Flexible, interconnected array of amorphous semiconductor photovoltaic cells

Patent · Tue Oct 14 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5043660

Dilts, D A; Brauneck, T W

This patent describes a flexible interconnected array of solar cells, comprising at least two strips of photoelectric cells. Each of the strips have a width and a length, the length being longer than the width, and including an electrically conductive substrate for forming one electrode of the array. The substrate has opposed top and bottom surfaces, a photoresponsive semiconductor body disposed on one surface of the substrate, and a transparent conductive coating disposed on the semiconductor body opposite the substrate, a portion of the bottom surface of the substrate of one strip overlapping a portion of the coating on an adjacent, overlapped strip along the lengths of the overlapping and overlapped strips. The strips are flexibly joined in their mutually overlapping portions by a length of a flexible plastic adhered to the bottom surface of the substrate of the overlapping strip and to the coating of the adjacent overlapped strip. The substrate of the overlapping strip is free of the semiconductor body along the margin of its length overlapping the adjacent overlapped strip and at least one conducting stripe is disposed on the coating of the overlapped strip along its width, continuously extending to and contacting the margin of the overlapping strip to interconnect the strips electrically.

• Assignee: Standard Oil Co., Cleveland, OH
• Patent Number(s): US 4617420
• OSTI ID: 5043660
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
AMORPHOUS STATE
COATINGS
DESIGN
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FLEXIBILITY
LENGTH
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
OPACITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASTICS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
TENSILE PROPERTIES
WIDTH