JPH03185767A - Manufacture of photovoltaic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable photovoltaic regions to be electrically connected in series without leaving fine semiconductor particles on a semiconductor optical active layer and without deteriorating the surface of the optical active layer by a method wherein a first electrode film provided with a first connection part, a semiconductor optical active layer nearly covering the whole surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a first conductive film provided with a second connection part are built up in this sequence, and the second connection part is irradiated with an energy beam. CONSTITUTION:First electrode films 3a-3c provided with first connections 3ae-3ce, a semiconductor optical active layer 4 nearly covering the whole surface of a substrate 1, and the first electrode films 3a-3c provided with rugged second connections 5ae-5ce are laminated in this sequence, and the rugged second connections 5ae and 5ce are irradiated with an energy beam from above, whereby recesses 7a of the second connections 5ae-5ce are soldered to the first connections 3ae-3ce to electrically connect the first electrode films 3a-3c with the second electrode films 5a-5c. In this case, the second connections 5ae-5ce and an outlet electrode film 6 are formed rugged, whereby the second connections 5ae-5ce and the lead-out electrode film 6 are easily soldered together at the recesses 7a to electrically connect the first connections 3ae-3ce to the second connections 5ae-5ce. By this setup, semiconductor fine particles are prevented from being left on a semiconductor optical active layer and the surface of the optical active layer is prevented from deteriorating.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device in which photovoltaic elements provided in a plurality of power generation areas are electrically connected in series.

(b) #: In a photovoltaic device in which a plurality of photovoltaic elements provided in a plurality of power generation areas on an insulating surface of a technical board are electrically connected in series, the first As a method for electrically connecting an electrode film and a second electrode film, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-767
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 86, a method using an energy beam is used. According to this method, a first electrode film having an extension portion is divided and arranged in a plurality of power generation regions on an insulating surface of a substrate, and a semiconductor photoactive layer is provided on substantially the entire surface of the substrate including this first electrode film. After that, an energy beam is irradiated onto a portion of the semiconductor photoactive layer covering the extension of the first electrode film to remove this portion of the semiconductor photoactive layer. Next, the extended portion of the second electrode film provided on the semiconductor layer of the adjacent power generation region is extended to the exposed extended portion of the 11i-th electrode film.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention According to the above-described method, when the semiconductor photoactive layer is removed, there is a risk that semiconductor fine particles may remain on the scattered semiconductor photoactive layer. These fine particles adversely affect the properties of the photovoltaic device.

Additionally, the process of removing the semiconductor photoactive layer exposes this layer to the ambient environment for extended periods of time. Therefore, the surface of the semiconductor photoactive layer is oxidized, and moisture and dust are adsorbed to the surface, which adversely affects not only the characteristics of the photovoltaic device but also the bonding properties between the semi-quadramid photoactive layer and the second electrode film. affect

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device that does not leave semiconductor fine particles on a semiconductor photoactive layer and also does not cause deterioration of the surface of the semiconductor photoactive layer.

(d) Means to solve the problem A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device according to the present invention is as follows.

A step of dividing and arranging a first electrode film having a first connection portion in a plurality of power generation regions on the insulating surface of the substrate; forming a layer, and dividing a second electrode film having a second connection portion overlapping a first connection portion of a first electrode film disposed in an adjacent power generation region into a power generation region on the semiconductor photoactive layer; a step of electrically connecting the first connecting portion M# and the second connecting portion by irradiating an energy beam from above the second connecting portion; In the manufacturing method, the second electrode film is formed from a conductive paste, and the second electrode film is formed from a conductive paste.
The connecting portion is characterized in that it is formed in an uneven shape along the irradiation direction of the energy beam.

(E) Function According to the present invention, a first electrode film having a first connection portion, a semiconductor photoactive layer covering substantially the entire surface of the substrate, and a first electrode film having an uneven second connection portion are laminated in this order. After that, by irradiating the uneven second connection part with an energy beam,
The concave portion of the second connecting portion is welded to the first connecting portion, and the first i-pole film and the second i-pole film are electrically connected.

To C) Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 3 are plan views showing the manufacturing method of the present invention in a photovoltaic device having the first structure in the order of steps.

In the process shown in FIG. 1, a first polar film is applied to a plurality of power generation regions 2a to 2c aligned and sectioned along the longitudinal direction of one surface of a light-transmitting insulating substrate l made of glass, heat-resistant plastic, etc. 3a to 3C are divided and arranged.

These first t electrodes 1141!3a to 3C are made of a transparent conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITo) or tin oxide (Snow). In addition, these first electrode films 3a to 3C
is the first contact MMJ3a extending along one side of the substrate l.
The first connecting portions 3be and 3ce, which have electrodes 1113b and 3C, are connected to the adjacent first electrode film 3 on the left.
It extends in the directions a and 3b.

In the process shown in FIG. 2, the 11th electrode film 3a to 3c is
Amorphous silicon (a-Si), amorphous silicon carbide (a-3iC), amorphous silicon germanium (
A semiconductor photoactive layer 4 made of an amorphous semiconductor film such as a-S 1Ge) is formed. This semiconductor photoactive layer 4 is formed by the well-known plasma CVD method, photo-CVD method, etc. so as to have semiconductor junctions such as pn and pin in parallel to the film surface.

In the step shown in FIG. 3, second electrode films 5a to 5c are divided and arranged in a plurality of power generation regions 2a to 2c on semiconductor photoactive layer 4 so as to overlap with first electrode films 3a to 3C.

These second electrode films 5a to 50 are made of a conductive paste that is patterned by screen printing and then baked at about 150°C. As the conductive paste, Ag,
A filler such as Ni or Cu is added to a binder such as phenol, epoxy, or polyester.

Further, these second electrode films 5a to 5c have second connection portions 5ac to 5ce extending along one side of the substrate l, similar to the first tIfi films 3a to 3c, and have second electrode films 5ac to 5ce extending along one side of the substrate l. 5a,
The first connecting portions 5ae and 5be formed in the first connecting portion 5b extend in the direction of the first electrode films 3b and 3c on the right side, and the first connecting portions 5ae and 5be formed on the first connecting portion 3be
, overlaps with 3ce.

Further, an extraction electrode film 6 is formed so as to overlap with the first connection portion 3ae of the first electrode film 3a at the left end.

By the way, as a feature of the present invention, the second connecting portions 5ae to 5
ce and the extraction electrode film 6 are formed in an uneven shape along their extending direction (that is, one side direction of the substrate 1 (see the enlarged sectional view of the main part shown in FIG. 4). For this, the second
In forming the electrodes 11i5a to 5c and the extraction electrode film 6, as a mask used for patterning, the second connection parts 5ae to 5ce and the extraction electrode film 6 are formed in a comb shape at intervals of about 0.2 mm. The one marked with is used. This allows you to use the parts not covered by the mask.
The conductive paste slightly flows into the portion covered by the mask, and a recess 7a is formed in the portion covered by the mask. On the other hand, the convex portion 7b is located in the part not covered by the mask.
are formed, and as a result, the second connection portions 5ae to 5ce and the extraction electrode film 6 have an uneven shape.

In this way, the second electrode films 5a to 5c and the extraction electrode film 6 are
After the second connection part 5ae to 5cc and the extraction xi membrane 6
By irradiating the top with an energy beam such as a laser beam or an electron beam, each of the first connection parts 3ae to 3ce of the first electrode films 3a to 3c and the first connection parts 3ae to 3ce of the extraction electrode film 6 and the second electrode films 5a and 5b are connected. The two connecting portions 5ae and 5be are welded to each other. For more details, take out type If! i6 and the ruJ portions 7a of the second connection parts 5ae and 5be are melted and electrically connected to the first connection parts 3ae to 3ce.

A YAG laser with a Q switch is suitable as the energy beam used.

In this way, the three power generation regions 2a to 2c are electrically connected in series, and the output of these power generation regions 23 to 2c is taken out between the extraction electrode film 6 and the second connection portion 5ce at the right end.

By the way, the second connection parts 5ae to 5ce and the extraction electrode film 6
If it is formed in a - shape without being uneven, its thickness will be from 10 pm to several tens of pm. Therefore, by irradiating these with an energy beam and melting them, the first connecting portions 3ae~
It will be very difficult to connect with 3ce.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by forming the second connecting portions 5ae to 5ce and the extraction electrode film 6 in an uneven shape, the recessed portion 7
In a, the second connection parts 5ae to 5ce and the extraction tVi
The membrane 6 is easily melted and electrically connected to the first connecting portions 3ae to 3ce.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a photovoltaic device having a second structure manufactured by the method of the present invention.

In this photovoltaic device installation, the first connection section 13ae-13ce is formed in the plurality of power generation regions 12a to 12c on one surface of the base.
a-13c, the first electrode film 13g-13c and the first connecting portion 13ae~! A semiconductor photoactive layer 14 is formed on substantially the entire surface of one surface of the substrate 11 including 3 cc, and a first electrode film 13 is formed on the power generation regions 12a to 12C on the semiconductor photoactive layer 14.
It is provided with second electrode films 15a to 15c having second connection portions 15ae to 15ce made of conductive paste formed so as to overlap with electrodes a to 13c.

Then, the first connecting portion 13ae-13ce and the second connecting portion 1
5ae to 15ce are connected to each other at adjacent intervals in regions 12a to 12c by irradiation with an energy beam.

In addition, in this embodiment, the second connecting portions 15ae to 1
5ce is formed in an uneven shape.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, a first electrode film having a first connection portion, a semiconductor photoactive layer on substantially the entire surface of the substrate, and a first electrode film having a second connection portion are provided.
After laminating the electrode films in this order, the first connection part and the second connection part were welded by irradiating the second connection part with an energy beam to electrically connect them. No semiconductor particles remain on the semiconductor photoactive layer, and the surface of the semiconductor photoactive layer does not deteriorate.

A photovoltaic device in which a plurality of power generation regions are electrically connected in series can be manufactured.

Furthermore, since the second connection part is formed in an uneven shape, the i1!2 connection part can be reliably melted by irradiation with the energy beam and electrically connected to the first t&connection part.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 are plan views showing the manufacturing method of the present invention for a photovoltaic device having the first structure in the order of steps, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of the figure, and FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a photovoltaic device having a second structure manufactured by the method of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A step of dividing and arranging a first electrode film having a first connection part in a plurality of power generation areas on the insulating surface of the substrate, and substantially covering the entire insulating surface of the substrate including the first electrode film; a step of forming a semiconductor photoactive layer;
A step of dividing and arranging a second electrode film having a second connection part overlapping with the first connection part of the electrode film, and connecting the first connection part and the second connection part by irradiating an energy beam from above the second connection part. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device, comprising the steps of: electrically connecting the second electrode film to the second electrode film, and the second electrode film being formed from a conductive paste;
1. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device, characterized in that the connecting portion is formed in an uneven shape along the irradiation direction of the energy beam.