Shingled solar cell module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9397252-B2
Application number	US-201514594439-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2014
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
forming a first metallization pattern along a first outside edge of a first surface of a semiconductor wafer;
forming a second metallization pattern along a second outside edge of the first surface, the second outside edge opposite to the first outside edge; and
forming a first scribe line between the first metallization pattern and the second metallization pattern;
wherein:
the first metallization pattern comprises a first finger pointing toward the second metallization pattern;
the second metallization pattern comprises a second finger pointing toward the first metallization pattern;
the first metallization pattern further comprises a first bus bar intersecting the first finger and located within 5 mm of the first outside edge; and
the second metallization pattern comprises a second bus bar intersecting the second finger and located within 5 mm of the second outside edge.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:
forming on the first surface, a third metallization pattern not along the first outside edge or along the second outside edge, the third metallization pattern comprising,
a third bus bar parallel to the first bus bar, and
a third finger pointing toward the second metallization pattern; and

forming a second scribe line between the third metallization pattern and the second metallization pattern, wherein the first scribe line is between the first metallization pattern and the third metallization pattern.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the first scribe line and the second scribe line are separated by a width having a ratio to a length of the semiconductor wafer, of between about 1:2 to about 1:20.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the length of the semiconductor wafer is about 156 mm or about 125 mm.

5. A method as in claim 2 wherein the semiconductor wafer includes chamfered corners.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein:
the first scribe line defines with the first outside edge, a first solar cell region comprising two chamfered corners and the first metallization pattern, the first solar cell region having a first area corresponding to a product of a length of the semiconductor wafer and a first width, minus a combined area of the two chamfered corners; and
the second scribe line defines with the first scribe line, a second solar cell region not including chamfered corners and including the third metallization pattern, the second solar cell region having a second area corresponding to a product of the length and a second width narrower than the first width, such that the first area and the second area are approximately the same.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the length is about 156 mm or about 125 mm.

8. A method as in claim 2 wherein forming the first scribe line and forming the second scribe line comprise laser scribing.

9. A method as in claim 2 wherein forming the first metallization pattern, forming the second metallization pattern, and forming the third metallization pattern, comprise printing.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein forming the first metallization pattern, forming the second metallization pattern, and forming the third metallization pattern, comprise screen printing.

11. A method as in claim 9 wherein forming the first metallization pattern comprises forming a plurality of contact pads comprising silver.

12. A method as in claim 2 wherein forming the first metallization pattern, forming the second metallization pattern, and forming the third metallization pattern, comprise electroplating.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the first metallization pattern, the second metallization pattern, and the third metallization pattern comprise copper.

14. A method as in claim 2 wherein the first metallization pattern comprises one or more of aluminum, tin, silver, and copper.

15. A method as in claim 2 wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises silicon.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises crystalline silicon.

17. A method as in claim 2 further comprising forming a fourth metallization pattern on a second surface of the semiconductor wafer between the first outside edge and within 5 mm of a location of the second scribe line.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein the first surface comprises a first conductivity type and the second surface comprises a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type.

19. A method as in claim 17 wherein the fourth metallization pattern comprises a contact pad.

20. A method as in claim 1 further comprising applying a conductive adhesive to the semiconductor wafer.

21. A method as in claim 20 further comprising applying the conductive adhesive in contact with the first finger.

22. A method as in claim 21 wherein applying the conductive adhesive comprises screen printing or depositing utilizing a mask.

23. A method as in claim 1 further comprising separating the semiconductor wafer along the first scribe line to form a first solar cell strip including the first metallization pattern.

24. A method as in claim 23 wherein the separating comprises applying a vacuum to the semiconductor wafer along the first scribe line.

25. A method as in claim 24 further comprising disposing the semiconductor wafer on a belt moving to the vacuum.

26. A method as in claim 23 further comprising applying a conductive adhesive to the first solar cell strip.

27. A method as in claim 23 further comprising:
arranging the first solar cell strip in a first super cell comprising at least nineteen solar cell strips each having a breakdown voltage of at least 10V, with long sides of adjacent solar cell strips overlapping with conductive adhesive disposed in between; and
curing the conductive adhesive to bond adjacent overlapping solar cell strips electrically connected in series.

28. A method as in claim 27 wherein the arranging comprises forming a layered structure including an encapsulant, the method further comprising laminating the layered structure.

29. A method as in claim 28 wherein the curing occurs at least partially during the laminating.

30. A method as in claim 28 wherein the curing occurs distinct from the laminating.

31. A method as in claim 28 wherein the encapsulant comprises a thermoplastic olefin polymer.

32. A method as in claim 28 wherein the layered structure comprises:
a white backing sheet; and
darkened stripes on the white backing sheet.

33. A method as in claim 27 wherein the arranging comprises confining a spreading of the conductive adhesive with a metallization pattern feature.

34. A method as in claim 33 wherein the metallization pattern feature is on a front surface of the first solar cell strip.

35. A method as in claim 27 further comprising applying the conductive adhesive between the first super cell and an interconnect connecting a second super cell in series.

36. A method as in claim 27 further comprising connecting a ribbon conductor between a single bypass diode and the first super cell, the single bypass diode located in a first junction box of a first solar module in mating arrangement with a second junction box of a second solar module.

37. A method as in claim 27 w

Assignees

• Cogenra Solar Inc
• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Morad Ratson
• Almogy Gilad
• Suez Itai
• Hummel Jean
• Beckett Nathan
• Lin Yafu
• Maydan Dan
• Gannon John

Classifications

• H10F77/937

  Busbar structures for modules · CPC title

• H10F77/935 Primary

  for photovoltaic devices or modules · CPC title

• H10F77/215

  Geometries of grid contacts · CPC title

• H10F77/211

  for photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• H10F77/50

  Encapsulations or containers (for photovoltaic modules H10F19/80) · CPC title