Bifacial cell with extruded gridline metallization

Abstract

Provided is a bifacial photovoltaic arrangement comprising a bifacial cell which included a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface, a first passivation layer formed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer and a second passivation layer formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer, , and a plurality of metallizations formed on the first and second passivation layers and selectively connected to the semiconductor layer. At least some of the metallizations on the bifacial photovoltaic arrangement comprising an elongated metal structure having a relatively small width and a relatively large height extending upward from the first and second passivation layers.

1 . A bifacial photovoltaic arrangement comprising: 
 a bifacial cell including, a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface; 
 a first passivation layer formed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer and a second passivation layer formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer; and  
 a plurality of metallizations formed on the first and second passivation layers and selectively connected to the first surface and the second surface of the semiconductor layer,  
   wherein at least some metallizations comprise an elongated metal structure having a relatively small width and a relatively large height extending upward from the first and second passivation layers.    
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 1 , further including the metallizations having contact portions extending through openings in the first passivation layer to the first surface of the semiconductor .  
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 2 , further including the metallizations having contact portions extending through openings in the second passivation layer to the second surface of the semiconductor layer  
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 1 , further including at least one support portion formed along a side edge of at least one of the metallizations, wherein the support portion comprises a transparent material.  
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of the bifacial cells in electrical contact with each other to form a bifacial photovoltaic module.  
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 5 , further including a reflector on one of a layer of glass or plastic, the reflector being integrated into the arrangement in a manner to be able to reflect light to backsides of the bifacial solar cells.  
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the integrated reflector is on an outer surface of the layer of plastic or glass.  
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 7 , further including one of a layer of protective paint of plastic laminate provided to protect the reflector.  
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the integrated reflector is on an inner surface of the layer of plastic or glass.  
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the integrated reflector is metal.  
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 10 , further including a transparent insulator positioned to separate the integrated metal reflector from the bifacial cells.  
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein the transparent insulator has a higher melt temperature than an adjacent lamination material.  
     
     
         13 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the integrated reflector is patterned so that no conductive path exists to short bifacial solar cells together.  
     
     
         14 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the integrated reflector consists of dielectric films.  
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the dielectric films selectively reflect light that is useable to produce electricity in the bifacial solar cells and pass light that would heat the bifacial solar cells without generating appreciable electricity.  
     
     
         16 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the reflector is a Lambertian.  
     
     
         17 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the reflector is a specular reflector.  
     
     
         18 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the bifacial cells are in a bifacial cell module with a plastic laminate front layer and a glass back layer.  
     
     
         19 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the passivation layers of the bifacial cell are configured of amorphous silicon.  
     
     
         20 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer has a thickness of about 150 microns or less, and the metallizations on the first and second surfaces have substantially the same mechanical moments.  
     
     
         21 . The photovoltaic arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the metallizations cover less than 10% of the first and second surfaces.  
     
     
         22 . A method for producing a bifacial photovoltaic device, the photovoltaic device including a semiconductor layer, one or more doped regions, a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of conductive lines disposed over the first surface and the second surface and contacting one or more doped regions at the first surface and the second surface, the method comprising: 
 forming a blanket passivation layer on each of the first surface and the second surface of the semiconductor; and    utilizing a direct-write metallization apparatus arrangement to deposit the conductive lines to contact the doped regions of the semiconductor layer.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further including, 
 utilizing a non-contact patterning apparatus arrangement to define a plurality of openings through the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer, each the openings exposing a corresponding one of the one or more doped regions of the semiconductor layer; and    utilizing the direct-write metallization apparatus to deposit contact portions into the openings.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the direct-write metallization apparatus is an inkjet-type printhead.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the direct-write metallization apparatus is a dispensing nozzle.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein utilizing the direct-write metallization apparatus to deposit the contact portion into each of the plurality of openings comprises depositing a silicide-forming metal into each of the openings.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein utilizing the direct-write metallization apparatus further comprises depositing a second metal onto the silicide forming metal, wherein the second metal has a greater electrical conductivity than the silicide forming metal.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the silicide forming metal deposited in openings through the first passivation layer is different from the suicide forming metal deposited in openings through the second passivation layer.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the second metal deposited onto the suicide forming metal deposited in openings through the first passivation layer is different from the second metal deposited onto the silicide forming metal deposited in openings through the second passivation layer.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises at least one of crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, CdTe (Cadmium Telluride), or CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-diselenide).  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the conductive lines have an aspect ratio exceeding 2:1.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the conductive lines cover less than 10% of the first surface and the second surface.  
     
     
         33 . A bifacial photovoltaic arrangement comprising: 
 a bifacial cell including, 
 a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface, and a thickness of about 150 microns or less;  
 a first passivation layer formed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer and a second passivation layer formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer; and  
 a plurality of metallizations formed on the first and second passivation layers and selectively connected to the semiconductor layer, the metallizations on the first passivation layer and the metallizations on the second passivation layer having sufficiently similar mechanical moments to maintain the semiconductor layer substantially un-warped.  
   
     
     
         34 . The photovoltaic arrangement according to  claim 33 , wherein the matching of the mechanical moments to maintain the semiconductor layer substantially un-warped, includes using at least some multilayer metallizations.