Back-Contact Solar Cell Electrode Layout to Prevent Short Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Back-contact solar cells face issues with short circuits due to the easy contact between electrodes of opposite polarities, leading to inefficiency and increased material and manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

The design includes disconnected gate lines at intersections with insulation layers and conductive layers to prevent contact between electrodes of opposite polarities, using conductive metals like silver and copper, and connection layers with lower resistance to maintain electrical connectivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If electrodes are disposed at the back surface of the solar cell, then light utilization rate is improved, but risk of short circuit between electrodes of opposite polarities increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight utilization rateVSAvoidshort circuit risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The back surface electrode is segmented into multiple conductive layers with alternating polarities arranged in a first direction. Adjacent conductive layers have opposite polarities and are electrically insulated from each other, dividing the electrode structure into isolated functional units that prevent short circuits while maintaining high light utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Insulation layers are introduced as intermediary elements between conductive layers of opposite polarities. These insulation layers prevent direct contact between positive and negative electrodes, eliminating the short circuit risk while allowing both electrodes to be disposed at the back surface for high light utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If insulation layers are added at intersections, then short circuit prevention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit preventionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulation layers are merged with the existing multi-layer conductive structure. The insulation layers are integrated into the stack of conductive layers and gate electrodes, forming a unified structure that prevents short circuits without requiring separate additional components or complex assembly processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4614577A1Back contact solar cell
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 TRINA SOLAR CO LTD
  • EP4614577A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4614577A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4614577A1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses a back contact solar cell and a photovoltaic module, which relates to the technical field of solar cells. The solar cell includes a substrate, multiple conductive layers and a electrode structure. The multiple conductive layers are arranged in a first direction. Two adjacent conductive layers of the multiple conductive layers having opposite electric polarities and being electrically insulated from each other. The electrode structure includes multiple gate electrodes and multiple gate lines intersecting with and electrically connected to the multiple gate electrodes. Respective gate electrodes with opposite electric polarities are arranged at intervals in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, respective gate lines with opposite electric polarities are arranged at intervals in the first direction, and the multiple gate lines are arranged on respective conductive layers with a same electric polarity as the multiple gate lines. A gate line of the multiple gate lines interects with a gate electrode of the multiple gate electrodes that has opposite electric polarities to the gate line at an intersection where the gate line is disconnected to be spaced apart from the gate electrode in the second direction. A disconnected gate line is electrically connected by a conductive layer of the multiple conductive layers having the same electric polarity as the disconnected gate line, and multiple insulation layers are disposed between the multiple gate electrodes and the respective conductive layers at the intersections. By disconnecting the gate line and providing the insulation layer, the solar cell can avoid electrodes with different polarities from being in contact with each other to cause a short circuit, which prevents the solar cell from being ineffective and reduces manufacturing costs of the solar cell.