First Solar, Inc.

Primestar Solar, Inc.

Troy Alan Berens

Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody

Max William Reed

Luke Wayne Jacobson

Bradley Robert Crume

Robert Andrew Garber

Kim James Clark

Fred Harper Seymour

Thin film photovoltaic devices that include at least one lead bar extending through a connection aperture defined in the encapsulation substrate are provided. The photovoltaic device can include: a transparent substrate; a plurality of photovoltaic cells on the transparent substrate; a first conductive ribbon electrically connected to a first photovoltaic cell; an encapsulation substrate laminated to the transparent substrate such that the plurality of photovoltaic cells and the conductive ribbon are positioned between the transparent substrate and the encapsulation substrate; and, a first lead bar extending through a first connection aperture defined in the encapsulation substrate. The first lead bar is electrically connected to the first conductive ribbon. For example, a meltable conductive material can be connected to the first lead bar and to the first conductive ribbon to establish an electrical connection therebetween. Methods are also provided for electrically connecting a lead to a thin film photovoltaic device.

Direct connection of lead bar to conductive ribbon in a thin film photovoltaic device

Thin film photovoltaic devices are generally provided having three terminals. In one embodiment, the thin film photovoltaic device can include a first submodule defined by a first plurality of photovoltaic cells between a first dead cell and a first terminal cell; a second submodule defined by a second plurality of photovoltaic cells between a second dead cell and a second terminal cell; and a joint bus bar electrically connected to the first dead cell and the second dead cell. The first dead cell is adjacent to the second dead cell, with the first dead cell being separated from the second dead cell via a separation scribe. Methods are also generally provided for forming a thin film photovoltaic device.

Three terminal thin film photovoltaic module and their methods of manufacture

Photovoltaic devices including an insulating layer and an intra-laminate disk layer on a plurality of thin film layers are provided. A first conductive strip, defining a first lead, is positioned on the insulating layer and connected to a first bus bar. A second conductive strip is positioned on the insulating layer and connected to a second bus bar. An adhesive layer is over the device and defines an adhesive gap through which the first lead and the second lead extend. An encapsulating substrate is on the adhesive layer, and defines a connection aperture through which the first lead and the second lead extend. The intra-laminate disk layer is positioned under the adhesive gap defined by the adhesive layer and the connection aperture defined by the encapsulating substrate. Methods of manufacturing photovoltaic devices are also provided.

Intra-laminate disk layer for thin film photovoltaic devices and their methods of manufacture

Growing community of inventors

Evergreen, CO, United States of America

Troy Alan Berens