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.

An optoelectronic device has a layered construction, comprising a base layer, a first conductive layer, a photoactive layer and a second conductive layer. Plural separation channels extending through the photoactive layer and the first conductive layer separate the photoactive layer into photoactive regions, and insulator material extends through the respective separation channels to the base layer. Between adjacent photoactive regions, electrical connectors extend inside the lateral extent of the insulator material between a surface of a second electrode that is in electrical contact with one photoactive region to an opposing surface of a first electrode that is in electrical contact with the other photoactive region. By forming the electrical connectors extend inside the lateral extent of the insulator material, the overall size of the connection is minimised.

A thin film semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stack of thin film material layers on the substrate, and a scribe fill material in the gap. The stack includes a scribe gap in at least one thin film material layer of the stack. The scribe fill material includes one or more coloring elements selected according to a difference between a baseline optical characteristics spectrum for the stack and an optical characteristics spectrum for thin film material remaining in the scribe gap.

A thin film semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stack of thin film material layers on the substrate, and a scribe fill material in the gap. The stack includes a scribe gap in at least one thin film material layer of the stack. The scribe fill material includes one or more coloring elements selected according to a difference between a baseline optical characteristics spectrum for the stack and an optical characteristics spectrum for thin film material remaining in the scribe gap.

According to one embodiment, a solar cell includes first and second conductive layers, first and second counter conductive layers, first and second photoelectric conversion layers, first and second compound layers. The first counter conductive layer includes a first conductive region. A direction from the first conductive layer to the first conductive region is along a first direction. The first compound layer includes a first compound region provided between the first photoelectric conversion layer and the first conductive region. A second direction from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer crosses the first direction. The second counter conductive layer includes a second conductive region electrically connected with the first conductive layer. A direction from the second conductive layer to the second conductive region is along the first direction. A direction from the first conductive region to the second conductive region is along the second direction.

According to one embodiment, a solar cell includes first and second conductive layers, first and second counter conductive layers, first and second photoelectric conversion layers, first and second compound layers. The first counter conductive layer includes a first conductive region. A direction from the first conductive layer to the first conductive region is along a first direction. The first compound layer includes a first compound region provided between the first photoelectric conversion layer and the first conductive region. A second direction from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer crosses the first direction. The second counter conductive layer includes a second conductive region electrically connected with the first conductive layer. A direction from the second conductive layer to the second conductive region is along the first direction. A direction from the first conductive region to the second conductive region is along the second direction.

The invention relates to a 3T tandem solar cell, a tandem solar cell module and a method of manufacturing the same. The 3T tandem solar cell according to the invention comprises at least a first solar cell (11, 11) comprising a first absorber layer (11-2, 11-2) disposed between a first electrode (11-1, 11-1) on a side of the first solar cell (11, 11) facing the incident light (100), and a first transparent conductive layer (11-3, 11-3) on a side of the first solar cell (11, 11) facing away from the incident light (100), wherein the first solar cell (11, 11) is disposed on a solar cell (12, 12) having a second absorber layer (12-2, 12-2) disposed between a second electrode (12-1, 12-1) on a side of the second solar cell (12, 12) facing away from the incident light (100) and a second transparent conductive layer (12-3, 12-3) on a side of the second solar cell facing the incident light (100). According to the invention, a connecting layer (13) is arranged between the first and the second solar cell (11, 11, 12, 12), wherein the connecting layer (13) forms an electrically conductive connection between the first and the second solar cell (11, 11, 12, 12), and wherein the connecting layer (13) comprises an electrically conductive one-piece conductive element (13-3, 13-3) configured and arranged to form the electrically conductive connection and wherein the conductive element (13-3, 13-3) is embedded in an embedding means (13-2) while maintaining contact points (K1, K2, K3, K4, K5) respectively to the first and to the second transparent conductive layer (11-3, 11-3, 12-3, 12-3) and is connected to or integrally forms a third electrode (13-1, 13-1) of the at least one tandem solar cell (10, 10).

The invention relates to a 3T tandem solar cell, a tandem solar cell module and a method of manufacturing the same. The 3T tandem solar cell according to the invention comprises at least a first solar cell (11, 11) comprising a first absorber layer (11-2, 11-2) disposed between a first electrode (11-1, 11-1) on a side of the first solar cell (11, 11) facing the incident light (100), and a first transparent conductive layer (11-3, 11-3) on a side of the first solar cell (11, 11) facing away from the incident light (100), wherein the first solar cell (11, 11) is disposed on a solar cell (12, 12) having a second absorber layer (12-2, 12-2) disposed between a second electrode (12-1, 12-1) on a side of the second solar cell (12, 12) facing away from the incident light (100) and a second transparent conductive layer (12-3, 12-3) on a side of the second solar cell facing the incident light (100). According to the invention, a connecting layer (13) is arranged between the first and the second solar cell (11, 11, 12, 12), wherein the connecting layer (13) forms an electrically conductive connection between the first and the second solar cell (11, 11, 12, 12), and wherein the connecting layer (13) comprises an electrically conductive one-piece conductive element (13-3, 13-3) configured and arranged to form the electrically conductive connection and wherein the conductive element (13-3, 13-3) is embedded in an embedding means (13-2) while maintaining contact points (K1, K2, K3, K4, K5) respectively to the first and to the second transparent conductive layer (11-3, 11-3, 12-3, 12-3) and is connected to or integrally forms a third electrode (13-1, 13-1) of the at least one tandem solar cell (10, 10).

Described is a flexible composite strip including a flexible printed circuit comprising at least a first and a second conductor track, a plurality of groups of photovoltaic cells being connected in parallel to said first and second tracks for supplying them; the composite strip comprises a plurality of soldering pads at which the first and second conductor tracks are accessible; the flexible composite strip is configured to be cut at the soldering pads.

Described is a flexible composite strip including a flexible printed circuit comprising at least a first and a second conductor track, a plurality of groups of photovoltaic cells being connected in parallel to said first and second tracks for supplying them; the composite strip comprises a plurality of soldering pads at which the first and second conductor tracks are accessible; the flexible composite strip is configured to be cut at the soldering pads.