公开(公告)号：US12154997B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-26

申请号：US17912712

申请日：2021-03-18

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Rolf Wächter ,  Tobias Repmann ,  Bernd Sprecher

IPC: H01L31/044 ,  H01L31/0465

Abstract: The invention relates to a thin film solar module comprising a monolithic solar cell array (1), including a plurality of solar cells (2) with a layer structure, comprising a rear contact layer (3), a front contact layer (4) and an absorber layer between the rear contact layer and the front contact layer, and an electrical connection structure (6) for electrically serially connecting neighbouring solar cells. The invention also relates to an associated production method. In the thin film solar module according to the invention, the electrical connection structure includes contact strips (7) for electrically serially connecting neighbouring solar cells, wherein the electrical connection structure electrically serially connects two respective solar cells (2m, 2m+1) that are adjacent to one another in a series connection direction (RS) via one or more contact strips (7). The contact strips run spaced apart from one another and transverse to the series connection direction with a direction component in the series connection direction in connection strip regions (8) of the solar cells. Each contact strip contacts a side (3a) of the rear contact layer of the one solar cell facing an absorber layer and a side (4b) of the front contact layer of the other solar cell facing away from an absorber layer, wherein the connection strip regions of the solar cells have connection recesses (9) in the front contact layer and the absorber layer for exposing the side of the rear contact layer facing the absorber layer. The invention also relates to the use of same in thin film solar cell technology.

公开(公告)号：US20250089380A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-13

申请号：US18956909

申请日：2024-11-22

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Rolf Wächter ,  Tobias Repmann ,  Bernd Sprecher

IPC: H01L31/0465

Abstract: The invention relates to a thin film solar module comprising a monolithic solar cell array, including a plurality of solar cells with a layer structure, comprising a rear contact layer, a front contact layer and an absorber layer between the rear contact layer and the front contact layer, and an electrical connection structure for electrically serially connecting neighboring solar cells. The invention also relates to an associated production method.

公开(公告)号：US20240322057A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-26

申请号：US18680927

申请日：2024-05-31

Applicant: First Solar, Inc.

Inventor： Shuping Lin ,  Raffael Reineker ,  Hongqing Shan ,  Joachim Leopold Ludwig Müller ,  Bernd Sprecher ,  Kay Orgassa

IPC: H01L31/0463 ,  H01L31/0224 ,  H01L31/032

CPC classification number: H01L31/0463 ,  H01L31/022425 ,  H01L31/0322

Abstract: A method of patterning a thin-film photovoltaic layer stack includes the steps of providing a continuous layer stack comprising a planar substrate, a first electrode layer on the substrate and a photovoltaic layer on the first electrode layer, immersing the layer stack into an electrically conductive solution, applying a bias voltage between the electrolyte solution and the first electrode layer and converting a first material or a first material composition provided in at least a first portion of the layer stack into a first reaction product by an electrochemical reaction, wherein the first reaction product has an electrical conductivity that is lower than an electrical conductivity of the first material or first material composition, or removing a first material or a first material composition provided in at least a first portion of the layer stack by an electrochemical reaction.