Photovoltaic conversion device, photovoltaic module, and solar power generation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019103499-A1
Application number	US-201716087599-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	Mar 23, 2016
Publication date	Apr 4, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A photovoltaic conversion device (10) includes a semiconductor substrate (1), a passivation film (3), n-type amorphous semiconductor strips, p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p), and electrodes (7). The passivation film (3) is formed on one of the surfaces of the semiconductor substrate (1). The n- and p-type amorphous semiconductor strips are arranged alternately as viewed along an in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate (1) (Y-axis direction). The p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p) have reduced-thickness regions (51) at some intervals as viewed along the length direction of the p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p) (X-axis direction). The n-type amorphous semiconductor strips have a similar structure. The electrodes (7) are provided on the p-type amorphous semiconductor strips (5p), but not in areas where the reduced-thickness regions (51) have a positive curvature r with respect to the length direction of the reduced-thickness regions (51). Electrodes on the n-type amorphous semiconductor strips have a similar arrangement.

First claim

1 . A photovoltaic conversion device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a first amorphous semiconductor section on one of faces of the semiconductor substrate, the first amorphous semiconductor section including at least one first amorphous semiconductor strip of the first conductivity type; a second amorphous semiconductor section on the face, the second amorphous semiconductor section including at least one second amorphous semiconductor strip of a second conductivity type that differs from the first conductivity type, the first and second amorphous semiconductor strips being arranged alternately as viewed along an in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of first electrodes arranged spaced apart from each other on the first amorphous semiconductor section; and a plurality of second electrodes arranged spaced apart from each other on the second amorphous semiconductor section, wherein the first and second amorphous semiconductor strips each have at least one reduced-thickness region where that first or second amorphous semiconductor strip has a reduced thickness, the reduced-thickness region being provided across the first and second amorphous semiconductor strips in a width direction thereof, and the reduced-thickness region has no electrodes formed in a segment thereof where the reduced-thickness region has a positive curvature with respect to a length direction of the first and second amorphous semiconductor strips.

2 . The photovoltaic conversion device according to claim 1 , further comprising a passivation film between the semiconductor substrate and the first and second amorphous semiconductor sections.

3 . The photovoltaic conversion device according to claim 2 , wherein the passivation film contains intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon.

4 . The photovoltaic conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the reduced-thickness region contains in the segment either a dopant of the first conductivity type at or in excess of 1×10 20 atoms/cm −3 or a dopant of the second conductivity type at or in excess of 1×10 20 atoms/cm −3 .

5 . The photovoltaic conversion device according to claim 1 , wherein the reduced-thickness region has a thickness of greater than or equal to 1 nm in the segment.

6 . A photovoltaic module comprising:
a conductive section including a wiring sheet or a wire grid; and a plurality of photovoltaic conversion devices each according to claim 1 on the conductive section.

7 . A solar power generation system comprising:
a photovoltaic module array including a plurality of photovoltaic modules each according to claim 6 ; and a power converter configured to convert DC power received from the photovoltaic module array to AC power.

8 . A solar power generation system comprising:
a plurality of solar power generation subsystems; and a plurality of power converters, one for each one of the solar power generation subsystems, wherein the solar power generation subsystems each include a plurality of module systems, the module systems each include a plurality of photovoltaic module arrays, and the photovoltaic module arrays each include a plurality of photovoltaic modules each according to claim 6 .

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Higashikawa Makoto
• Sakai Toshihiko
• Tsujino Kazuya
• ZOU Liumin
• Higo Teruaki
• Matsumoto Yuta

Classifications

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H01L31/02167 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/022425

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/047

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/02013

  Electricity · mapped topic