Solar module structures and assembly methods for three-dimensional thin-film solar cells

Abstract

Solar module structures 210 and 270 and methods for assembling solar module structures. The solar module structures 210 and 270 comprise three-dimensional thin-film solar cells 110 arranged in solar module structures 210 and 270 . The three-dimensional thin-film solar cell comprises a three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate ( 124 and 122 , respectively) with emitter junction regions 1352 and doped base regions 1360 . The three-dimensional thin-film solar cell further includes emitter metallization regions and base metallization regions. The 3-D TFSC substrate comprises a plurality of single-aperture or dual-aperture unit cells. The solar module structures 270 using three-dimensional thin-film solar cells comprising three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrates with a plurality of dual-aperture unit cells may be used in solar glass applications. The solar module structures 210 using three-dimensional thin-film solar cells comprising three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrates with a plurality of single-aperture unit cells may be used in building façade and rooftop installation applications as well as for centralized solar electricity generation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A solar module structure, comprising:
 a top encapsulant layer;   a plurality of three-dimensional thin-film solar cells, each thin-film solar cell comprising:
 a three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate comprising emitter junction regions and doped base regions; 
 emitter metallization regions; and 
 base metallization regions; 
 wherein said three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate comprises a plurality of single-aperture unit cells; 
   a printed circuit board;   a rear encapsulant layer; and   a protective back plate.   
     
     
         2 . The solar module structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a glass layer. 
     
     
         3 . The solar module structure of  claim 2 , wherein said glass layer comprises a separate glass cover. 
     
     
         4 . The solar module structure of  claim 2 , wherein said glass layer comprises a glass-like protective coating formed by a coating method. 
     
     
         5 . The solar module structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a top patterned cell interconnect layer. 
     
     
         6 . The solar module structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear patterned cell interconnect layer. 
     
     
         7 . The solar module structure of  claim 1 , wherein said protective back plate comprises a Tedlar protective back plate. 
     
     
         8 . The solar module structure of  claim 1 , wherein each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell further comprises a rear mirror. 
     
     
         9 . The solar module structure of  claim 8 , wherein said rear mirror comprises an integrated rear mirror. 
     
     
         10 . The solar module structure of  claim 8 , wherein said rear mirror comprises a detached rear mirror. 
     
     
         11 . The solar module structure of  claim 1 , wherein each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell further comprises a peripheral cell frame. 
     
     
         12 . The solar module structure of  claim 11 , wherein said peripheral cell frame may be used to produce wrap-through or wrap-around emitter metallization for making contacts to the cell emitter at the bottom of each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell. 
     
     
         13 . A method for assembling a solar module structure, comprising:
 patterning a frontside and a backside of a double-sided printed circuit board coated with metallic foils according to desired frontside and backside interconnect layouts;   applying a first coating layer to the rear side of a plurality of three-dimensional thin-film solar cells, each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell comprising:
 a three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate comprising emitter junction regions and doped base regions; 
 emitter metallization regions; and 
 base metallization regions; 
 wherein said three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate comprises a plurality of single-aperture unit cells; 
   placing said plurality of three-dimensional thin-film solar cells on the frontside of said double-sided printed circuit board;   preparing a solar module assembly, comprising:
 a glass layer; 
 a top encapsulant layer; 
 said plurality of three-dimensional thin-film solar cells on the frontside of said double-sided printed circuit board; 
 a rear encapsulant layer; 
 a protective back plate; and 
   sealing and packaging said solar module assembly.   
     
     
         14 . The method for assembling a solar module structure of  claim 13 , wherein each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell further comprises a rear mirror. 
     
     
         15 . The method for assembling a solar module structure of  claim 13 , further comprising arranging a plurality of said solar module assemblies in series. 
     
     
         16 . The method for assembling a solar module structure of  claim 13 , further comprising arranging a plurality of said solar module assemblies in parallel. 
     
     
         17 . The method for assembling a solar module structure of  claim 15 , further comprising connecting at least one pair of module power output electrical leads. 
     
     
         18 . The method for assembling a solar module structure of  claim 16 , further comprising connecting at least one pair of module power output electrical leads. 
     
     
         19 . A solar module structure, comprising:
 a top glass plate;   a plurality of three-dimensional thin-film solar cells, each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell comprising:
 a three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate comprising emitter junction regions and doped base regions; 
 emitter metallization regions; and 
 base metallization regions; 
 wherein said three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate comprises a plurality of dual-aperture unit cells; 
   a rear patterned cell interconnect layer; and   a bottom glass plate.   
     
     
         20 . The solar module structure of  claim 19 , wherein each three-dimensional thin-film solar cell further comprises a peripheral cell frame.