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.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising plurality of solar cells in a thin-layer structure, in which the following are formed consecutively in the structure: an electrode on the rear surface (41), a photovoltaic layer (43) obtained by depositing components including metal precursors and at least one element taken from Se and S and by annealing such as to convert said components into a semiconductor material, and another semiconductor layer (44) in order to create a pn junction with the photovoltaic layer (43); characterized in that the metal precursors form, on the electrode on the rear surface (41), a continuous layer, while said at least one element forms a layer having at least one break making it possible, at the end of the annealing step, to leave an area (430) of the layer of metal precursors in the metal state at said break.

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.

Methods and systems for forming a scribe line in a thin film stack on an inner surface of a thin film photovoltaic superstrate are provided via the use of a cleaning laser beam and a scribing laser beam. The cleaning laser beam is focused directly onto the exposed surface of the superstrate such that the cleaning laser beam removes debris from the exposed surface of the superstrate, and the scribing laser beam is focused through the exposed surface of the superstrate and onto the thin film stack such that the scribing laser beam passes through the superstrate to form a scribe within the thin film stack on the inner surface of the superstrate. The method and system can further utilize a conveyor to transport the superstrate in a machine direction to move the superstrate past the cleaning laser source and the scribing laser source.

A method for fabricating a solar cell using a nozzle assembly that includes a base portion, a scriber coupled to the base portion, and a nozzle coupled to the base portion such that the nozzle is positioned a predefined distance from a tip of the scriber is provided. The method generally comprises positioning a substructure that includes a buffer layer and an absorber layer proximate to the base portion. A P2 line is scribed through the buffer and absorber layers of the substructure using the scriber tip. A nanoparticle solution is sprayed, using the nozzle, onto at least one portion of the buffer layer at a predefined pressure when the P2 line is being scribed through the buffer and absorber layers such that a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer is inhibited from forming over the portion of the buffer layer that is being sprayed with the nanoparticle solution.

A photovoltaic element including at least one photovoltaic cell at least partially segmented and having a base electrode, a top electrode, and a layer system comprising at least one photoactive layer, wherein the layer system is arranged between the base electrode and the top electrode, the segments are configured such that at least the top electrode and the layer system of one of the segments are separated from the top electrode and the layer system of another segment by at least one cavity to prevent contact between one another, the at least one cavity is formed substantially vertically relative to the layer system of the at least one photovoltaic cell, and the segments are electrically conductively connected in parallel with one another such that a flow of electric current through the at least one photovoltaic cell is distributed over each of the segments.

A photovoltaic element including at least one photovoltaic cell at least partially segmented and having a base electrode, a top electrode, and a layer system comprising at least one photoactive layer, wherein the layer system is arranged between the base electrode and the top electrode, the segments are configured such that at least the top electrode and the layer system of one of the segments are separated from the top electrode and the layer system of another segment by at least one cavity to prevent contact between one another, the at least one cavity is formed substantially vertically relative to the layer system of the at least one photovoltaic cell, and the segments are electrically conductively connected in parallel with one another such that a flow of electric current through the at least one photovoltaic cell is distributed over each of the segments.

According to the embodiments provided herein, an island in a regular, closed shape is ablated in a first conductive layer. An interconnect is formed through the island, using the island as an alignment fiducial. The island and the interconnect are isolated from the remainder of the first conductive layer.

A solar cell assembly preparation method. In the process of preparing a conductive layer, several conductive layers separated by a first trench are formed on the substrate. After the conductive layers are formed, the separating function of second separating members and the separating function of third separating members are respectively utilized to ensure that the functional layer groups formed on one side of the conductive layers are separated by and located on two sides of an entirety formed by the second separating members and the third separating members.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing a small-width linear structure on the upper surface of a target layer of a layer stack and application thereof. The method includes the steps of: acquiring the preset positions of both sides of the linear structure on the upper surface of the target layer, which are denoted as a first side position and a second side position; forming a protruding line at at least one side position by producing a plurality of protrusions at intervals along the side length direction at at least one of the first side position and the second side position of the upper surface of the target layer; and applying a liquid-type linear structure material to one side of the protruding line for deposition to obtain a linear structure confined to one side of the protruding line.