Interdigitated electrode structure, method of manufacturing and applications thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an interpenetrating electrode structure, a manufacturing method and application thereof. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: processing a through hole in a selected area of an insulating substrate, the through hole penetrating the substrate along the thickness direction; applying a conductive paste containing a first conductive material on a first surface of the substrate, and allowing part of the conductive paste to enter the through hole and reach a set position between both ends of the through hole; forming a second conductive layer on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface by using a second conductive material, and allowing part of the second conductive material to enter the through hole to form a second conductive body, the second conductive body is electrically connected with a first conductive body in the through hole, the first conductive body is formed by the conductive paste entering the through hole, so that a conductive channel is formed in the substrate. The manufacturing method of the interpenetrating electrode structure has the advantages of simple process and low manufacturing cost, and the obtained transparent electrode has good conductive performance and high yield.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electrode, specifically to an interconnected electrode structure, its manufacturing method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of new thin-film light-emitting, photovoltaic, and sensing devices, the application range of high-transparency electrodes is gradually expanding. These electrodes typically need to have good optical transparency, conductivity, and patterning accuracy, and can transmit light of a specified wavelength while functioning normally as electrodes. Therefore, they are one of the important components in displays, lighting, and solar cells, and can also be used in special transparent heating films or shielding layers.

[0003] Because the cost of transparent conductive materials (such as metal oxides, metals, PSS, carbon materials, etc.) is much higher than that of transparent insulating materials (such as glass, polymer PET, transparent polyimide, etc.), current transparent electrode products typically involve depositing nanoscale thicknesses of transparent conductive material onto transparent insulating materials with a thickness of 0.03-0.2 mm. This ensures that the product meets the overall mechanical strength and insulation performance requirements for production and use. Furthermore, transparent insulating materials can also serve as transparent dielectric layers in capacitive touchscreens, further simplifying the product manufacturing process.

[0004] However, these transparent electrode products also present some process incompatibilities in application. One key bottleneck is that the aforementioned transparent insulating layer can, under certain circumstances, increase the complexity of device wiring. For example, when the electrode connection ports of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) or thin-film photovoltaic cells need to be designed on the back of the device, how to achieve the wiring through the insulating layer at the lowest cost becomes a critical process design problem. Furthermore, since the fabricated thin-film devices are easily damaged, pre-reserving conductive lines through the insulating layer during the transparent electrode manufacturing process can effectively reduce the overall process difficulty. However, to date, the industry has not proposed an effective solution. Although theoretically, conductive lines through the insulating layer can be achieved by filling through-holes with conductive paste, in practice, if only a small amount of liquid conductive material is used for the through-hole, it cannot be guaranteed that the flowing liquid will remain stably inside the through-hole until it dries and solidifies. Instead, it can easily flow out from below the through-hole, causing the conductive channel to break and contaminating the manufacturing equipment. Complete immersion directly contaminates the transparent conductive surface, making it even less feasible. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide an interconnected electrode structure, its manufacturing method, and its application, thereby overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention includes:

[0007] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, comprising:

[0008] Through holes are machined in selected areas of the insulating substrate, the through holes penetrating the insulating substrate along the thickness direction;

[0009] A conductive paste containing a first conductive material is applied to the first surface of the insulating substrate, and a portion of the conductive paste is made to enter the through hole and reach a set position, wherein the selected position is located between the two ends of the through hole;

[0010] A second conductive layer is formed on the second side of the insulating substrate opposite to the first side using a second conductive material, and a portion of the second conductive material is introduced into the through hole to form a second conductor. The second conductor is electrically bonded to a first conductor in the through hole. The first conductor is formed by the conductive paste introduced into the through hole, thereby forming a conductive channel in the insulating substrate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the manufacturing method further includes: forming a third conductive layer on the second surface of the insulating substrate, the third conductive layer being a transparent conductive layer, and making the third conductive layer electrically contact the second conductive layer.

[0012] Some embodiments of the present invention also provide interconnected electrode structures formed by any of the foregoing methods.

[0013] Some embodiments of the present invention also provide uses for the interconnecting electrode structure.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention are at least as follows:

[0015] (1) The manufacturing method of the interconnected electrode structure is simple and easy to operate, which effectively simplifies the wiring design and manufacturing process of the transparent electrode with the front and back sides conducting, can significantly reduce costs, and avoid the problems of high process difficulty and low yield caused by the "manufacturing the device first and then penetrating the insulating layer" mode.

[0016] (2) The interconnected electrode structure formed is simple, has good conductivity and high yield, and has broad application prospects in optoelectronic devices such as OLED, photovoltaic cell, and photodetector. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of an interconnected electrode structure according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of an interconnected electrode structure in Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a thin-film solar cell according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of a thin-film solar cell according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the use of the terms "include," "includes," or "have," "has," or "having" in this specification should generally be understood as open-ended and not restrictive. Furthermore, it should be understood that the order of the steps or the order of performing specific actions is not particularly important, as long as the teachings of the present invention remain operable. In addition, two or more steps or actions can be performed simultaneously.

[0022] Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, including:

[0023] Through holes are machined in selected areas of the insulating substrate, the through holes penetrating the insulating substrate along the thickness direction;

[0024] A conductive paste containing a first conductive material is applied to the first surface of the insulating substrate, and a portion of the conductive paste is made to enter the through hole and reach a set position, wherein the selected position is located between the two ends of the through hole;

[0025] A second conductive layer is formed on the second side of the insulating substrate opposite to the first side using a second conductive material, and a portion of the second conductive material is introduced into the through hole to form a second conductor. The second conductor is electrically bonded to a first conductor in the through hole. The first conductor is formed by the conductive paste introduced into the through hole, thereby forming a conductive channel in the insulating substrate.

[0026] In the above embodiments of the present invention, by processing one or more through holes on the insulating substrate and by adjusting the viscosity and other properties of the conductive paste, it is made so that after being applied to the first surface of the insulating substrate, it can enter the through holes by gravity (or other external forces) without leaking out of the through holes. On the one hand, a conductor can be formed in the subsequent process, and it can cooperate with the second conductive material entering the through hole to form a conductive channel penetrating the insulating substrate. On the other hand, it can also avoid the problem of conductive paste being exposed from the through holes and contaminating the second surface of the insulating substrate. The process is simple, has good controllability, low cost, and is conducive to improving device yield and ensuring device performance.

[0027] Furthermore, the method for processing through holes in the insulating substrate can be known, such as mechanical processing, laser ablation, or other physical or chemical methods. However, if mechanical processing or laser ablation is used, in many cases, the edges of the processed through holes may form annular protrusions.

[0028] Furthermore, the shape and size of the through hole can be arbitrarily selected according to actual needs, such as a circle, a polygon, or other irregular shapes.

[0029] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the opening of the through-hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate is 0.13 mm². 2 The following is preferred: 0.03mm 2 the following.

[0030] In some embodiments, the perimeter of the opening of the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate is 10-800 μm, preferably 60-400 μm.

[0031] In some embodiments, the protrusion height of the edge of the opening of the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate relative to the first or second surface is less than 5 μm, preferably less than 1 μm.

[0032] In some embodiments, the manufacturing method further includes forming a third conductive layer on the second surface of the insulating substrate, wherein the third conductive layer is a transparent conductive layer.

[0033] Furthermore, in some more specific embodiments, the manufacturing method includes: first forming the conductive channel in the insulating substrate, then forming a third conductive layer on the second surface of the insulating substrate, and making the third conductive layer electrically contact the second conductive layer.

[0034] Furthermore, in some more specific embodiments, the manufacturing method includes: first forming a third conductive layer on the second surface of the insulating substrate, then processing through holes in a selected area of ​​the insulating substrate, and then forming the conductive channel in the insulating substrate, and making the second conductive layer and the third conductive layer electrically contact each other.

[0035] Furthermore, in some more specific embodiments, the manufacturing method includes: depositing a conductive layer around the opening of the through-hole on one side of the transparent conductive layer (i.e., the second side of the insulating substrate) after a portion of the conductive paste has entered the through-hole and reached a selected position and after the transparent conductive layer has been deposited.

[0036] In these embodiments, by providing a second conductive layer, not only can the contact effect between the transparent conductive layer and the conductive paste used to form the conductive channel be improved, but the conductivity of the transparent conductive layer can also be improved.

[0037] In these embodiments, conductive paste is printed, coated, or applied to the porous area on the first side of the insulating substrate, allowing the conductive paste to spontaneously enter the through-hole due to gravity, etc. However, due to the effects of surface tension and viscosity, as well as the timely evaporation of the solvent, the fluidity is rapidly reduced, thereby ensuring that the conductive paste does not flow out of the lower surface of the through-hole (i.e., the second side of the insulating substrate) due to gravity.

[0038] Furthermore, the material of the transparent conductive layer includes any one or more combinations of metal oxides (such as ITO, AZO, FTO, etc.), metals (such as metal mesh, metal nanowire network), conductive polymers, and carbon materials, and is not limited thereto.

[0039] In some embodiments, the insulating substrate includes a transparent insulating film, for example, the transparent insulating film is made of any one or more of glass, polyester (PET), polyurethane (PU), and polyimide (PI), and is not limited thereto.

[0040] In some embodiments, the thickness of the insulating substrate is 1-300 μm, preferably 15-150 μm.

[0041] In some implementations, the through-holes are one or more.

[0042] In some embodiments, the through-hole penetrates the insulating substrate perpendicularly along the thickness direction.

[0043] In some embodiments, the conductive paste generally refers to a conductive material that is fluid and can be transformed into a solid under certain conditions, such as heating, natural drying, or light irradiation. Further, the conductive paste includes, but is not limited to, silver paste, and may also include various conductive inks known in the art. Under certain conditions (such as heating, natural drying, or light irradiation), some of the volatile components (solvents, diluents, etc.) in these conductive pastes may evaporate or undergo a rapid cross-linking reaction due to light irradiation, thereby transforming the conductive paste into a conductive solid. Alternatively, some components in these conductive pastes may react with substances in the environment or other components in the conductive paste, thereby transforming the conductive paste into a conductive solid. In some cases, the conductive paste may also be a conductive adhesive or a conductive adhesive diluted with a solvent or reactive diluent.

[0044] In some embodiments, the viscosity of the conductive paste is 20-100000 cP, preferably 100-10000 cP.

[0045] In some embodiments, the surface tension of the main solvent component in the conductive paste is 15-72 dyn / cm, preferably 27-50 dyn / cm.

[0046] Alternatively, the surface tension of the conductive paste is preferably 15-72 dyn / cm, and more preferably 27-50 dyn / cm.

[0047] In some embodiments, the conductive paste is applied to the first surface of the insulating substrate by any one or more combinations of printing, coating, or dispensing, but is not limited thereto.

[0048] In some embodiments, the method of forming the second conductive layer on the second surface of the insulating substrate with the second conductive material includes physical and / or chemical deposition methods, such as any one or more combinations of printing, coating, dispensing, vacuum evaporation or magnetron sputtering, and is not limited thereto.

[0049] In some embodiments, the manufacturing method specifically includes: forming the second conductive layer by at least one of inkjet printing, air jet printing, gravure printing, screen printing, flexographic printing, and mask spraying.

[0050] In some embodiments, the thickness of the second conductive layer is greater than the protrusion height of the edge of the opening of the through-hole on the second surface of the insulating substrate relative to the second surface.

[0051] In some embodiments, the second conductive layer covers the opening of the through-hole on the second side of the insulating substrate and extends radially outward from the edge of the opening by more than 20 μm, preferably more than 50 μm.

[0052] Furthermore, the shape of the second conductive layer is not particularly limited and can be adjusted arbitrarily according to actual needs.

[0053] Furthermore, the material of the second conductive layer includes various metals or non-metals with good conductivity, such as Au, Ag, and Cu.

[0054] In some embodiments, the second conductive layer is distributed at least on one side of the third conductive layer.

[0055] Furthermore, the second conductive layer is disposed around the third conductive layer in a semi-enclosed manner.

[0056] Furthermore, the second conductive layer is disposed around the third conductive layer.

[0057] In some embodiments, the second conductive layer is linear, and the line width is ≤5mm, preferably ≤1mm.

[0058] In some embodiments, the highest point of the second conductive layer is less than 5 μm, preferably less than 1 μm, relative to the protrusion of the third conductive layer.

[0059] In some embodiments, the second conductive layer and the third conductive layer at least partially overlap. For example, the through-hole can continuously penetrate the insulating substrate and the third conductive layer pre-disposed on the second surface of the insulating substrate, and the second conductive layer can be at least partially stacked on the third conductive layer. Alternatively, the second conductive layer can be formed on the second surface of the insulating substrate first, and then the third conductive layer can be formed on the second surface of the insulating substrate, with the third conductive layer at least partially stacked on the second conductive layer.

[0060] In some embodiments, the equivalent sheet resistance of the second conductive layer is ≤5Ω / sq, preferably ≤1Ω / sq.

[0061] As is known to those skilled in the art, whether it's truly transparent conductive materials (such as metal oxides, PESS, graphene, etc.) or solutions relying on light transmission through gaps, such as metal meshes and nanowire networks, their working principle dictates that, for the same product with constant optical transmittance, although the sheet resistance per unit area remains the same, the actual overall resistance will increase significantly, and the voltage drop effect caused by the resistance of the transparent electrode itself will be more pronounced. Therefore, under the premise that other parameters remain unchanged, an increase in the size of products such as smart walls, displays, and solar cells means an increase in the resistance of the transparent electrode, resulting in a decrease in performance. Therefore, how to reduce the total resistance of the transparent electrode as cost-effectively as possible while ensuring sufficient optical transmittance is one of the problems that the art is eager to solve.

[0062] In the above embodiments of the present invention, by setting a second conductive layer with low resistance as a conductive path around the transparent conductive layer, and utilizing the "short circuit effect" unique to the circuit itself, a low-cost, high-performance "highway" can be provided for a large area of ​​transparent electrodes without changing the conductivity of the transparent electrodes themselves, thereby effectively improving the overall performance of the product. Moreover, the process is simple, low-cost, and widely applicable, and it is also beneficial to the subsequent solar cell module assembly process.

[0063] Some embodiments of the present invention also provide interconnected electrode structures formed by any of the foregoing methods.

[0064] Furthermore, the interconnected electrode structure includes a conductive channel formed within a transparent insulating substrate. The conductive channel includes a through-hole penetrating the transparent insulating substrate along its thickness direction, a first conductor formed by a conductive paste entering the through-hole through an opening on a first surface of the transparent insulating substrate, and a second conductor formed by a conductive material entering the through-hole through an opening on a second surface of the transparent insulating substrate. The first conductor and the second conductor are electrically bonded. The second surface of the transparent insulating substrate is further provided with a third conductive layer and a second conductive layer formed by a conductive material. The second conductive layer is integrally formed with the second conductor, and the third conductive layer is in electrical contact with the second conductive layer.

[0065] Furthermore, the third conductive layer is a transparent conductive layer.

[0066] Furthermore, the first surface of the transparent insulating substrate is also provided with a conductive structure formed of conductive paste, and the conductive structure is integrally formed with the first conductor.

[0067] Some embodiments of the present invention also provide uses for the interconnected electrode structure, such as in the fabrication of various optoelectronic devices.

[0068] Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus comprising a functional module and an electrode module cooperating with the functional module, the electrode module including the aforementioned interconnecting electrode structure. The apparatus may be an electronic or mechanical device including optoelectronic elements, light-emitting elements, and electronic components. The functional module may include, but is not limited to, LEDs, OLEDs, thin-film photovoltaic cells, lasers, etc.

[0069] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to several embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the raw materials, chemical reagents and equipment used in the following embodiments can be obtained through market purchases, and operations such as printing, spraying, spin coating, and magnetron sputtering can be performed in accordance with methods known in the art.

[0070] Example 1: A method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, see [link to documentation]. Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0071] (1) Multiple through-holes 103 are formed on a polyimide (PI) film 10 with a thickness of approximately 300 μm. Each through-hole perpendicularly penetrates the PI film and can be circular, polygonal, or other irregular in shape. The perimeter of a single through-hole ranges from approximately 10 to 50 μm, and the opening area on the front side (first surface 101) or the back side (second surface 102) of the PI film is approximately 0.03 mm². 2 The following conditions apply, and the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the front and back sides of the PI film is less than 1 μm;

[0072] (2) A conductive silver paste 20 with a viscosity of 20-80 cP (the surface tension of the main solvent component is 35-72 dyn / cm) is coated on the area on the front side of the PI film 10 where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. This allows some of the conductive silver paste to enter each through hole by itself under the action of gravity, but it stops automatically at a certain distance from the back side of the PI film. Then, the aforementioned conductive silver paste is cured, and the conductive silver paste in each through hole forms the first conductor 20'.

[0073] (3) A transparent conductive layer 30 (i.e., the third conductive layer) formed of a metal nanowire (e.g., silver nanowire) film is fabricated on the back of the PI film in the area other than the area where the aforementioned through hole is located.

[0074] (4) An Au layer 40, which can serve as a second conductive layer, is deposited in the area on the back of the PI film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. The Au layer 40 is in electrical contact with the transparent conductive layer 30. The thickness of the Au layer is higher than the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PI film. The Au layer deposition area covers and extends more than 20 μm beyond the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PET film, and has no shape restriction. A local area of ​​the Au layer also enters each through hole to form a second conductor 40', and the second conductor is electrically combined with the first conductor, thereby forming a conductive channel 50 that penetrates the PI film, thus obtaining an interconnected electrode structure. It can also be considered as obtaining a transparent electrode with a reserved through circuit.

[0075] In this embodiment, in some cases, a portion of the conductive silver paste can be cured on the front side of the PI film to form a conductive structure that can serve as the first conductive layer.

[0076] Based on the transparent electrode, various optoelectronic devices can be fabricated. For example, organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) can be fabricated on one side of a PI film with a metal nanowire film. Since the device can arrange wires on the other side of the PI film through conductive channels, in practical applications, this means that there are more options for the circuit assembly of OLEDs, and it is even possible to achieve narrower bezels, making it suitable for applications in products such as flexible screen electrodes, but not limited to this.

[0077] Example 2: A method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, see [link to documentation]. Figure 2 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0078] (1) An ITO transparent conductive layer 80 is formed on the back side of a polyester (PET) film 60 with a thickness of about 150 μm;

[0079] (2) Multiple through-holes 603 are processed on a polyester (PET) film, each through-hole perpendicularly penetrating the PET film. Each through-hole can be circular, polygonal, or other irregular in shape. The perimeter of a single through-hole ranges from approximately 500 to 800 μm, and the opening area on the front side (first side 601) or the back side (second side 602) of the PET film is approximately 0.13 mm². 2 The following conditions apply, and the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the front and back of the PET film is less than 5μm;

[0080] (3) A conductive silver paste 70 with a viscosity of 80,000-100,000 cP (the surface tension of the main solvent component is 15-40 dyn / cm) is coated on the area on the front side of the PET film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. This allows some of the conductive silver paste to enter each through hole by gravity, but it stops automatically at a certain distance from the back side of the PET film and dries into a solid due to solvent evaporation, forming the first conductor 70'.

[0081] (4) An Ag layer 90 is deposited in the area on the back of the PET film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. The Ag layer 90 is in electrical contact with the ITO transparent conductive layer 80. The thickness of the Ag layer is higher than the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PET film. The Ag layer deposition area covers and extends beyond the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PET film by more than 50 μm and has no shape restriction. A local area of ​​the Ag layer also enters each through hole to form a second conductor 90' and electrically combines with the first conductor to form a conductive channel through the PET film, thereby obtaining an interconnected electrode structure. It can also be considered as obtaining a transparent electrode with a reserved through circuit.

[0082] Based on the transparent electrode, various optoelectronic devices can be fabricated. For example, the side of the film with the ITO layer can be used as an electrode in a thin-film solar cell. Since this electrode can be connected to an external circuit on the other side of the PET film through a conductive interconnected electrode structure, it offers significant convenience in application.

[0083] Example 3: A method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, comprising the following steps:

[0084] (1) Multiple through-holes are processed on a polyurethane (PU) film with a thickness of approximately 100-120 μm. Each through-hole perpendicularly penetrates the PU film and can be circular, polygonal, or other irregular in shape. The perimeter of a single through-hole ranges from approximately 60-100 μm, and the opening area on the front side (first side) or the back side (second side) of the PU film is approximately 0.03 mm². 2 The following conditions apply, and the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the front and back of the PU film is less than 1μm;

[0085] (2) Apply a conductive silver paste with a viscosity of 100-300 cP (the surface tension of the main solvent component is 25-60 dyn / cm) to the area on the front side of the PU film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. This allows some of the conductive silver paste to enter each through hole by gravity, but it stops automatically at a certain distance from the back side of the PU film. Then, the aforementioned conductive silver paste is cured, and the conductive silver paste in each through hole forms the first conductor.

[0086] (3) A transparent conductive layer made of carbon nanotube film is formed on the back of the PU film, except for the area where the aforementioned through holes are located.

[0087] (4) A Cu layer is deposited in the area on the back of the PU film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. The Cu layer is electrically in contact with the transparent conductive layer. The thickness of the Cu layer is higher than the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PU film. The Cu layer deposition area covers and extends beyond the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PU film by more than 20 μm and has no shape restriction. The local area of ​​the Cu layer also enters each through hole to form a second conductor and electrically combines with the first conductor to form a conductive channel through the PU film, thereby obtaining an interconnected electrode structure. It can also be considered as obtaining a light-transmitting electrode with a reserved through circuit.

[0088] Based on the transparent electrodes, various optoelectronic devices can be fabricated. For example, a display screen can be manufactured by etching circuitry onto one side of a PU film with a carbon nanotube film and then bonding a Mini LED chip. When a voltage can be applied to the back of the Cu layer by leaving a through-circuit, a borderless display circuit can be realized under certain conditions.

[0089] Example 4: A method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, comprising the following steps:

[0090] (1) Multiple through holes are machined into a glass with a thickness of approximately 130-150 μm. Each through hole penetrates the glass perpendicularly and can be circular, polygonal, or other irregular in shape. The perimeter of a single through hole ranges from approximately 300-400 μm, and the opening area on the front side (first surface) or the back side (second surface) of the glass is approximately 0.03 mm². 2 The following conditions apply, and the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the front and back of the glass is less than 1μm;

[0091] (2) Apply a conductive silver paste with a viscosity of 800-1000 cP (the surface tension of the main solvent component is 30-60 dyn / cm) to the area on the front side of the glass where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. This allows some of the conductive silver paste to enter each through hole by gravity, but it stops automatically at a certain distance from the back side of the glass. Then, the aforementioned conductive silver paste is cured, and the conductive silver paste in each through hole forms a first conductor.

[0092] (3) A transparent conductive layer formed of pedot:pss is fabricated on the back of the glass in the area other than the area where the aforementioned through hole is located;

[0093] (4) A Cu layer is deposited in the area on the back of the glass where the aforementioned through holes are distributed by magnetron sputtering. The Cu layer is electrically in contact with the transparent conductive layer. The thickness of the Cu layer is higher than the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the glass. The Cu layer deposition area covers and extends beyond the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the glass by more than 50 μm and has no shape restriction. The local area of ​​the Cu layer also enters each through hole to form a second conductor and electrically combines with the first conductor to form a conductive channel through the glass, thereby obtaining an interconnected electrode structure. It can also be considered as obtaining a transparent electrode with a reserved through circuit.

[0094] Based on the transparent electrode, various optoelectronic devices can be fabricated. For example, the main structure of an OLED can be arranged on the side of glass with a transparent conductive layer.

[0095] Example 5: A method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, comprising the following steps:

[0096] (1) Multiple through-holes are processed on a polyurethane (PU) film with a thickness of approximately 140-150 μm. Each through-hole perpendicularly penetrates the PU film and can be circular, polygonal, or other irregular in shape. The perimeter of a single through-hole ranges from approximately 200-250 μm, and the opening area on the front side (first side) or the back side (second side) of the PU film is 0.03 mm². 2 The following conditions apply, and the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the front and back of the PU film is less than 1μm;

[0097] (2) Apply a conductive silver paste with a viscosity of 400-500 cP (the surface tension of the main solvent component is 27-65 dyn / cm) to the area on the front side of the PU film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. This allows some of the conductive silver paste to enter each through hole by gravity, but it stops automatically at a certain distance from the back side of the PU film. Then, the aforementioned conductive silver paste is cured, and the conductive silver paste in each through hole forms the first conductor.

[0098] (3) A transparent conductive layer made of graphene film is formed on the back of the PU film in the area other than the area where the aforementioned through holes are located.

[0099] (4) A Cu layer is deposited in the area on the back of the PU film where the aforementioned through holes are distributed. The Cu layer is electrically in contact with the transparent conductive layer. The thickness of the Cu layer is higher than the protrusion height of the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PU film. The Cu layer deposition area covers and extends beyond the opening edge of each through hole on the back of the PU film by more than 50 μm and has no shape restriction. The local area of ​​the Cu layer also enters each through hole to form a second conductor and electrically combines with the first conductor to form a conductive channel through the PU film, thereby obtaining an interconnected electrode structure. It can also be considered as obtaining a transparent electrode with a reserved through circuit.

[0100] Based on the transparent electrode, various optoelectronic devices can be fabricated. For example, the main structure of an ultraviolet detector can be arranged on the side of a PU film with a transparent conductive layer.

[0101] Example 6: A method for preparing a thin-film solar cell, comprising the following steps:

[0102] (1) Basically the same as Example 2;

[0103] (2) Basically the same as Example 2;

[0104] (3) Basically the same as Example 2;

[0105] (4) Basically the same as Example 2, but refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The Ag layer 4 formed therein surrounds the transparent conductive layer 21 and is in electrical contact with the transparent conductive layer 21;

[0106] (5) An electron transport layer 22 (such as a zinc oxide thin film layer with a thickness of about 50 nm), an active layer 23 (such as a PM6:Y6 active layer with a thickness of about 100 nm), a hole transport layer 24 (such as a MoO3 thin film with a thickness of about 10 nm), and a metal top electrode 25 (such as metal Al with a thickness of about 100 nm) are sequentially fabricated on the transparent conductive layer 21 in accordance with methods known in the art, thereby forming a thin-film solar cell 2 (defined as the product of the present invention) on the polyester film 1.

[0107] The thin-film solar cell 2 can serve as a basic structural unit of a battery module, easily connected to other battery units via silver paste 3. Alternatively, in some cases, a portion of the silver paste 3 can remain on the front side of the polyester film 1 and cure to form a first conductive layer, which is then electrically bonded to the top or bottom electrode of other thin-film solar cells via conductive adhesive. Furthermore, the aforementioned Ag layer can effectively improve the overall performance of the product without altering the conductivity of the transparent electrode itself. Figure 4 The illustrated scheme is particularly suitable for use in devices with relatively large transparent electrodes (≥10 mm, preferably ≥50 mm). The Ag layer 4 can be configured as conductive lines with a width of ≤5 mm, preferably ≤1 mm, and an equivalent sheet resistance of ≤5 Ω / sq, preferably ≤1 Ω / sq. Furthermore, compared to the transparent conductive electrode, the highest point protrusion height of the Ag layer 4 is less than 5 micrometers, preferably less than 1 micrometer. In addition, the Ag layer 4 can also be formed using other methods known in the art, such as inkjet printing, air jet printing, gravure printing, screen printing, flexographic printing, and mask coating.

[0108] As a comparison, you can refer to step (5) above, but directly form an ITO transparent conductive layer, an electron transport layer, an active layer, a hole transport layer and a metal top electrode on a polyester film with a thickness of about 150 μm, thereby forming a thin-film solar cell on the polyester film (defined as the comparison product).

[0109] Comparing the product of this invention with the comparative product, it can be found that the most prominent advantage of the product of this invention lies in the convenience of subsequent assembly. The circuit can be directly connected to the back of the battery, without the need to consider via wiring for connecting the electrodes on the front of the battery. In addition, thanks to the presence of the second conductor, the actual equivalent sheet resistance of the transparent electrode is significantly reduced, which can typically improve the efficiency of the solar cell by more than 5%.

[0110] It can be considered that the above embodiments of the present invention actually provide a method for manufacturing a transparent electrode with a reserved through-hole circuit. This method fully utilizes the surface tension, viscosity, and solvent volatility of conductive pastes such as silver paste to design a reasonable process window. Specifically, it fully utilizes the flow resistance within the fluid conductive material (conductive paste) and the interaction force between it and the through-hole wall to counteract the gravitational force on the conductive material itself, achieving a delicate balance to ensure that the conductive material can remain at a designated position in the middle of the through-hole, achieving the expected process objective. This method has advantages such as simple process and low manufacturing cost. The obtained transparent electrode has good conductivity and a high yield, effectively avoiding the problems of high process difficulty and low yield caused by the "manufacturing the device first, then penetrating the insulating layer" approach.

[0111] All aspects, embodiments, features, and examples of this invention are to be regarded as illustrative in all respects and are not intended to limit the invention, the scope of which is defined only by the claims. Other embodiments, modifications, and uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

[0112] The use of headings and sections in this invention is not intended to limit the invention; each section can be applied to any aspect, embodiment, or feature of the invention. Although the invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various other changes, omissions, and / or additions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that elements of the embodiments can be replaced with substantially equivalents.

[0113] Furthermore, many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention to adapt particular situations or materials to the teachings of the invention. Therefore, this document is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed for carrying out the invention, but rather to include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, unless specifically stated otherwise, any use of the terms first, second, etc., does not indicate any order or importance, but is used to distinguish one element from another.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an interconnected electrode structure, characterized in that, include: Through holes are machined in selected areas of the insulating substrate, the through holes penetrating the insulating substrate along the thickness direction; A conductive paste containing a first conductive material is applied to the first surface of the insulating substrate, and a portion of the conductive paste is made to enter the through hole and reach a set position, the set position being located between the two ends of the through hole; A second conductive layer is formed on the second side of the insulating substrate opposite to the first side using a second conductive material, and a portion of the second conductive material is introduced into the through hole to form a second conductor. The second conductor is electrically bonded to a first conductor in the through hole. The first conductor is formed by the conductive paste introduced into the through hole, thereby forming a conductive channel in the insulating substrate. A third conductive layer is formed on the second surface of the insulating substrate, and the second conductive layer is disposed around or around the third conductive layer in a semi-enclosed manner, and the second conductive layer and the third conductive layer are in electrical contact but do not overlap each other. The third conductive layer is a transparent conductive layer, the second conductive layer is linear with a line width ≤ 5 mm, the equivalent sheet resistance of the second conductive layer is ≤ 5 Ω / sq, and the height of the highest point of the second conductive layer relative to the protrusion of the third conductive layer is < 5 μm.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Specifically, it includes: First, the conductive channel is formed in the insulating substrate, and then a third conductive layer is formed on the second surface of the insulating substrate, and the third conductive layer is electrically contacted with the second conductive layer. Alternatively, a third conductive layer may be formed on the second surface of the insulating substrate, and a through hole may be machined in a selected area of ​​the insulating substrate. Then, the conductive channel may be formed in the insulating substrate, and the second conductive layer and the third conductive layer may be in electrical contact.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the transparent conductive layer includes any one or more combinations of metal oxides, metals, conductive polymers, and carbon materials.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The line width of the second conductive layer is ≤1mm.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The highest point of the second conductive layer is less than 1 μm higher than the protrusion of the third conductive layer.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The equivalent sheet resistance of the second conductive layer is ≤1Ω / sq.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method of forming a second conductive layer on a second surface of an insulating substrate with a second conductive material includes physical and / or chemical deposition methods.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method of forming a second conductive layer on the second surface of an insulating substrate with a second conductive material includes any one or more combinations of printing, coating, dispensing, vacuum evaporation or magnetron sputtering.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, characterized in that, include: The second conductive layer is formed by at least one of the following methods: inkjet printing, air jet printing, gravure printing, screen printing, flexographic printing, and mask spraying.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insulating substrate includes a transparent insulating film.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 10, characterized in that: The transparent insulating film is made of any one or more of the following materials: glass, polyester, polyurethane, and polyimide.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the insulating substrate is 1-300 μm.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The thickness of the insulating substrate is 15-150 μm.

14. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening area of ​​the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate is 0.13 mm². 2 Hereinafter, the circumference of the opening of the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate is 10-800 μm.

15. The manufacturing method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The opening area of ​​the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate is 0.03 mm². 2 Hereinafter, the circumference of the opening of the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate is 60-400 μm.

16. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protrusion height of the edge of the opening of the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate relative to the first or second surface is less than 5 μm.

17. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, characterized in that: The protrusion height of the edge of the opening of the through hole on the first or second surface of the insulating substrate relative to the first or second surface is less than 1 μm.

18. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The viscosity of the conductive paste is 20-100000 cP.

19. The manufacturing method according to claim 18, characterized in that: The viscosity of the conductive paste is 100-10000 cP.

20. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface tension of the main solvent component in the conductive paste is 15-72 dyn / cm.

21. The manufacturing method according to claim 20, characterized in that: The surface tension of the main solvent component in the conductive paste is 27-50 dyn / cm.

22. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conductive paste is applied to the first surface of the insulating substrate by any one or more combinations of printing, coating, or dispensing.

23. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the second conductive layer is greater than the protrusion height of the edge of the opening of the through hole on the second surface of the insulating substrate relative to the second surface.

24. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second conductive layer covers the opening of the through-hole on the second side of the insulating substrate and extends radially outward from the edge of the opening by more than 20 μm.

25. The manufacturing method according to claim 24, characterized in that: The second conductive layer covers the opening of the through-hole on the second side of the insulating substrate and extends radially outward from the edge of the opening by more than 50 μm.

26. An interconnected electrode structure formed by the method of any one of claims 1-25.

27. An apparatus comprising a functional module and an electrode module cooperating with the functional module, characterized in that: The electrode module includes the interconnecting electrode structure as described in claim 26.

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