Solar Cell Wafer Protection Coating for Fragility Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Larger and thinner solar cell wafers become more fragile during fabrication, leading to mechanical damage and increased costs due to handling and processing stresses.
Innovation Solution
A protection coating, typically a polymer-based dielectric material, is applied to the surface of solar cell wafers to provide mechanical support and protection, which can be continuous or patterned with cutouts to expose critical areas, reducing material usage and weight while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a protection coating is applied to provide mechanical support, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thin film protection coating (5-50 micrometers thick) made of polymer materials on the surface of solar cell wafers. This thin film provides the necessary mechanical strength and protection during fabrication while minimizing weight addition, directly resolving the contradiction between strength improvement and weight increase.
2Reliability
If a continuous protection coating is applied, then the mechanical protection is improved, but the material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection coating is applied in a segmented or patterned manner rather than as a continuous uniform layer. This segmentation provides mechanical protection to critical areas of the solar cell wafer while reducing overall material usage, resolving the contradiction between protection reliability and material consumption.
3Power
If the wafer size is increased, then the power generation capacity is improved, but the mechanical fragility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection coating is applied to the solar cell wafer surface before fabrication and assembly processes. This preliminary action reinforces the wafer structure in advance, enabling larger wafer sizes to be used for higher power generation capacity without suffering from increased mechanical fragility during handling and processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A solar module includes solar cells that are encapsulated. A back layer is disposed towards back sides of the solar cells and a transparent layer is disposed towards front sides of the solar cells. A protection coating is formed on a surface of the solar cells. The protection coating can be continuous or have a pattern with cutouts that expose the surface of the solar cells.