PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SUCH A PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL ASSEMBLY

• US 20140326289A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
• Original Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
• Inventors: Bennet, Ian John
• Application Number:
  US14/342,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20140326289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0508 the interconnection means having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0512 made of a particular material or composition of materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method a photovoltaic cell assembly comprising a first and second photovoltaic cell is manufactured using an electrically conducting connection strip having a first and second lip integrally formed in or extending from the connection strip, a width of the first and second lip being smaller than a width of the strip. The lips are preferably bonded to the contact pads on a side of the cell at which the connection strip is located. Ultrasonic bonding of the first and second lip to the contact pads of the first and second photo-voltaic cell respectively.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell assembly, comprising a first and second photovoltaic cell, each comprising a semiconductor substrate with a contact pad printed thereon, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an electrically conducting connection strip having a first and second lip integrally formed in or extending from the connection strip, a width of the first and second lip being smaller than a width of the strip;

ultrasonic bonding of the first and second lip to the contact pads of the first and second photo-voltaic cell respectively.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the lips are bonded to the contact pads on a side of the cell at which the connection strip is located.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the first and second photovoltaic cell comprise further contact pads printed thereon and the connection strip has further integrally formed lips, the method further comprising ultrasonically bonding the further integrally formed lips to the further contact pads.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the first and second photovoltaic cell each comprise interdigitated first and second conductor lines on substrate areas of mutually opposite conductivity type, the contacts and the further contact pads lying on the first conductor lines, the connection strip forming an electrical connection between the first conductor lines.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first lip is internal to are internal to the strip, the first lip having an outline having two parallel sections, extending from the base of the lip and a rounded section connecting the parallel sections on the side of the lip away from the base of the lip.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first lip is located on an edge of the strip, part or all of an outline of the lip not bordering on the strip.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the average pore area at the bonding surface of the contact pad is approximately 1.5 um² and a fraction of pores with a pore area of 10 um² at the bonding surface is less then one percent.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the contact pad is applied to the semiconductor substrate by:

printing contact pad material comprising grains of conductor material onto the semiconductor substrate;

sintering the contact pad material on the semiconductor material;

bonding of the contact pad to the sintered contact pad.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact pad material comprises silver grains.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connection strip is made of aluminium.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connection strip has a thickness of less than a quarter millimeter.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connection strip has a width of at least five millimeter

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connection lips each have width of at most three millimeters.

14. A photovoltaic cell assembly, comprising:

a first and second photovoltaic cell, each comprising a semiconductor substrate comprising a contact pad printed thereon

an electrically conducting connection strip having a first and second lip integrally formed in or extending from the connection strip, a width of the first and second lip being smaller than a width of the strip;

wherein the first and second lip are ultrasonically bonded to the contact pads of the first and second photo-voltaic cell respectively.

15. A photovoltaic cell assembly according to claim 14, wherein the lips are bonded to the contact pads on a side of the photovoltaic cells at which the strip is located.

16. A photovoltaic cell assembly according to claim 14, wherein

the semiconductor substrate of the first and second photovoltaic cell comprise further contact pads;

the connection strip has further integrally formed lips ultrasonically bonded to further contact pads.

17. A photovoltaic cell assembly according to claim 16, wherein the semiconductor substrate of the first and second photovoltaic cell each comprise interdigitated first and second conductor lines on substrate areas of mutually opposite conductivity type, the contacts and the further contact pads lying on the first conductor lines, the connection strip forming an electrical connection between the first conductor lines.

18. A photovoltaic cell assembly according to claim 14, wherein the first lip is internal to are internal to the strip, the first lip having an outline having two parallel sections, extending from the base of the lip and a rounded section connecting the parallel sections on the side of the lip away from the base of the lip.

19. A photovoltaic cell assembly according to claim 14, wherein the first lip is located on an edge of the strip, part or all of an outline of the lip not bordering on the strip.