The invention relates to a method of interconnecting photovoltaic cells into a module by using a tape carrying tabbing wires. The tape makes possible to build modules at a reduced cost. In the tape method individual photovoltaic cells (1) are interconnected into modules by using electrical interconnecting conducting strips (21, 43, 52, 74a, 74b) carried by a tape (51). The strips are laid out on the topsides and backsides of the PV cells. The strips are cut in such a manner that the cells will be interconnected in series after lamination. The present invention concerns an improvement of the tape used in the tape method.

The invention relates to a method of interconnecting photovoltaic cells into a module by using a tape carrying tabbing wires. The tape makes possible to build modules at a reduced cost. In the tape method individual photovoltaic cells (1) are interconnected into modules by using electrical interconnecting conducting strips (21, 43, 52, 74a, 74b) carried by a tape (51). The strips are laid out on the topsides and backsides of the PV cells. The strips are cut in such a manner that the cells will be interconnected in series after lamination. The present invention concerns an improvement of the tape used in the tape method.

An electrical connection is formed between first and second conductive elements, by inserting a nano-metal material between the first and second conductive elements; and heating the nano-metal material to a melting temperature to form the electrical connection between the first and second conductive elements. The nano-metal material may comprise a nano-metal paste or ink comprised of one or more of Gold (Au), Copper (Cu), Silver (Ag), and/or Aluminum (Al) nano-particles that melt or fuse into a solid to form the electrical connection, at a melting temperature of about 150-250 degrees C., and more preferably, about 175-225 degrees C. The electrical connection may be formed between a solar cell and a substrate by creating a via in the solar cell between a front and back side of the solar cell, wherein the via is connected to a contact on the front side of the solar cell and a trace on the substrate.

An electrical connection is formed between first and second conductive elements, by inserting a nano-metal material between the first and second conductive elements; and heating the nano-metal material to a melting temperature to form the electrical connection between the first and second conductive elements. The nano-metal material may comprise a nano-metal paste or ink comprised of one or more of Gold (Au), Copper (Cu), Silver (Ag), and/or Aluminum (Al) nano-particles that melt or fuse into a solid to form the electrical connection, at a melting temperature of about 150-250 degrees C., and more preferably, about 175-225 degrees C. The electrical connection may be formed between a solar cell and a substrate by creating a via in the solar cell between a front and back side of the solar cell, wherein the via is connected to a contact on the front side of the solar cell and a trace on the substrate.

In an example, the present invention provides a method of separating a photovoltaic strip from a solar cell. The method includes providing a solar cell, placing the front side of the solar cell on a platen such that the backside is facing a laser source, initiating a laser source to output a laser beam having a wavelength from 200 to 600 nanometers and a spot size of 18 to 30 microns, subjecting a portion of the backside to the laser beam at a power level ranging from about 20 Watts to about 35 Watts to cause an ablation to form a scribe region having a depth, width, and a length, the depth being from 40% to 60% of a thickness of the solar cell, the width being between 16 and 35 microns to create a plurality of scribe regions spatially disposed on the backside of the solar cell.

In an example, the present invention provides a method of separating a photovoltaic strip from a solar cell. The method includes providing a solar cell, placing the front side of the solar cell on a platen such that the backside is facing a laser source, initiating a laser source to output a laser beam having a wavelength from 200 to 600 nanometers and a spot size of 18 to 30 microns, subjecting a portion of the backside to the laser beam at a power level ranging from about 20 Watts to about 35 Watts to cause an ablation to form a scribe region having a depth, width, and a length, the depth being from 40% to 60% of a thickness of the solar cell, the width being between 16 and 35 microns to create a plurality of scribe regions spatially disposed on the backside of the solar cell.

In an example, a method includes providing a photovoltaic string comprising a plurality of from 2 to 45 strips, each of the plurality of strips being configured in a series arrangement with each other, each of the plurality of strips being coupled to another one of the plurality of strips using an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) material, detecting at least one defective strip in the photovoltaic string, applying thermal energy to the ECA material to release the ECA material from a pair of photovoltaic strips to remove the defective photovoltaic strip, removing any residual ECA material from one or more good photovoltaic strip, aligning the photovoltaic string without the damaged photovoltaic strip, and a replacement photovoltaic strip that replaces the defective photovoltaic strip, and curing a reapplied ECA material on the replacement photovoltaic strip to provide the photovoltaic string with the replacement photovoltaic strip.

In an example, a method includes providing a photovoltaic string comprising a plurality of from 2 to 45 strips, each of the plurality of strips being configured in a series arrangement with each other, each of the plurality of strips being coupled to another one of the plurality of strips using an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA) material, detecting at least one defective strip in the photovoltaic string, applying thermal energy to the ECA material to release the ECA material from a pair of photovoltaic strips to remove the defective photovoltaic strip, removing any residual ECA material from one or more good photovoltaic strip, aligning the photovoltaic string without the damaged photovoltaic strip, and a replacement photovoltaic strip that replaces the defective photovoltaic strip, and curing a reapplied ECA material on the replacement photovoltaic strip to provide the photovoltaic string with the replacement photovoltaic strip.

A solar cell comprising a bulk germanium silicon growth substrate; a diffused photoactive junction in the germanium silicon substrate; and a sequence of subcells grown over the substrate, with the first grown subcell either being lattice matched or lattice mis-matched to the growth substrate.

A solar cell comprising a bulk germanium silicon growth substrate; a diffused photoactive junction in the germanium silicon substrate; and a sequence of subcells grown over the substrate, with the first grown subcell either being lattice matched or lattice mis-matched to the growth substrate.