Fabrication of interconnected thin-film concentrator cells using shadow masks
US8963270B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2012 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/541
Abstract
A method for fabricating thin film solar cells for a concentrated photovoltaic system uses three shadow masks. The first mask, used to deposit a back contact layer, has multiple horizontal and vertical lines defining columns and rows of cells, and multiple tabs each located in a cell along a center of a vertical border. The second mask, used to deposit a CIGS absorption layer, a window layer and a transparent contact layer, is similar to the first mask except the tabs are located along the opposite vertical border of the cells. The third mask, used to deposit a metal grid layer, has multiple bus bar openings and finger openings. Each bus bar opening is located along a horizontal center line of a cell and overlaps the second tab of a neighboring cell. The cells in a horizontal row are connected in series, forming a linear solar receiver.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.