Strings of solar cells having laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures and their methods of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12113142-B2
Application number	US-202117356417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2021
Priority date	Jun 24, 2020
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

Strings of solar cells having laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures, and their methods of manufacture, are described. For example, a solar cell string includes a first solar cell having a front side and a back side, and one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures electrically connecting a first metal foil to the back side of the first solar cell. The solar cell string also includes a second solar cell having a front side and a back side, and one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures electrically connecting a second metal foil to the back side of the second solar cell. The solar cell string also includes a conductive interconnect coupling the first and second solar cells, the conductive interconnect including a strain relief feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar cell string, comprising:
a first solar cell having a front side and a back side, and one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures electrically connecting a first metal foil to the back side of the first solar cell;
a second solar cell having a front side and a back side, and one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures electrically connecting a second metal foil to the back side of the second solar cell; and
a conductive interconnect coupling the first and second solar cells, the conductive interconnect comprising a strain relief feature, the strain relief feature comprising an overhang portion of the first metal foil and an overhang portion of the second metal foil, the overhang portion of the first metal foil in direct physical contact with the overhang portion of the second metal foil, wherein the strain relief feature comprises a plurality of folds out of plane of the first and second solar cells, the plurality of folds extending from a location below a bottom of the first and second solar cells to a location above a top of the first and second solar cells, and a plurality of welds between adjacent ones of the plurality of folds, wherein individual ones of the plurality of welds are laterally spaced apart from one another along a direction laterally between the one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures of the first solar cell and the one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures of the second solar cell.

2. The solar cell string of claim 1 , wherein the strain relief feature is a W or M strain relief feature.

Assignees

• Maxeon Solar Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Lu Pei Hsuan
• Newman Tyler D
• Loscutoff Paul W
• Correos George G
• Lin Yafu
• Bowring Andrea R
• Okawa David C
• Matsumoto Matthew T
• Hsia Benjamin I
• Shakir Arbaz Ahmed
• Lippiatt John H
• Nazareth Simone I
• Reagan Ryan
• Johnson Todd R
• Western Ned
• Lance Tamir
• Robinson Marc

Classifications

• H10F77/937

  Busbar structures for modules · CPC title

• H10F71/137

  Batch treatment of the devices · CPC title

• H10F19/908

  for back-contact photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• H10F19/906

  characterised by the materials of the structures · CPC title