Forschungszentrum Julich Gmbh

First Solar, Inc.

Forschungszentrum Juelich Gmbh

Nice Solar Energy Gmbh

Tobias Repmann

Bernd Rech

Joachim Müller

Gunnar Schöpe

Hildegard Siekmann

Wolfgang Apenzeller

Brigitte Sehrbrock

Bernd Sprecher

Rolf Wächter

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 neighbouring solar cells. The invention also relates to an associated production method. In the thin film solar module according to the invention, the electrical connection structure includes contact strips () for electrically serially connecting neighbouring solar cells, wherein the electrical connection structure electrically serially connects two respective solar cells () that are adjacent to one another in a series connection direction (RS) via one or more contact strips (). The contact strips run spaced apart from one another and transverse to the series connection direction with a direction component in the series connection direction in connection strip regions () of the solar cells. Each contact strip contacts a side () of the rear contact layer of the one solar cell facing an absorber layer and a side () of the front contact layer of the other solar cell facing away from an absorber layer, wherein the connection strip regions of the solar cells have connection recesses () in the front contact layer and the absorber layer for exposing the side of the rear contact layer facing the absorber layer. The invention also relates to the use of same in thin film solar cell technology.

Thin film solar module and production method

A simple process is disclosed for treating substrates having pre-structured zinc oxide layers on rigid or flexible supports. The ZnO is treated with an etching medium then with a cleaning liquid. The treatment with the etching and cleaning liquids is carried out while the substrate is conveyed through a device. The process is technically simple to implement and makes it possible to regularly and homogeneously roughen and texturize ZnO layers of up to 1 m. The device for treating substrates having pre-structured zinc oxide layers on rigid or flexible supports has for that purpose a first means for treating the substrate with an etching liquid, a second means for treating the substrate with a cleaning liquid, and another means, in particular transport rollers, for conveying the substrate from the first to the second means.

Process and device for cleaning and etching a substrate with a transparent conductive oxide layer

The invention relates to a method for producing solar cells comprising at least one p-i-n layer sequence containing micro-crystalline layers with the aid of a PECVD method. Said method is characterised in that all layers of the p-i-n layer sequence are deposited in a single-chamber process. The electrodes are interspaced at a distance of between 5 and 15 mm and the gas is distributed by means of a shower-head gas inlet, which guarantees a homogeneous distribution of the gas over the substrate. SiHgas streams with values of between 0.01 and 3 sccm/cmare added with a process pressure of between 8 and 50 hPa. The heater temperature is set at between 50 and 280&#xb0; C. and the HF output is between 0.2 and 2 watt/cm. The Hgas streams have values of between 0.3 and 30 sccm/cm, in particular between 0.3 and 10 sccm/cm.

Method of making silicon solar cells containing &#x3bc;C silicon layers

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Alzenau, Germany

Tobias Repmann