The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 1984
Filed:
Aug. 30, 1982
Roger G Little, Bedford, MA (US);
Spire Corp., Bedford, MA (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus for the front surface metallization and encapsulation of solar cells of the type comprising p and n semiconductor strata separated by a barrier junction, and front and rear conducting strata constituting electrical contacts, wherein the front conducting stratum is a novel metallic grid permitting transmission of solar radiation to the semiconductor strata. This metallic grid is in the form of a mesh of wires of sufficiently high tensile strength to be self-supporting while being drawn from spools or the like into contact with one or more components of the solar cell before completion of the cell's fabrication. The method is characterized in that the metallic grid, in the form of the mesh of wires, is encapsulated between a transparent cover plate and the exposed front surface of the semiconductor strata, the mesh forming an electrical contact with the front surface of the semiconductor strata simultaneously that the plate is electrostatically bonded thereto. The apparatus is preferably automated and conveyorized.