Thin Film Solar Cell Rear Electrode Light Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thin film type solar cells face limitations in achieving a wide light-transmission area without compromising cell efficiency or increasing processing time, making them unsuitable as substitutes for glass windows in buildings.
Innovation Solution
The solar cell design includes patterning a light-transmitting portion within the rear electrode and using a printing process to enhance the light-transmission area, allowing for increased visible range without reducing efficiency or prolonging the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rear electrode is made opaque to ensure electrical connection, then electrical conductivity is improved, but light-transmission area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rear electrode is designed with different optical properties in different regions: opaque in contact portions for reliable electrical connection, and transparent in separating channels for light transmission. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between electrical conductivity and light-transmission area.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear electrode is segmented into multiple functional regions (contact portions and separating channels) with different transparency characteristics. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of electrical connection reliability and sufficient light-transmission area.
2Area of stationary object
If the separating channel width is increased to widen light-transmission area, then light-transmission area is improved, but cell efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The separating channels are designed to be transparent in the rear electrode while maintaining appropriate width, allowing light transmission without excessive reduction of active area. The contact portions remain opaque for efficient charge collection, achieving local optimization of both light transmission and electrical efficiency.
3Reliability
If transparent metal is used for front electrode and opaque metal for rear electrode, then electrical connection is improved, but light-transmission area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The rear electrode uses opaque metal in contact portions for reliable electrical connection but transparent material or transparent structure in separating channels for light transmission. This local quality differentiation overcomes the limitation of using uniformly opaque rear electrodes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively increases the light-transmission area, enabling the solar cell to be used as a substitute for glass windows while maintaining efficiency and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
A solar cell with a property of semiconductor converts a light energy into an electric energy
Implementation Method 2
By an electric field generated in a PN-junction area, the holes (+) are drifted toward the P-type semiconductor and the electrons (−) are drifted toward the N-type semiconductor
Data Source
AI summary
A thin film type solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed, which is capable of providing a wide light-transmission area without lowering cell efficiency and increasing processing time, so that the solar cell can be used as a substitute for a glass window in a building. The thin film type solar cell generally comprises a substrate; a plurality of front electrodes at fixed intervals on the substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers at fixed intervals with a contact portion or separating channel interposed in-between, the plurality of semiconductor layers on the plurality of front electrodes; and a plurality of rear electrodes at fixed intervals by the each separating channel interposed in-between, the each rear electrode being electrically connected with the each front electrode; wherein the each rear electrode is patterned in such a way that a light-transmitting portion is included in a predetermined portion of the rear electrode.