SOLAR CELL PANELS AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME
A solar cell panel and method of forming a solar cell panel. The method includes a: forming an electrically conductive bus bar on a top surface of a bottom cover plate; forming an electrically conductive contact frame proximate to a bottom surface of a top cover plate, the top cover plate transparent to visible light; and placing an array of rows and columns of solar cell chips between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate, each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips comprising an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface of the solar cell chip, the bus bar electrically contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips and the contact frame contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips.
The present invention relates to the field of solar cell panels; more specifically, it relates to solar cell panels and methods of fabricating solar cell panels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSolar cell panels require many steps to fabricate and it is relatively expensive for a manufacturer to supply more than a few voltage/current combination solar cell panels. Accordingly, the industry would welcome reductions in solar cell panel fabrication costs and increased solar cell panel fabrication flexibility. Therefore there exists a need in the art to mitigate the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA first aspect of the present invention is a structure, comprising: a bottom cover plate having an electrically conductive bus bar on a top surface of the bottom cover plate; a top cover plate having an electrically conductive contact frame proximate to a bottom surface of the top cover plate, the top cover plate transparent to visible light; and an array of rows and columns of solar cell chips between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate, each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips comprising an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface of the solar cell chip, the bus bar electrically contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips and the contact frame contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips.
A second aspect of the present invention is a method, comprising: forming an electrically conductive bus bar on a top surface of a bottom cover plate; forming an electrically conductive contact frame proximate to a bottom surface of a top cover plate, the top cover plate transparent to visible light; and placing an array of rows and columns of solar cell chips between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate, each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips comprising an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface of the solar cell chip, the bus bar electrically contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips and the contact frame contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of the array of solar cell chips.
The features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
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A damascene process is one in which trenches are formed in a dielectric layer, an electrical conductor of sufficient thickness to fill the trenches is deposited on a top surface of the dielectric and in the trenches, and a chemical-mechanical-polish (CMP) process is performed to remove excess conductor and male the surface of the conductor co-planar with the surface of the dielectric layer to form damascene lands. Most commonly when trenches are formed by a photolithography/reactive ion etch process, the trenches are essentially rectangular or trapezoidal in cross-section.
A photolithographic process is one in which a photoresist is applied to a surface to form a photoresist layer, the photoresist layer exposed to actinic radiation through a patterned photomask and the exposed photoresist layer developed to form a patterned photoresist layer. After further processing (e.g., an etch), the patterned photoresist is removed. The photoresist layer may optionally be baked at one or more of prior to exposure to actinic radiation, between exposure to actinic radiation and development, after development.
Thus the embodiments of the present invention, by forming metal wires on the glass overlay panels using fabrication techniques that allow selection of predefined voltage/current combination, mitigate the deficiencies and limitations described supra.
The description of the embodiments of the present invention is given above for the understanding of the present invention. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A structure, comprising:
- a bottom cover plate having an electrically conductive bus bar on a top surface of said bottom cover plate;
- a top cover plate having an electrically conductive contact frame proximate to a bottom surface of said top cover plate, said top cover plate transparent to visible light; and
- an array of rows and columns of solar cell chips between said bottom cover plate and said top cover plate, each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips comprising an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface of the solar cell chip, said bus bar electrically contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips and said contact frame contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips.
2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said top surface of said bottom cover plate is facing said bottom surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips and said bottom surface of said top cover plate is facing said top surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips.
3. The structure of claim 1, further including:
- an encapsulant formed along all edges of said top and bottom cover plates, said encapsulant hermetically sealing said array of solar cell chips between said top and bottom cover plates.
4. The structure of claim 1:
- wherein said bus bur comprises a single plate contacting all cathodes of all solar cell chips of said array of solar cell chips and said contact frame comprises a set of parallel lands, anodes of all solar cell chips of a row of solar cell chips interconnected by a respective land of said set of lands.
5. The structure of claim 1:
- wherein said bus bur comprises a first set of parallel lands, cathodes of all solar cell chips of a row of solar cell chips interconnected by a respective land of said first set of lands;
- wherein said contact frame comprises a second set of parallel lands, anodes all solar cell chips of a same row of solar cell chips interconnected by a respective land of said set of second lands, said first set of parallel lands and said second set of parallel lands mutually parallel; and
- further including electrically conductive clips electrically connecting lands of said first set of lands to lands of said second set of lands between adjacent rows of solar cell chips.
6. The structure of claim 1, further including (i) an antireflective coating on said top surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips, (ii) an antireflective coating on a top surface of said top cover plate or (iii) an antireflective coating on said top surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips and an antireflective coating on a top surface of said top cover plate.
7. The structure of claim 1, wherein said contact frame is transparent to visible light.
8. The structure of claim 1, wherein said contact frame extends into said top cover plate.
9. The structure of claim 8, wherein said contact frame has a triangular cross-section having a base side and two adjacent sides, said base side of said contact frame exposed in said bottom surface of said top cover plate, an apex of said contact frame formed by the intersection of said adjacent sides embedded in said top cover plate.
10. The structure of claim 1, wherein said contact frame is formed on said bottom surface of said top cover plate.
11. A method, comprising:
- forming an electrically conductive bus bar on a top surface of a bottom cover plate;
- forming an electrically conductive contact frame proximate to a bottom surface of a top cover plate, said top cover plate transparent to visible light; and
- placing an array of rows and columns of solar cell chips between said bottom cover plate and said top cover plate, each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips comprising an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface of the solar cell chip, said bus bar electrically contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips and said contact frame contacting each anode of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said top surface of said bottom cover plate is facing said bottom surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips and said bottom surface of said top cover plate is facing said top surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips.
13. The method of claim 11, further including:
- encapsulating all edges of said top and bottom cover plates and hermetically sealing said array of solar cell chips between said top and bottom cover plates.
14. The method of claim 11:
- wherein said bus bur comprises a single plate contacting all cathodes of all solar cell chips of said array of solar cell chips and said contact frame comprises a set of parallel lands, anodes of all solar cell chips of a row of solar cell chips interconnected by a respective land of said set of lands.
15. The method of claim 11:
- wherein said bus bur comprises a first set of parallel lands, cathodes of all solar cell chips of a row of solar cell chips interconnected by a respective land of said first set of lands;
- wherein said contact frame comprises a second set of parallel lands, anodes all solar cell chips of a same row of solar cell chips interconnected by a respective land of said set of second lands, said first set of parallel lands and said second set of parallel lands mutually parallel; and
- further including placing electrically conductive clips to electrically connect lands of said first set of lands to lands of said second set of lands between adjacent rows of solar cell chips.
16. The method of claim 11, further including (i) forming an antireflective coating on said top surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips, (ii) forming an antireflective coating on a top surface of said top cover plate or (iii) forming an antireflective coating on said top surfaces of each solar cell chip of said array of solar cell chips and forming an antireflective coating on a top surface of said top cover plate.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein said contact frame is transparent to visible light.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein forming said contact frame comprises:
- forming trenches in said top cover plate, said grooves open to said bottom surface of said top cover plate;
- forming a layer of electrically conductive material on said bottom surface of top cover plate; said electrically conductive material filling said trenches; and
- removing said electrically conductive material from said bottom surface of said top cover plate, said electrically conductive material remaining in said trenches.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said trenches are triangular grooves and said contact frame has a triangular cross-section having a base side and two adjacent sides, said base side of said contact frame exposed in said bottom surface of said top cover plate, an apex of said contact frame formed by the intersection of said adjacent sides embedded in said top cover plate.
20. The method of claim 11, wherein said contact frame is formed on said bottom surface of said top cover plate.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 12, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 18, 2010
Inventors: Harold John Hovel (Katonah, NY), Rainer Klaus Krause (Kostheim), Xiaoyan Shao (Yorktown Heights, NY), Steven Erik Steen (Peekskill, NY)
Application Number: 12/189,839
International Classification: H01L 31/052 (20060101); H01L 31/048 (20060101); H01L 31/18 (20060101);