Solar Cell Lamination

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solar cell sheet comprising a first and a second substrate, which first and second substrates are flexible and suitable for roll to roll printing, and the solar cell sheet further comprises one or more self-contained solar cell units, wherein each self-contained solar cell unit comprises one or more solar cell modules, and each solar cell module comprises a plurality of serially connected solar cells, wherein each of the solar cell modules comprises: a first substrate portion of the first flexible substrate and a second substrate portion of the second substrate, a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes arranged between the first and second substrate portions; and at least one organic active layer arranged between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes; wherein, a continuous or discontinuous portion of a first adhesive material encircles each of the solar cell units. The present invention further relates to a method for producing the solar cell sheet comprising one or more self-contained solar cell units.

1 . A method for producing a solar cell sheet, said solar cell sheet comprising two or more self-contained solar cell units, wherein each self-contained solar cell unit comprises one or more solar cell modules, said method comprising:
 providing a first and a second flexible substrate portion suitable for roll to roll deposition;   for each solar cell module:
 providing a first set of electrodes on a predetermined portion said first substrate, 
 providing a second set of electrodes on a predetermined portion of said second substrate, 
 providing a first organic active layer on one of said first and second sets of electrodes, and optionally a second organic active layer on the other of said first and second sets of electrodes, 
   providing a layer of adhesive material on at least one of said first and second substrate, which layer of adhesive material is continuous or discontinuous and encircles each one of said one or more solar cell units;   laminating by means of heat and pressure said first and said second substrate portions together in a roll-to-roll process such that
 the layer of adhesive material adheres the first and second substrates to each other, 
 and for each solar cell module:
 the active layer is arranged spatially between and in electrical contact with said plurality of first electrodes and said plurality of second electrodes; 
 
   separating at least one of the solar cell units from the other solar cell units or the rest of the sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of separating at least one of the solar cell units is performed by means of cutting. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said step of separating at least one of the solar cell units from the other solar cell units is at least partly performed by cutting in between two neighboring lines of adhesive material. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of said adhesive material is conductive or non-conductive. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a layer of adhesive material on at least one of said first and second substrate comprises the step of providing an adhesive layer which at least partly forms an outer and an inner line. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein one of said outer and inner lines is more hydrophobic compared to the other. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said inner line is more hydrophobic compared to said outer line and said outer line has a higher oxygen permeability compared to said inner line. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said outer line is more hydrophobic compared to said inner line and said inner line has a higher oxygen permeability compared to said outer line. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer of adhesive material after drying has a width of at least 10 nm and/or at most 1 mm in a direction parallel with said substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer of adhesive material after drying has a width of at most 1 mm in a direction parallel with said substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises providing each one of said at least one solar cell modules with a plurality of discontinuous portions of an adhesive non-conductive material spatially arranged within said solar cell module. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said step of providing a layer of adhesive material on at least one of said first and second substrate comprises the step of providing an adhesive layer which at least partly forms an outer and an inner line. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said layer of adhesive material after drying has a width of at least 10 nm and/or at most 1 mm in a direction parallel with said substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said layer of adhesive material after drying has a width of at most 1 mm in a direction parallel with said substrate.