Collector grid, electrode structures and interrconnect structures for photovoltaic arrays and methods of manufacture

Abstract

The invention teaches novel structure and methods for producing electrical current collectors and electrical interconnection structure. Such articles find particular use in facile production of modular arrays of photovoltaic cells. The current collector and interconnecting structures may be initially produced separately from the photovoltaic cells thereby allowing the use of unique materials and manufacture. Subsequent combination of the structures with photovoltaic cells allows facile and efficient completion of modular arrays. Methods for combining the collector and interconnection structures with cells and final interconnecting into modular arrays are taught

1 . A method of manufacture of an article combining a photovoltaic cell structure and a current collector structure suitable for collecting current from light incident surfaces of photovoltaic cells, said method comprising the steps of,
 providing a photovoltaic cell structure having semiconductor material positioned between a top light incident cell surface and bottom cell surface,   providing current collector structure, said current collector structure comprising a flexible, polymer based sheetlike substrate having a first surface and a second surface and comprising a pattern of electrically conductive material supported by said substrate and positioned over said first surface, said current collector structure being manufactured separately and distinctly from said cell structure,   combining a portion of said current collector structure and said cell structure such that said first substrate surface of said collector structure portion and said top light incident surface of said cell structure face each other and said pattern of conductive material associated with said collector structure portion extends over and is in electrical contact with a preponderance of said top light incident cell surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said current collector structure is supplied to said combining step in a form wherein said substrate is characterized as continuous. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said photovoltaic cell structure is supplied to said combining step as a continuous form. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said combining step comprises lamination of said current collector structure portion to said light incident cell surface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said combining step is characterized as roll-to-roll processing. 
     
     
         6 . A method of manufacture of an article combining a photovoltaic cell structure and a current collector structure suitable for collecting current from light incident surfaces of photovoltaic cells, said method comprising the steps of,
 providing a photovoltaic cell structure having a light incident surface,   providing a separately prepared current collector structure, said current collector structure comprising a sheetlike substrate having a first surface and a pattern of electrically conductive material extending over said first surface, said current collector structure being initially separate and distinct from said photovoltaic cell structure,   combining said photovoltaic cell structure and a portion of said current collector structure such that said light incident surface of said cell structure and said first substrate surface of said collector structure portion not covered by said conductive material face each other and are adhesively bonded to each other, and said pattern of electrically conductive material associated with said collector structure portion is in electrical contact with said light incident surface.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said light incident surface of said cell portion has substantially uniform composition. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said first surface is formed by a polymer based adhesive. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said pattern of electrically conductive material associated with said collector structure portion extends over a preponderance of said light incident surface of said cell structure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said sheetlike substrate comprises multiple layers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said sheetlike substrate comprises a layer of glass. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said sheetlike substrate comprises multiple polymer based layers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said sheetlike substrate is flexible. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said photovoltaic cell structure comprises thin film semiconductor material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said pattern of electrically conductive material comprises an electrically conductive adhesive to adhesively bond portions of said material to said light incident surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said pattern of electrically conductive material has surface portions formed by a low melting point metal-based material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said low melting point metal-based material comprises Indium. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacture of an article combining a photovoltaic cell structure and a current collector structure suitable for collecting current from light incident surfaces of photovoltaic cells, said method comprising the steps of,
 providing a separately prepared current collector structure, said current collector structure comprising a flexible polymer based sheetlike substrate having a first surface and comprising a pattern of electrically conductive material extending over said first surface, said current collector structure being initially separate and distinct from said photovoltaic cell structure,   applying photovoltaic cell structure over at least a portion of said current collector structure, said cell structure comprising a light incident surface, a back surface and semiconductor material positioned between said light incident and back surfaces, said application being such that a preponderance of said light incident surface faces and is in electrical communication with said pattern of conductive material associated with said portion of current collector structure.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein said current collector structure provided has a form wherein said substrate is characterized as continuous. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacture of an article combining a photovoltaic cell structure and a current collector structure suitable for collecting current from light incident surfaces of photovoltaic cells, said method comprising the steps of,
 providing a separately prepared current collector structure, said current collector structure comprising a transparent or translucent substrate having a length dimension and having a first surface, said current collector structure further comprising multiple distinctly separated patterns of electrically conductive material supported on said first surface, each of said patterns being elongate in said length dimension and having a width dimension perpendicular to said length dimension, said multiple patterns being repetitive in said width dimension, said patterns being distinctly separated from each other by a region of substrate absent conductive material extending in said length dimension,   positioning photovoltaic cell structures over at least a portions of each of said patterns of conductive material, each of said cell structures comprising a light incident surface, a back surface and semiconductor material positioned between said light incident and back surfaces, said positioning being such that a preponderance of said light incident surface of each of said cell structures faces and is in electrical contact with a said pattern of conductive material.