To improve the yield of a solar cell in its production process, a solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate including a first main surface and a second main surface corresponding to the backside of the first main surface, a busbar electrode on a line extending in a first direction on the second main surface, and end-portion electrodes each being an extension of the busbar electrode on the second main surface and separated from the busbar electrode, and each of the end-portion electrodes having a larger thickness than that of the busbar electrode.

[Problem] To provide a method for manufacturing an element which does not lead to the occurrence of a short due to etching, and which suppresses the deterioration of a photoelectric conversion layer. [Solution] An element manufacturing method, wherein the method includes the following steps which are performed on an element material including an electrode formed on a substrate, the electrode having a first electrode and a second electrode which are separated from each other, and a photoelectric conversion layer formed in a region that includes the first electrode and the second electrode: a step in which a first back-side electrode and a second back-side electrode are formed at positions on the photoelectric conversion layer corresponding to a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first back-side electrode and the second back-side electrode are not connected; a step in which etching is performed using the first back-side electrode and the second back-side electrode as a mask; and a connection electrode formation step in which a connection electrode for connecting the first back-side electrode and the second back-side electrode is formed.

A PV module is formed having an array of PV cells, where the cells are separated by gaps. Each cell contains an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The diodes and conductor layers may be patterned by printing. A continuous metal substrate supports the diodes and conductor layers in all the cells. A dielectric substrate is laminated to the metal substrate. Trenches are then formed by laser ablation around the cells to sever the metal substrate to form electrically isolated PV cells. A metallization step is then performed to connect the cells in series to increase the voltage output of the PV module. An electrically isolated bypass diode for each cell is also formed by the trenching step. The metallization step connects the bypass diode and its associated cell in a reverse-parallel relationship.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for light collection and conversion to electricity are disclosed herein. The disclosed method involves receiving, by at least one concentrating element (e.g., a lens), light from at least one light source, where the light comprises direct light and diffuse light. The method further involves focusing, by at least one concentrating element, the direct light onto at least one concentrator photovoltaic cell. Also, the method involves passing, by at least one concentrating element, the diffuse light onto at least one solar cell of an array of solar cells arranged on a flat plate, where at least one concentrator photovoltaic cell is bonded on top of at least one of the solar cells in the array. In addition, the method involves collecting, by at least one concentrator photovoltaic cell, the direct light. Further, the method involves collecting, by at least one solar cell, the diffuse light.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a solar cell and a photovoltaic module. The solar cell includes a thin-film solar cell and a bottom cell stacked in a first direction. The bottom cell has a stacked structure in the first direction including: a transparent conductive layer, a first doped conductive layer, an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer, a substrate, a selective passivation layer, and one or more electrodes. The selective passivation layer covers a portion of a surface of the substrate away from the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer and includes a plurality of passivation contact structures arranged at intervals in a second direction. Each passivation contact structure includes a tunneling layer and a second doped conductive layer stacked in the first direction. The electrodes are formed on a surface of the selective passivation layer away from the substrate and are in ohmic contact with second doped conductive layers.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a solar cell, comprising: a seating process of seating, in a processing space for manufacturing a solar cell, a cell in which a plurality of thin film layers are formed; a coating process of spraying a conductive material onto the cell; and a scribing process of irradiating a laser toward the cell to form a cell separation unit for separating the cell into a plurality of unit cells.

The invention relates to a thin film solar module comprising a monolithic solar cell array, including a plurality of solar cells with a layer structure, comprising a rear contact layer, a front contact layer and an absorber layer between the rear contact layer and the front contact layer, and an electrical connection structure for electrically serially connecting neighboring solar cells. The invention also relates to an associated production method.

A handle substrate having at least one metallization region is provided on a stressor layer that is located above a base substrate such that the at least one metallization region is in contact with a surface of the stressor layer. An upper portion of the base substrate is spalled, i.e., removed, to provide a structure comprising, from bottom to top, a spalled material portion of the base substrate, the stressor layer and the handle substrate containing the at least one metallization region in contact with the surface of the stressor layer.

According to the embodiment, there is provided a solar cell apparatus. The solar cell apparatus includes a back electrode layer on a substrate, a light absorbing layer on the back electrode layer, a buffer layer on the light absorbing layer, a front electrode layer on the buffer layer, and a connection part making contact with the front electrode layer, passing through the light absorbing layer, and making contact with the back electrode layer. The connection part includes a material different from a material constituting the front electrode layer.

Disclosed are a solar cell apparatus, and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell apparatus includes: dummy parts disposed on a support substrate; a plurality of solar cells disposed on the support substrate and disposed between the dummy parts; and a bus bar electrically connected to the solar cells and disposed between the support substrate and the dummy parts. Each of the solar cells and the dummy parts has a back electrode layer, a light absorbing layer, and a front electrode layer sequentially disposed on the support substrate.