SOLAR CELL

• US 20100326514A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: NISHIDA, Toyozo
• Application Number:
  US12/825,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20100326514A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02168 the coatings being antireflective or having enhancing optical properties for the solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022433 Particular geometry of the grid contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0747 comprising a heterojunction of crystalline and amorphous materials, e.g. heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar cell includes: a photoelectric conversion body having a light receiving surface through which irradiation light may enter to the photoelectric conversion body; a light transmission body provided on the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body, the light transmission body having a light receiving surface; and an electrode provided on the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body, the electrode having a portion extending to and provided on a part of the light receiving surface of the light transmission body.

Claims

1. A solar cell comprising:

a photoelectric conversion body having a light receiving surface through which irradiation light may enter to the photoelectric conversion body;

a light transmission body provided on the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body, the light transmission body having a light receiving surface; and

an electrode provided on the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body, the electrode having a portion extending to and provided on apart of the light receiving surface of the light transmission body.

2. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

at least a portion of the light transmission body is provided between the electrode and the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body.

3. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the light receiving surface of the light transmission body has an exposed area which is not covered with the electrode.

4. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

a thickness of the light transmission body in a direction substantially orthogonal to the light receiving surface is equal to or greater than approximately 400 nm.

5. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the refraction index of the light transmission body is 1.4 to 3.6.

6. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the refraction index of the light transmission body is 1.6 to 1.8.

7. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the light transmission body is made of a low-elasticity member.

8. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the light transmission body includes resin material.

9. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the light transmission body projects from the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body.

10. The solar cell of claim 4, wherein

the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body is a substantially flat.

11. The solar cell of claim 9, wherein

the light receiving surface of the light transmission body has a curved shape in the cross section along the width direction of the collector electrode.

12. The solar cell of claim 9, wherein

the light receiving surface of the light transmission body has a substantially circular arc shape in the cross section along the width direction of the collector electrode.

13. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the electrode has an inclined portion which is inclined with respect to the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body.

14. The solar cell of claim 13, wherein

the inclined portion extends in a linear shape.

15. The solar cell of claim 13, wherein

the inclined portion extends in a circular arc fashion.

16. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the electrode has a substantially V shape in the cross section along a width direction of the collector electrode.

17. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

a first contact area between the electrode and the light receiving surface of the light transmission body is larger than a second contact area between the electrode and the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body.

18. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein

the electrode comprises plural parallel collector electrodes provided on the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion body with a predetermined distance between the parallel collector electrodes,

the light transmission body comprises plural light transmission bodies respectively provided along the parallel collector electrodes, and

the collector electrodes each has the portion extending to and provided on the part of the light receiving surface of one or more of the plural light transmission bodies.

19. The solar cell of claim 18, wherein,

each parallel collector electrode has a longitudinal direction and a width direction,

at least one widthwise side of each parallel collector electrode extends to and is provided on the part of the light receiving surface of each plural light transmission body.

20. The solar cell of claim 19, wherein

one widthwise side of each parallel collector electrode extends to and on the part of the light receiving surface of one of adjacent two of the plural light transmission bodies, and

the other widthwise side of each parallel collector electrode extends to and on the part of the light receiving surface of the other of the adjacent two of the plural light transmission bodies.