STACKED-LAYERED THIN FILM SOLAR CELL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090229653A1
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NexPower Technology Corp. (United Microelectronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NexPower Technology Corp. (United Microelectronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Lu, Chun-Hsiung, Bi, Chien-Chung
• Application Number:
  US12/180,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20090229653A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/249
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/046 PV modules composed of a plurality of thin film solar cells deposited on the same substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0725 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

This invention discloses a stacked-layered thin film solar cell and a manufacturing method thereof. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell with a plurality of unit cells comprises a substrate, a first electrode layer, a first photoconductive layer, an interlayer, a second photoconductive layer, and a second electrode layer in a series stacked structure. It is characterized in that a first isolation groove and a second isolation groove are formed on borders of the second electrode layer and are extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer. The first isolation groove is parallel with the unit cells and vertical to the second isolation groove. At least one outer groove is formed on the first electrode layer inside the first isolation groove and the second isolation groove, and at least one cutting groove inside the first isolation groove is formed on the interlayer.

Claims

1. A stacked-layered thin film solar cell, with a plurality of unit cells comprising a substrate, a first electrode layer, a first photoconductive layer, an interlayer, a second photoconductive layer, and a second electrode layer in a series stacked structure, and being characterized in that

first isolation grooves are formed on two borders of the second electrode layer, wherein the first isolation grooves are outside a projection zone of the unit cells and are extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer;

at least one outer groove is formed on the first electrode layer inside the first isolation groove; and

at least one cutting groove is formed on the interlayer inside the first isolation groove.

2. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein second isolation grooves are further formed on two borders of the second electrode layer outside the projection zone of the unit cells and extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer, in which either the first isolation grooves or the second isolation grooves are vertical to the unit cells.

3. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the first isolation grooves and the second isolation grooves are further extending downward to remove the first electrode layer.

4. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the cutting groove is further extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer.

5. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the cutting groove is inside the outer groove.

6. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the cutting groove is outside the outer groove.

7. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 1, wherein the cutting groove overlaps the outer groove.

8. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the first isolation groove, the second isolation groove, and the cutting groove are made by a laser scribing process.

9. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the first isolation groove, the second isolation groove, and the cutting groove are made by a process selected from a group consisting of a wet etching process and a dry etching process.

10. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the substrate is made of a transparent material.

11. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the first electrode layer is made of a TCO (Transparent Conductive Oxide) of a material selected from a group consisting of SnO2, ITO, ZnO, AZO, GZO and IZO and the second electrode layer further comprises a metal layer made of a material selected from a group consisting of Ag, Al, Cr, Ti, Ni and Au.

12. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the second electrode layer further comprises a TCO (Transparent Conductive Oxide), which is made of a material selected from a group consisting of SnO2, ITO, ZnO, AZO, GZO and IZO.

13. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the second electrode layer is made of a TCO (Transparent Conductive Oxide) of a material selected from a group consisting of SnO2, ITO, ZnO, AZO, GZO and IZO and the first electrode layer further comprises a metal layer made of a material selected from a group consisting of Ag, Al, Cr, Ti, Ni and Au.

14. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the first photoconductive layer is made of a martial selected from a group consisting of single-crystal Si, multi-crystal Si, non-crystal Si, micro-crystal Si, Ge, SiGe and SiC.

15. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the interlayer is made of a martial selected from a group consisting of TO, ITO, ZnO, AZO, GZO and IZO.

16. The stacked-layered thin film solar cell of claim 2, wherein the second photoconductive layer is made of a martial selected from a group consisting of single-crystal Si, multi-crystal Si, non-crystal Si, micro-crystal Si, Ge, SiGe and SiC.

17. A manufacturing method of a stacked-layered thin film solar cell, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a first electrode layer on the substrate;

forming at least one outer groove on the first electrode layer;

forming a first photoconductive layer on the first electrode layer;

forming an interlayer on the first photoconductive layer;

forming at least one cutting groove on the interlayer;

forming a second photoconductive layer on the interlayer;

forming a second electrode layer on the second photoconductive layer; and

forming first isolation grooves at two borders of the second electrode layer outside the outer groove and the cutting groove, wherein the first isolation grooves are extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer.

18. The manufacturing method of claim 17, wherein second isolation grooves are further formed on two borders of the second electrode layer outside a projection zone of the unit cells and extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer, in which the second isolation grooves are vertical to the first isolation grooves while either the first isolation grooves or the second isolation grooves are vertical to the unit cells.

19. The manufacturing method of claim 18, wherein the first isolation grooves and the second isolation grooves are further extending downward to remove the first electrode layer.

20. The manufacturing method of claim 17, wherein the cutting groove is further extending downward to remove the first photoconductive layer.