Solar cell and solar cell assembly

• US 9,508,876 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
• Original Assignee: Astrium GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): GARDNER, SHANNON M
• Application Number:
  US13/544,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 including a substrate with first p-n-junction, separating the substrate into front portion having first doping and rear portion having second doping, being located close to front surface of substrate. A front layer having a p-n-junction, separating the front layer into front portion having first doping and rear portion having second doping. At least one first electric contact provided on front side of the solar cell electrically connected to front portion of the front layer, and second electric contact provided on rear side of solar cell electrically connected to a contact point provided on front side of the solar cell. Contact point is placed on a bottom surface of a groove open to front side of the cell and extending to rear portion of substrate, and an electrical connection between the second electric contact and the contact point is provided by the rear portion.

Claims

1. A solar cell assembly of at least three interconnectable solar cells, the solar cells including 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 separates 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 rear portion of the substrate; and

an electrical connection between the at least one second electric contact and the at least one contact point is provided by the rear portion of the substrate, the solar cell assembly comprising;

first and second electric contacts pads for respective first and second electric contacts for each solar cell, wherein a first electric contact pad of a solar cell is positioned adjacent to a second electric contact pad of another solar cell and a second electric contact pad of the solar cell is positioned adjacent to a first electric contact pad of the another solar cell, and the solar cells being arranged to form an array of solar cells; and

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

wherein each interconnector is sized so that each interconnector is generally located below the connection between the interconnector and the first electric contact pad; and

a cover glass provided on a front surface of the front layer of each solar cell,

wherein a front surface of the cover glass is provided with a conductive coating that is connected to a metalized portion of a side wall of the cover glass adjacent to the groove accommodating one of the contact pads, and the metalized portion is electrically connected to the first electric contact pad.

2. The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein a free end of the interconnector is bent towards the front side of the solar cell, and the bent portion of the interconnector electrically contacts the metalized portion when the interconnector is fixed to the electric contact pad.

3. The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion forms grid fingers at free ends.