Solar cell module and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016118522-A1
Application number	US-201314784578-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2013
Priority date	Apr 15, 2013
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a solar cell module and a method for manufacturing the same. The solar cell module comprises: a substrate; and a plurality of solar cells located on the substrate, each solar cell comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoactive layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least a portion of a second electrode is located on a photoactive layer of a neighboring solar cell, and a conductive channel is located between the second electrode and a first electrode of the neighboring solar cell. Therefore, a solar cell module having a structure in which every layer except for electrodes is entirely formed as a thin film may be provided. In addition, a solar cell module the module efficiency of which is improved by increasing the active area of each solar cell may be provided.

First claim

1 . A solar cell module comprising:
a substrate; and a plurality of solar cells located on the substrate, each solar cell comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoactive layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least a portion of a second electrode is located on a photoactive layer of a neighboring solar cell, and a conductive channel is located between the second electrode and a first electrode of the neighboring solar cell.

2 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive channel is located in a layer between the second electrode and the first electrode of the neighboring solar cell.

3 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive channel is formed by applying an electric field across the second electrode and the first electrode of the neighboring solar cell.

4 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the photoactive layer is located entirely over the substrate on which the first electrode is located.

5 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the photoactive layer has a bulk heterojunction structure of electron donor materials and electron acceptor materials.

6 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , further comprising nanostructures in the photoactive layer.

7 . The solar cell module according to claim 6 , wherein the nanostructures comprise metal nanoparticles, metal nanowires, CNTs or graphene.

8 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the solar cell further comprises a first charge transport layer located between the first electrode and the photoactive layer.

9 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the solar cell further comprises a second charge transport layer located between the photoactive layer and the second electrode.

10 . The solar cell module according to claim 1 , wherein the solar cell is a stacked solar cell in which a plurality of photoactive layers is stacked on one another.

11 . A method for manufacturing a solar cell module, comprising:
forming a plurality of first electrodes, disposed apart from one another, on a substrate; forming a photoactive layer entirely over the substrate on which the first electrodes are formed; forming a plurality of solar cells by forming a plurality of second electrodes, disposed apart from each other, on the photoactive layer, wherein at least a portion of a second electrode is located on a photoactive layer of a neighboring solar cell; and forming a conductive channel by applying an electric field across the second electrode and a first electrode of the neighboring solar cell.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the conductive channel is formed in a layer between the second electrode and the first electrode of the neighboring solar cell.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the photoactive layer further comprises nanostructures.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the nanostructures comprise metal nanoparticles, metal nanowires, CNTs or graphene.

Assignees

• Kwangju Inst Sci & Tech

Inventors

• Lee Kwang Hee
• Kang Hong Kyu

Classifications

• Y02E10/542

  Dye sensitized solar cells · CPC title

• H01G9/2059

  comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution · CPC title

• H01G9/2031

  comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 (H01G9/2036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10F19/35

  Structures for the connecting of adjacent photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers · CPC title

• H10F19/31

  having multiple laterally adjacent thin-film photovoltaic cells deposited on the same substrate · CPC title