Thin solar cell

Claim 1

A solar cell having a substantially planar body comprising: a first layer comprising at least one photoactive semiconductor layer having a frontal light entrance face, a rear face, and side edge faces; a second layer comprising an electrically conductive grid-shaped front contact and an anti-reflection layer, both located on said frontal light entrance face; a third layer comprising a front cover glass fastened substantially adjacent to said anti-reflection layer and said front contact; a fourth layer comprising an electrically conductive rear contact located on said rear face of said first layer; first and second electrically conductive interconnection pads each having an electrically conductive body and a connection face suitable for an electrical interconnection, said interconnection pads both being disposed on one side of the solar cell and spaced apart from said first layer; a first connection means for electrically connecting the connection face of the first interconnection pad to said front contact; a second connection means for electrically connecting the connection face of the second interconnection pad to said rear contact.

Claim 14

A method of producing a solar cell, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a photoactive semiconductor layer on a carrier substrate, the photoactive semiconductor layer having a front light entrance face, a rear face and an edge region, said rear face being disposed on the substrate; (b) applying an anti-reflection layer and an electrically conductive grid-shaped front contact to the front light entrance face of the photoactive semiconductor layer; (c) covering the anti-reflection layer and the grid-shaped contact with a front cover glass; (d) removing at least partially the carrier substrate from the photoactive semiconductor layer; (e) removing a portion of the edge region, a first partial region of the photoactive semiconductor layer to create a first recess which exposes a portion of the front contact used to form a first electrically conductive interconnection pad disposed on the same side of the solar cell as the front cover glass and spaced from the photoactive semiconductor layer, and a second partial region of the photoactive semiconductor to form a second recess; (f) insulating the edge region of the photoactive semiconductor layer where the second partial region was removed to form an insulated edge region; (g) applying a rear contact to the rear face of the photoactive semiconductor layer having the carrier substrate at least partially removed therefrom, the rear contact extending through the second recess in the photoactive semiconductor layer over the insulated edge region of the photoactive semiconductor layer to the side of the front cover glass facing the semiconductor layer to form a second electrically conductive interconnection pad disposed on the same side of the solar cell as the front cover glass and spaced from the photoactive semiconductor layer; and (h) connecting respective solar cell electrical connectors to the electrically conductive interconnection pads.

Claim 15

A method of producing a solar cell, comprising the steps of: (a) producing a photoactive semiconductor layer on a carrier substrate, the photoactive semiconductor layer having a front light entrance face, a rear face and an edge region, said rear face being disposed on the substrate; (b) applying an anti-reflection layer and an electrically conductive grid-shaped front contact to the front light entrance face of the photoactive semiconductor layer; (c) covering the anti-reflection layer and the grid-shaped contact with a front cover glass; (d) removing at least partially the carrier substrate from the photoactive semiconductor layer; (e) removing a portion of the edge region, a first partial region of the photoactive semiconductor layer to create a first recess which exposes a portion of the front contact used to form a first electrically conductive interconnection pad disposed on the same side of the solar cell as the front cover glass and spaced from the photoactive semiconductor layer, and a second partial region of the photoactive semiconductor to form a second recess; (f) insulating the edge region of the photoactive semiconductor layer where the second partial region was removed to form an insulated edge region; (g) applying a rear contact to the rear face of the photoactive semiconductor layer having the carrier substrate at least partially removed therefrom, the rear contact extending through the second recess in the photoactive semiconductor layer over the insulated edge region of the photoactive semiconductor layer to the side of the front cover glass facing the semiconductor layer to form a second electrically conductive interconnection pad disposed on the same side of the solar cell as the front cover glass and spaced from the photoactive semiconductor layer; and (h) connecting respective solar cell electrical connectors to the electrically conductive interconnection pads.