Planarization of photovoltaics

Abstract

Various processes can apply pressure and/or heat to a photovoltaic (PV) layer, including processes that integrate solar cells into different types of industrial glass such as an autoclave lamination process. The disclosure describes a planarization technique that can be used on the PV layer to eliminate point loads caused by such processes. In an aspect, a method for producing a component is described that includes disposing or placing a planarization material on a PV layer, modifying a physical form of the planarization material to provide a planar surface made of the planarization material on one side of the PV layer having surface irregularities, and forming a stack of layers (e.g., as part of an autoclave lamination process) for the component by disposing a first layer over the planar surface on the one side of the PV layer and a second layer over the other, opposite side of the PV layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a component, comprising:
 disposing a planarization material on a photovoltaic (PV) layer;   modifying a physical form of the planarization material to provide a planar surface made of the planarization material on one side of the PV layer having surface irregularities; and   forming a stack of layers for the component by disposing a first layer over the planar surface on the one side of the PV layer and a second layer over the other, opposite side of the PV layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the stack of layers is part of performing a process, the process including one of:
 an autoclave lamination process,   a moving flatbed lamination process,   a belt vacuum lamination process,   a flat press plate lamination process, or   a heated nip rollers press process.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the stack of layers is part of performing a lamination process in which pressure is applied to the stack of layers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the physical form of the planarization material to provide the planar surface includes at least partially embedding the PV layer within the planarization material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least partially embedding the PV layer within the planarization material includes surrounding at least a surface on the one side of the PV layer with the planarization material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least partially embedding the PV layer within the planarization material includes surrounding a first surface on the one side of the PV layer and a second surface on the other side of the PV layer with the planarization material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 modifying the physical form of the planarization material provides another planar surface made of the planarization material on the other side of the PV layer; and   forming the stack of layers for the component includes disposing the second layer over the planar surface on the other side of the PV layer.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a de-gassing operation on the stack of layers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the de-gassing operation comprises:
 disposing the stack of layers in a vacuum structure that provides a vacuum seal; and   reducing pressure within the stack of layers.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the vacuum structure is a vacuum bag or a vacuum gasket. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising performing a vacuum lamination operation on the stack of layers following the de-gassing operation, wherein the vacuum lamination is performed using a flatbed laminator, a curved mold, or both, wherein the curved mold is based on a shape of the first layer, a shape of the second layer, or both. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a first intermediate layer between the first layer and the planar surface on the one side of the PV layer, a second intermediate layer between the second layer and the other side of the PV layer, or both. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein disposing the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, or both includes disposing a same material as the planarization material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein disposing the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, or both includes disposing a material different from the planarization material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one side of the PV layer is a front side of the PV layer for capturing light energy and the other side of the PV layer is a back side of the PV layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing the first layer includes disposing one or more of glass or polycarbonate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing the first layer includes disposing one or more of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), ethylene chlorotriflluoroethylene (ECTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing the second layer includes disposing one or more of steel, aluminum, carbon fiber composites, fiber glass, engineering thermoplastics, or reinforced thermoplastics. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein disposing the second layer includes disposing thermoplastics, the thermoplastics including at least PET-based backsheets. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first layer has a first flat shape,   the second layer has a second flat shape complementary to the first flat shape, and   the PV layer with the planarization material is a flexible layer,   the method further comprising conforming a shape of the PV layer with the planarization material to the first flat shape and the second flat shape.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first layer has a first curved shape,   the second layer has a second curved shape complementary to the first curved shape, and   the PV layer with the planarization material is a flexible layer,   the method further comprising conforming a shape of the PV layer with the planarization material to the first curved shape and the second curved shape.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first layer has a first non-uniform shape,   the second layer has a second non-uniform shape complementary to the first non-uniform shape, and   the PV layer with the planarization material is a flexible layer,   the method further comprising conforming a shape of the PV layer with the planarization material to the first non-uniform shape and the second non-uniform shape.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing as the PV layer a thin film PV material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the thin film PV material includes one or more of cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), amorphous thin-film silicon (a-Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or perovskite. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PV layer includes crystalline silicon (c-Si) made of multicrystalline silicon or monocrystalline silicon. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PV layer includes a heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) structure having a thin crystalline silicon layer surrounded by one or more ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PV layer includes one or more solar cells in electrical communication, or one or more solar modules in electrical communication. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface irregularities include one or more protrusions. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the one or more protrusions include a busbar, a tab, or a contact. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surface irregularities include one or more gaps between solar cells in the PV layer. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the planarization material includes one or more of a thermoplastic or a thermoset. 
     
     
         32 . A light-capturing component, comprising:
 a photovoltaic (PV) layer;   a planarization material disposed on one side of the PV layer having surface irregularities to provide a planar surface made of the planarization material;   a first layer disposed over the planar surface on the one side of the PV layer; and   a second layer disposed over the other, opposite side of the PV layer,   wherein the PV layer with the planarization material, the first layer, and the second layer form a stack of layers for the light-capturing component.   
     
     
         33 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the PV layer is at least partially embedded within the planarization material. 
     
     
         34 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the planarization material surrounds at least a surface on the one side of the PV layer with the planarization material. 
     
     
         35 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the planarization material surrounds a first surface on the one side of the PV layer and a second surface on the other side of the PV layer. 
     
     
         36 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the planarization material covers a portion of the one side of the PV layer, a portion of the other side of the PV layer, or both. 
     
     
         37 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , further comprising a first intermediate layer between the first layer and the planar surface on the one side of the PV layer, a second intermediate layer between the second layer and the other side of the PV layer, or both. 
     
     
         38 . The light-capturing component of  claim 37 , wherein the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, or both includes a same material as the planarization material. 
     
     
         39 . The light-capturing component of  claim 37 , wherein the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, or both includes a material different from the planarization material. 
     
     
         40 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the planar surface on the one side of the PV layer is directly bonded to the first layer. 
     
     
         41 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the one side of the PV layer is a front side of the PV layer for capturing light energy and the other side of the PV layer is a back side of the PV layer. 
     
     
         42 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the first layer includes one or more of glass or polycarbonate. 
     
     
         43 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the first layer includes one or more of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), ethylene chlorotriflluoroethylene (ECTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). 
     
     
         44 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the second layer includes one or more of steel, aluminum, carbon fiber composites, fiber glass, engineering thermoplastics, or reinforced thermoplastics. 
     
     
         45 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the second layer includes thermoplastics, the thermoplastics including at least PET-based backsheets. 
     
     
         46 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein:
 the first layer has a first flat shape,   the second layer has a second flat shape complementary to the first flat shape, and   the PV layer with the planarization material is a flexible layer,   the method further comprising conforming a shape of the PV layer with the planarization material to the first flat shape and the second flat shape.   
     
     
         47 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein:
 the first layer has a first curved shape,   the second layer has a second curved shape complementary to the first curved shape, and   the PV layer with the planarization material is a flexible layer such that a shape of the PV layer with the planarization material conforms to the first curved shape and the second curved shape.   
     
     
         48 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein:
 the first layer has a first non-uniform shape,   the second layer has a second non-uniform shape complementary to the first non-uniform shape, and   the PV layer with the planarization material is a flexible layer such that a shape of the PV layer with the planarization material conforms to the first non-uniform shape and the second non-uniform shape.   
     
     
         49 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the PV layer includes a thin film PV material. 
     
     
         50 . The light-capturing component of  claim 49 , wherein the thin film PV material includes one or more of cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), amorphous thin-film silicon (a-Si), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or perovskite. 
     
     
         51 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the PV layer includes crystalline silicon (c-Si) made of multicrystalline silicon or monocrystalline silicon. 
     
     
         52 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the PV layer includes a heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT) structure having a thin crystalline silicon layer surrounded by one or more ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. 
     
     
         53 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the PV layer includes one or more solar cells in electrical communication, or one or more solar modules in electrical communication. 
     
     
         54 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the surface irregularities include one or more protrusions. 
     
     
         55 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more protrusions include a busbar, a tab, or a contact. 
     
     
         56 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the surface irregularities include one or more gaps between solar cells in the PV layer. 
     
     
         57 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the planarization material includes one or more of a thermoplastic or a thermoset. 
     
     
         58 . The light-capturing component of  claim 32 , wherein the light-capturing component is an industrial component and is configured to be assembled with other components as part of a manufacturing process.