Thin-film solar module contacted on one side and having an inner contact layer

US8884154B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM BERLIN FÜR MATERIALIEN UND ENERGIE GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Rolf Stangl · Berlin, DE
• Klaus Lips · Berlin, DE
• Bernd Rech · Bokensdorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 11, 2009
• Grant date: Nov 11, 2014
• Expiry date: Feb 27, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50

Abstract

A thin-film solar module contacted on one side includes a support layer, a photoactive absorber layer and at least one dopant layer deposited over a surface area of at least one side of the absorber layer so as to form a thin-film packet that is divided into thin-film solar cell areas by insulating separating trenches. The thin-film solar module includes first and second contact systems. The first contact system includes contacts connected by an outer contact layer. The second contact system consists of an inner contact layer covering a side of the solar cell areas that face away from the support layer so as to separately discharge excess charge carriers generated by incident light in the absorber layer. The second contact system includes structures that surround and electrically insulate the contacts, which extend through the inner contact layer from the outer contact layer. The first and second contact systems are electrically conductive and connected in series by series contacts in interconnection areas and electrically insulated from each other by an insulation layer outside of the interconnection areas.