Solar cell and solar cell assembly

• US 10,644,180 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): Gardner, Shannon M
• Application Number:
  US15/297,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20170040482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1421 comprising bypass diodes integrated or directly associated with the device, e.g. bypass diode integrated or formed in or on the same substrate as the solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0304 including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0508 the interconnection means having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0516 specially adapted for interconnection of back-contact solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0687 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/544 Solar cells from Group III-V materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Solar cell assembly that includes at least first and second solar cells arranged adjacent each other to form a row. First electric contact pad of first solar cell is positioned adjacent to second electric contact pad of second solar cell and second electric contact pad of first solar cell is positioned adjacent to first electric contact pad of second solar cell. Interconnectors connect each first electric contact pad of first solar cell with adjacent second electric contact pad of second solar cell and each second electric contact pad of first solar cell with adjacent first electric contact pad of second solar cell. Each interconnector is sized so that, between adjacent cells, interconnector is below first electric contact pad. Cover glass is provided on a front surface of each solar cell, and each interconnector is provided with a cover member covering a front surface of interconnector.

Claims

1. A solar cell assembly including at least two interconnectable solar cells, wherein:

each said at least two interconnectable solar cell comprising;

a semiconductor substrate having a substrate front surface and a substrate rear surface;

a first p-n-junction provided in the substrate close to and below the substrate front surface, the first p-n-junction separating the substrate into a substrate front portion having a first doping and a substrate rear portion having a second doping;

a front layer comprising a further p-n-junction provided on the substrate front surface of the substrate, the further p-n-junction separating the front layer into a further front portion having the first doping and a further rear portion having the second doping, the further front portion being separated from the substrate front portion;

at least one first electric contact being provided on a front side of the solar cell that is electrically connected to the further front portion;

at least one second electric contact being provided on a rear side of the solar cell that is electrically connected to at least one contact point provided on the front side of the solar cell;

the at least one contact point being placed on a bottom surface of a groove formed in the substrate that opens to the front side of the solar cell and which extends to the substrate rear portion;

an electrical connection between the at least one second electric contact and the at least one contact point being provided by the substrate rear portion; and

a cover glass being provided on a front surface of the front layer of each said solar cell, wherein each said cover glass is provided with cut-outs located at positions of the at least one contact point;

the solar cell assembly comprising;

the at least two solar cells arranged adjacent each other to form a row of solar cells, the at least two solar cells comprising at least a first and a second solar cell;

first and second electric contact pads for respective first and second electric contacts for each solar cell, wherein a first electric contact pad of the first solar cell is positioned adjacent to a second electric contact pad of the second solar cell and a second electric contact pad of the first solar cell is positioned adjacent to a first electric contact pad of the second solar cell; and

interconnectors being arranged to connect each first electric contact pad of the first solar cell with the adjacent second electric contact pad of the second solar cell and to connect each second electric contact pad of the first solar cell with the adjacent first electric contact pad of the second solar cell,

wherein each interconnector is sized so that, between the adjacent first solar cell and the second solar cell, the interconnector is located below a height of the first electric contact pad and overlies or extends into an inter cell gap,

wherein each interconnector is provided with a cover member covering a front surface of the interconnector,

wherein the cover member is mounted to the interconnector with a flexible adhesive, and the cover member is a cover glass piece, and

wherein the cover member and the cover glass comprise separate members that are separated from each other by a gap adapted to take up, along with the flexible adhesive, contraction of the inter cell gap.

2. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one intermediate layer comprising an intermediate p-n-junction provided between the substrate and the front layer, the intermediate p-n-junction separating the at least one intermediate layer into an intermediate front portion having the first doping and an intermediate rear portion having the second doping, the intermediate front portion being separated from the substrate front portion.

3. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the groove is provided on and opens to a lateral side of the solar cell.

4. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

an antireflection coating at least partially provided on a front surface of the front layer; and

the second electric contact pad being located at the at least one contact point on the bottom surface of the groove, the bottom surface having an antireflection coating at least partially around the at least one contact pad.

5. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the solar cell is a III-V triple junction cell and the substrate is a Germanium wafer.

6. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cut-outs have a same size as the second electric contact pad forming the at least one contact point.

7. The solar cell assembly according to claim 1, wherein the interconnectors are formed in a U-shaped or a W-shaped configuration,

wherein at least one free end of the interconnector extending from a connection to one of the first or second electric contact pad is bent upwardly away from the one first or second electric contact pad and spaced from a sidewall of the groove, and

wherein each interconnector comprises a plurality of grid fingers, each of which is contacted separately to the associated electric contact pad.

8. A solar cell assembly of at least three interconnectable solar cells, wherein:

each said at least three interconnectable solar cell comprising;

a semiconductor substrate having a substrate front surface and a substrate rear surface;

a first p-n-junction provided in the substrate close to and below the substrate front surface, the first p-n-junction separating the substrate into a substrate front portion having a first doping and a substrate rear portion having a second doping;

a front layer comprising a further p-n-junction provided on the substrate front surface of the substrate, the further p-n-junction separating the front layer into a further front portion having the first doping and a further rear portion having the second doping, the further front portion being separated from the substrate front portion;

at least one first electric contact being provided on a front side of the solar cell that is electrically connected to the further front portion;

at least one second electric contact being provided on a rear side of the solar cell that is electrically connected to at least one contact point provided on the front side of the solar cell;

the at least one contact point being placed on a bottom surface of a groove formed in the substrate that opens to the front side of the solar cell and which extends to the substrate rear portion;

an electrical connection between the at least one second electric contact and the at least one contact point being provided by the substrate rear portion; and

a cover glass being provided on a front surface of the front layer of each said solar cell, wherein each said cover glass is provided with cut-outs located at positions of the at least one contact point;

the solar cell assembly comprising;

the at least three interconnectable solar cells being arranged to form an array of solar cells;

first and second electric contacts pads for respective first and second electric contacts for each of the at least three solar cells, wherein a first electric contact pad of one solar cell is positioned adjacent to a second electric contact pad of another solar cell and a second electric contact pad of the one solar cell is positioned adjacent to a first electric contact pad of the another solar cell;

interconnectors being arranged to connect each first electric contact pad of the one solar cell with the adjacent second electric contact pad of the another solar cell and to connect each second electric contact pad of the one solar cell with the adjacent first electric contact pad of the another solar cell,

wherein each interconnector is sized so that, between the adjacent one solar cell and the another solar cell, the interconnector is located below a height of the first electric contact pad and overlies or extends into an inter cell gap,

wherein each interconnector is provided with a cover member covering a front surface of the interconnector,

wherein each cover member is mounted to each interconnector with a flexible adhesive, and each respective cover member is a cover glass piece, and

wherein the cover member and the cover glass comprise separate members that are separated from each other by a gap adapted to take up, along with the flexible adhesive, contraction of the inter cell gap.

9. The solar cell assembly according to claim 8, further comprising at least one intermediate layer comprising an intermediate p-n-junction provided between the substrate and the front layer, the intermediate p-n-junction separating the at least one intermediate layer into an intermediate front portion having the first doping and an intermediate rear portion having the second doping, the intermediate front portion being separated from the substrate front portion.

10. The solar cell assembly according to claim 8, wherein the groove is provided on and opens to a lateral side of the solar cell.

11. The solar cell assembly according to claim 8, further comprising at least one of:

an antireflection coating at least partially provided on a front surface of the front layer; and

the second electric contact pad being located at the at least one contact point on the bottom surface of the groove, the bottom surface having an antireflection coating at least partially around the at least one contact pad.

12. The solar cell assembly according to claim 8, wherein the solar cell is a III-V triple junction cell and the substrate is a Germanium wafer.

13. The solar cell assembly according to claim 8, wherein the cut-outs have a same size as the second electric contact pad forming the at least one contact point.

14. The solar cell assembly according to claim 8, wherein the interconnectors are formed in a U-shaped or a W-shaped configuration,

wherein at least one free end of the interconnector extending from a connection to one of the first or second electric contact pad is bent upwardly away from the one first or second electric contact pad and spaced from a sidewall of the groove, and

wherein each interconnector comprises a plurality of grid fingers, each of which is contacted separately to the associated electric contact pad.