JPH0582993B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device in which a plurality of photovoltaic elements are integrated.

[Prior art]

Generally, a photovoltaic device has a transparent electrode, an amorphous semiconductor layer such as a p-i-n junction type or an n-i-p junction type, and a back electrode laminated in this order on a transparent insulating substrate. The conventional method for manufacturing this type of photovoltaic device is as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3F.

First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a transparent electrode 22 is formed in a planar manner on a transparent insulating substrate 21 such as glass, and the transparent electrode 22 is exposed to each photovoltaic force using a laser beam as shown in FIG. 3B. The device is divided into regions (three parts in the drawing), and a p-i-n junction type or n-i layer is formed over the transparent insulating substrate 21 and the transparent electrode 22 as shown in FIG. 3C. - After laminating each p-junction type semiconductor layer 23, for example, an amorphous silicon layer, each transparent electrode 23 is stacked so that the upper surface of one end of the adjacent transparent electrode on the same side is partially exposed, as shown in FIG. 3D. A laser beam is also used to separate one end of the layer, and a back electrode 24 made of Al or the like is laminated over this amorphous silicon layer and the exposed transparent electrode 22 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the amorphous semiconductor layer 23 is separated by a laser beam so that the upper surface of one end on the same side is partially exposed, and the back electrode 24 of one of the adjacent photovoltaic elements A photovoltaic device is manufactured in which the transparent electrode 22 of the other photovoltaic device is connected in series (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-12568).
issue).

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, when manufacturing a photovoltaic device by the method described above, each transparent electrode 22, amorphous semiconductor layer 2
3. As a result of cutting the back electrodes 24 individually each time they are formed, for example, the amorphous semiconductor layer 23 is cut with its surface exposed, so the molten silicon particles scattered during cutting become amorphous. In addition to adhering to the surface of the semiconductor layer, it also easily deteriorates due to oxidation, moisture absorption, etc., and is a major factor in the deterioration of film quality.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is characterized in that a transparent electrode, an amorphous semiconductor film, and a back electrode are laminated in this order on a transparent insulating substrate. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device in which a plurality of photovoltaic devices are connected in series between a transparent electrode of one device and a back electrode of an adjacent device via a connecting electrode, the method comprising:
By simultaneously cutting the laminate consisting of the transparent electrode, the amorphous semiconductor film, and the back electrode with a laser beam, and forming an insulator on the cut portion, each photovoltaic element is At the same time, after cutting the laminate of the amorphous semiconductor film and the back electrode near the cut portion with a laser beam, the connecting electrode is placed on the back electrode so as to include the cut portion. The photovoltaic elements are connected in series by forming the connection electrode and cutting the connection electrode together with the back electrode simultaneously with a laser beam.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a photovoltaic device manufactured by the method of the present invention, in which 1 is a transparent insulating substrate made of glass or the like, and 2 is a transparent insulating substrate made of glass or the like;
Transparent electrodes made of SnO ₂ , ITO/SnO ₂ , etc.
3 is a p- made of amorphous silicon or the like.
an amorphous semiconductor layer of i-n junction type or n-i-n junction type; 4 is a back electrode made of Al, Ti, Ag, etc.; 5 is an insulator made of resist, etc.; 6
indicates a connection electrode made of Al, Ti, Ag, etc. Each photovoltaic element is constructed by stacking the transparent electrodes 2, amorphous semiconductor layer 3, and back electrode 4 in this order on a transparent insulating substrate 1, separated by an insulator 5. A connecting electrode 6 is laminated on the back electrode 4 of each of these photovoltaic elements A, B, C..., and this connecting electrode 6 is connected to each adjacent photovoltaic element A, B, C, etc. on one side. Each photovoltaic element A, is connected to the transparent electrode 2 in C...
It is configured as an integrated photovoltaic device in which B, C, . . . are connected in series. In such a photovoltaic device, light is introduced into the amorphous semiconductor layer 3 through the transparent insulating substrate 1, and the photovoltaic force generated here is transferred to each of the photovoltaic elements A, B, C transparent electrode 2,
The current is collected by the back electrode and the connection electrode 6, and taken out to the outside through a leader wire (not shown) connected to the transparent electrode 2 and the connection electrode 6.

Next, the manufacturing process of the apparatus of the present invention as described above will be explained based on FIGS. 2A to 2D. FIGS. 2A to 2D are explanatory diagrams showing the manufacturing process of the device of the present invention as described above. First, as shown in FIG. After laminating a laminate consisting of a junction type or n-i-p junction type amorphous semiconductor layer 3 and a back electrode 4 in this order to a desired thickness, each photovoltaic element A, B, C... A transparent electrode 2, an amorphous semiconductor layer 3,
The back electrode 4 is simultaneously laser scribed. The laser used is a YAG laser equipped with a Q switch, with a laser power density of 5×10 ⁸ W/cm ² , an output wavelength of 1.06 μm, and a pulse repetition rate of approximately 3 KHz. Although the laser beam is normally projected from the back electrode 4 side, it may also be projected from the transparent insulating substrate 5 side.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, an insulator 5 is formed in the groove formed by cutting. First, a resist is applied thinly to the entire surface of the back electrode 4, exposed to light from the transparent insulating substrate 1 side, and then the resist is dissolved and removed using a solvent.

There are no particular limitations on the resist used, and any conventionally known resist may be adopted as appropriate.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, the back electrode 4 and the amorphous semiconductor layer 3 are simultaneously laser scribed from the back electrode 4 side on one side of each insulator 5 with a slight distance therebetween. At this time, the laser power density was set at 2×10 ⁸ W/cm 2 to 2×10 8 W/cm ² to avoid damaging the transparent electrode 2.
It should be about 5×10 ⁸ w/cm ² .

Next, as shown in FIG. 2D, the back electrode 4 and the exposed transparent electrode 2 are laser scribed.
The connection electrode 6 is formed so as to span the area, and the connection electrode 6 and the back electrode 4 are laser scribed by projecting a laser beam as shown by the broken line at a slight distance from the laser scribe position. In this case, the laser power density is preferably 2×10 ⁸ W/cm ² or less so as not to damage the transparent electrode 2. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of photovoltaic elements A,
A photovoltaic device in which B, C, . . . are connected in series is obtained.

〔effect〕

As described above, in the method of the present invention, after forming a transparent electrode, an amorphous semiconductor layer, and a back electrode in this order on a transparent insulating substrate, they are simultaneously cut. Not only is the cutting process easy, but since the cutting is performed with the back electrode laminated on the surface of the amorphous semiconductor layer, there is a possibility that the film quality may deteriorate due to the adhesion of scattered particles of the material constituting the amorphous semiconductor layer during laser scribing, etc. The present invention has excellent effects such as being able to significantly improve film quality by preventing deterioration, oxidation, and moisture absorption.

In addition, in the present invention, when dividing a connecting electrode for serially connecting photovoltaic elements to each photovoltaic element, the connecting electrode and the underlying back electrode are simultaneously exposed to a laser beam. Since the cutting is carried out by the operator, the work in this process can be easily carried out, and the cutting can be carried out reliably.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a photovoltaic device obtained by the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing steps A to D of the method of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 1... Translucent insulating substrate, 2... Transparent electrode, 3...
...Amorphous semiconductor layer, 4... Back electrode, 5... Insulator, 6... Connection electrode.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of photovoltaic elements formed by laminating a transparent electrode, an amorphous semiconductor film, and a back electrode in this order on a transparent insulating substrate are combined with the transparent electrode of one element. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device in which back electrodes of adjacent elements are connected in series via a connecting electrode, the method comprising: the transparent electrode, the amorphous semiconductor film, and the back electrode formed on a substrate; By simultaneously cutting the laminated body consisting of a laser beam and forming an insulator on the cut portion, it is divided into each photovoltaic element, and the amorphous semiconductor near the cut portion is After cutting the laminate of the film and the back electrode with a laser beam, the connection electrode is formed on the back electrode so as to include the cut portion, and the connection electrode and the back electrode are exposed to the laser beam. A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device, characterized in that each photovoltaic element is connected in series by cutting the photovoltaic elements simultaneously.