Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin film solar cell, in particular in strip-like farm, a photovoltaic string assembly comprising at least two solar cells according to the invention, a method of manufacturing a solar cell according to the Invention, a method of electrically connecting at least two solar cells according to the invention and a method of producing a photovoltaic string assembly comprising the solar cells of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thin-film solar cell on the basis of IB-IIIA-VIA compound semiconductors and a method for producing such a solar cell. Between the polycrystalline IB-IIIA-VIA absorber layer of the p-type conductivity and the carrier film serving as a substrate, a back electrode of intermetallic phases of the same IB- and IIIA-metals are located which are deposited for the generation of the absorber layer. The absorber layer and the back electrode are produced in such a way that the precursor consisting of IB-IIIA-metals is vertically only incompletely converted into the photovoltaicly active absorber material from the side opposite to the carrier film by reaction with chalcogen such that intermetallic phases of the IB- and IIIA-metals are directly located on the carrier film, which metals serve as back electrode of the solar cell structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating a strip CIS solar cell and an apparatus for practicing the method. It is the task of the invention to describe a method and an apparatus for providing a technical solution as well as the required layer structure, by which it is possible economically to fabricate adhering CIS solar cells on copper strips. In accordance with the invention the task is solved by a first step of continuously galvanically coating one side of a pre-cleaned copper strip with indium, a second step of very quickly heating the copper strip coated with indium by a contact method with a heated body of graphite and to bring one side into contact with a heated sulfur or selenium containing carrier gas in a narrow gap, a third step of selectively removing by an etching technique the generated cover layer of copper sulfide or selenide, and a fourth step of providing a p.sup.+ conductive transparent collector or planarizing layer of copper oxide/sulfide.