Atlantic Richfield Company

Dale E Tarrant

Don L Morel

Robert R Gay

Gary B Turner

Arvind T Halani

Cells of a thin film solar module having opposed upper and lower electrodes are connected in series by a plurality of discrete conductive regions extending between each upper electrode and the lower electrode of an adjoining cell. In a preferred embodiment, the opposite electrodes of adjoining cells overlap one another and one of the electrodes is a transparent conductive pad with a thickened metal-containing portion to aid in interconnection. In another embodiment, the conductive regions are formed by applying laser pulses to spaced locations along the areas of electrode overlap, after which a conductor may be deposited into cavities formed by the laser pulses.

Solar cell interconnection by discrete conductive regions

A deposited film is processed in a preselected pattern by discharging electric energy through the film across a gas dielectric. In a preferred embodiment, a voltage pulse chain is applied to a moving probe spaced a preselected distance from the film. The discharge either removes the film material over the pattern to expose underlying material, or produces a conductive path from the top to the bottom of the film.

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Chatsworth, CA, United States of America

Dale E Tarrant