# US 8,772,071 B2 · Method of manufacturing thin film solar cells > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,071 B2 - Document ID: US8772071B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/314,332 - Filed: 2011-12-08 - Published: 2013-03-28 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-26 - Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute - Applicants: Jun-Chin Liu; Yu-Hung Chen; Chien-Liang Wu; Yu-Ru Chen; Yu-Ming Wang - Inventors: Jun-Chin Liu; Yu-Hung Chen; Chien-Liang Wu; Yu-Ru Chen; Yu-Ming Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772071B2 ## CPC - H10F 71/1385: {Etching transparent electrodes} - H10F 19/33: Patterning processes to connect the photovoltaic cells, e.g. laser cutting of conductive or active layers - H10F 77/48: Back surface reflectors [BSR] - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method for manufacturing thin film solar cells, includes forming a light permeable first electrode layer in the back light surface of a glass substrate, and formed in the first electrode layer a plurality of first openings for exposing a part of the back light surface therefrom; forming a photoelectric conversion layer on the first electrode layer and the exposed back light surface, and forming a plurality of second openings in the photoelectric conversion layer for exposing a part of the first electrode layer therefrom; and forming a glistening second electrode layer having a plurality of third openings formed therein, wherein the second electrode layer comprises a conductive colloid comprised of non-diffractive fillings and polymeric base material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a thin film solar cell, comprising: forming a light-permeable first electrode layer on a backlight surface of a glass substrate, and forming a plurality of first openings on the first electrode layer such that a part of the backlight surface is exposed through the first openings; forming a photoelectric conversion layer on the first electrode layer and the part of the backlight surface exposed through the first openings, and forming a plurality of second openings in the photoelectric conversion layer such that a part of the first electrode layer is exposed through the second openings; and simultaneously forming both a glistening second electrode layer, by a non-vacuum coating process, on the photoelectric conversion layer and a wall of each of the second openings, and a plurality of third openings in the glistening second electrode layer, wherein the non-vacuum coating process is a screen printing, transfer printing or ink jet process, the plurality of third openings expose the part of the first electrode layer through the second openings, and the second electrode layer includes conductive colloids comprised of non-diffractive filling material and polymeric base material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the plurality of first openings in the first electrode layer is performed by a laser patterning process. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the plurality of second openings in the photoelectric conversion layer is performed by a laser patterning process. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the plurality of second openings in the photoelectric conversion layer is performed to form the plurality of second openings at a position different from the first openings in the photoelectric conversion layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the second electrode layer is performed by a screen printing, transfer printing or ink jet process at room temperature or less than 120° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the plurality of third openings are of intervals between any two adjacent ones of the third openings less than 50 μm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the plurality of third openings are formed corresponding in position to the second openings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method for manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer is formed with a thickness less than 20 μm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein a weight of the filling material is between 30% and 70% of that of the conductive colloid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein a size of at least one of dimensions of a filling formed by the filling material is larger than or equal to λ/2n, while λ is a wavelength of reflected light of the conductive colloid and n is refractive index of the fillings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the filling material is made of gold, silver, copper, aluminum or titanium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of manufacturing the thin film solar cell of claim 11, wherein a characteristic length of a filling formed by the filling material ranges from 0.5 to 16 μm, while the filling material is made of silver. ### Claim 13 A method for manufacturing a thin film solar cell, comprising: forming a light-permeable first electrode layer on a backlight surface of a glass substrate, and forming a plurality of first openings on the first electrode layer such that a part of the backlight surface is exposed through the first openings; forming a photoelectric conversion layer on the first electrode layer and the part of the backlight surface exposed through the first openings, and forming a plurality of second openings in the photoelectric conversion layer such that a part of the first electrode layer is exposed through the second openings; and simultaneously performing the following, coating a glistening second electrode layer on a top and a side surface of the photoelectric conversion layer, and forming a plurality of third openings in the glistening second electrode layer, so that a side wall of the photoelectric conversion layer is exposed and the second openings are maintained.