Flexible solar cell apparatus and method of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543459-B2
Application number	US-201214352345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2012
Priority date	Oct 17, 2011
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are a flexible solar cell apparatus and a method of fabricating the same. The flexible solar cell apparatus includes a support substrate including an internal region and an outer region surrounding the internal region, a plurality of solar cells on the internal region, and a protective layer on the outer region and the solar cells. A top surface of each solar cell is lower than a top surface of the outer region of the support substrate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flexible solar cell apparatus comprising:
a support substrate including a central region and an outer region surrounding the central region;
a plurality of solar cells on the central region; and
a protective layer on the outer region and the solar cells;
wherein the central region of the support substrate has a concavo-convex pattern and the plurality of solar cells are disposed on the concavo-convex pattern;
wherein the central region of the support substrate and the outer region of the support substrate have a first height difference and a top surface of the outer region of the support substrate is higher than a top surface of the central region of the support substrate by the first height difference;
wherein a first concavo-convex pattern is formed on the top surface of the central region of the support substrate;
wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has a width in a range of 0.2 μm to 2 μm;
wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has a height in a range of 0.2 μm to 2 μm; and
wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has an interval in a range of 0.2 μm to 2 μm.

2. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a second height difference between a top surface of the solar cells and the top surface of the outer region of the support substrate is in a range of 100 μm to 500 μm.

3. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has a triangular shape, a quadrangular shape, or a semicircular shape.

4. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first height difference between the central region and the outer region of the support substrate is in a range of 300 μm to 1500 μm.

5. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a barrier layer between the protective layer and the support substrate.

6. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer comprises:
a first protective part corresponding to the central region; and
a second protective part corresponding to the outer region,
wherein the first protective part and the second protective part have a third height difference.

7. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the third height difference between the first and second protective parts is in a range of 100 μm to 1000 μm.

8. A flexible solar cell apparatus comprising:
a support substrate including a central region having a top surface with a first concavo-convex pattern and a bottom surface with a second concavo-convex pattern corresponding to the first concavo-convex pattern, and an outer region surrounding the central region;
a plurality of solar cells on the central region; and
a protective layer on the outer region and the solar cells,
wherein the central region of the support substrate and the outer region of the support substrate have a first height difference and a top surface of the outer region of the support substrate is higher than a top surface of the central region of the support substrate by the first height difference;
wherein a first concavo-convex pattern is formed on the top surface of the central region of the support substrate;
wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has a width in a range of 0.2 μm to 2 μm;
wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has a height in a range of 0.2 μm to 2 μm; and
wherein the first concavo-convex pattern has an interval in a range of 0.2 μm to 2 μm.

9. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a second height difference between a top surface of the solar cells and the top surface of the outer region of the support substrate is in a range of 100 μm to 500 μm.

10. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective layer protrudes toward the support substrate in the central region rather than in the outer region.

11. The flexible solar cell apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the protective layer is transparent and flexible.

Assignees

• Lee Dong Keun
• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Dong Keun

Classifications

• H01L31/03928

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/046

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E10/52

  PV systems with concentrators · CPC title

• Y02E10/541

  CuInSe2 material PV cells · CPC title

• H01L31/048 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic