Thin film solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,735,717 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tachibana, Shinsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNIER, LINDSEY A
• Application Number:
  US12/664,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20100163106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 136/252, 136/256
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0201 comprising specially adapted module bus-bar structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• 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 highly reliable thin film solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same are provided to improve bonding strength between a back-surface electrode layer and a bus bar without limiting the kind of metal film of the back-surface electrode layer. The thin film solar cell at least includes a light-transmitting insulating substrate, a transparent conductive film, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a back-surface electrode layer provided on the light-transmitting insulating substrate, and a bus bar provided on the back-surface electrode layer. The bus bar is electrically connected with the back-surface electrode layer with a conductive tape interposed whereby the back-surface electrode layer is used as a take-out electrode. The conductive tape preferably includes a thermosetting resin and a conductive particle. Furthermore, the conductive tape is preferably an anisotropic conductive tape.

Claims

1. A thin film solar cell comprising:

a light-transmitting insulating substrate;

a transparent conductive film, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a back-surface electrode layer provided on said light-transmitting insulating substrate; and

a bus bar provided on said back-surface electrode layer,

wherein said bus bar is electrically connected with said back-surface electrode layer with a conductive tape interposed whereby said back-surface electrode layer is used as a take-out electrode,

wherein said conductive tape includes a thermosetting resin and a conductive particle, and

wherein said thermosetting resin comprises an epoxy resin or an acrylic resin and has a setting temperature in a range of 150-250°

C.

2. The thin film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said conductive tape is an anisotropic conductive tape.

3. The thin film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said conductive tape is arranged in a dotted manner.

4. The thin film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein a width of said conductive tape is made smaller than a width of said bus bar.

5. The thin film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein said bus bar is formed of a conductor of a metal foil coated with plating.

6. The thin film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein a flatness of that surface of said bus bar which is connected with said conductive tape is less than or equal to 10 μ

m.