrically connected to form an integrated solar cell segment;
- exposing the surface of the substrate by removing a solar cell portion between two adjacent solar cell segments by polishing, and defining a gap comprising a light-transmitting window between the two adjacent solar cell segments,
- wherein the light-transmitting window separates and spaces apart the two adjacent solar cell segments and electrically isolates the two segments;
- and filling the gap between the two adjacent solar cell segments with a transparent resin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.