Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

Provided are a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same. The solar cell includes a transparent substrate. A first electrode and a transparent insulating layer are sequentially stacked over a plurality of first regions of the transparent substrate. A first electrode, a light-converting layer, a transparent insulating layer, and a second electrode are sequentially stacked over a second region of the transparent substrate other than the first regions. Therefore, light incident from the substrate can penetrate between the light-converting layers spaced apart from each other, thus manufacturing a transparent solar cell. Also, since light scattered by the transparent insulating layer is also incident into the side of the light-converting layer, the light-receiving area is not reduced and thus the efficiency of the solar cell can be increased.

1 . A solar cell, comprising:
 a transparent substrate;   a first electrode and a transparent insulating layer that are sequentially stacked over a plurality of first regions of the transparent substrate; and   a first electrode, a light-converting layer, a transparent insulating layer, and a second electrode that are sequentially stacked over a second region of the transparent substrate other than the first regions.   
     
     
         2 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is formed to have a thickness that allows tunneling and insulating characteristics. 
     
     
         22 . The solar cell of  claim 21 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is further formed over a sidewall of the light-converting layer. 
     
     
         23 . The solar cell of  claim 22 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is continuously formed over an upper surface and the sidewall of the plurality of light-converting layers which is spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         24 . The solar cell of  claim 23 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is formed using ZnO. 
     
     
         25 . The solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is formed to have a thickness capable of transmitting light and functioning as an electrode. 
     
     
         26 . The solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein light incident onto the sidewalls of the light-converting layer is received to the solar cell. 
     
     
         27 . The solar cell of  claim 26 , further comprising an insulating layer that is formed over the sidewall of the light-converting layer and scatters the incident light for the light to be absorbed to the sidewall of the light-converting layer. 
     
     
         28 . A solar cell, comprising:
 a transparent substrate;   a first electrode, a transparent insulating layer, and a second electrode that are sequentially stacked over a plurality of first regions of the transparent substrate: and   a first electrode, a light-converting layer, a transparent insulating layer, and a second electrode that are sequentially stacked over a second region of the transparent substrate other than the first regions.   
     
     
         29 . The solar cell of  claim 28 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is formed to have a thickness that allows tunneling and insulating characteristics. 
     
     
         30 . The solar cell of  claim 29 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is further formed over a sidewall of the light-converting layer. 
     
     
         31 . The solar cell of  claim 30 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is continuously formed over an upper surface and the sidewall of the plurality of light-converting layers which is spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         32 . The solar cell of  claim 31 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is formed using ZnO. 
     
     
         33 . The solar cell of  claim 28 , wherein the second electrode is formed to have a thickness capable of transmitting light and functioning as an electrode. 
     
     
         34 . The solar cell of  claim 28 , wherein light incident onto the sidewalls of the light-converting layer is received to the solar cell. 
     
     
         35 . The solar cell of  claim 34 , further comprising an insulating layer that is formed over the sidewall of the light-converting layer and scatters the incident light for the light to be absorbed to the sidewall of the light-converting layer. 
     
     
         36 . The solar cell of  claim 28 , wherein the second electrode of the first region is formed of aluminum or silver. 
     
     
         37 . A method of manufacturing a solar cell, the method comprising:
 forming a first electrode over a substrate;   forming a light-converting layer over the first electrode and patterning the light-converting layer to form a plurality of patterned light-converting layers that are spaced apart from each other;   forming a transparent insulating layer over the first electrode including the patterned light-converting layers: and   forming a second electrode over the transparent insulating layer.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is formed by depositing ZnO using a MOCVD (Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) process or a sputtering process 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the second electrode is formed of a metallic material using a PECVD (Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) process or sputtering process, and formed to have a thickness capable of transmitting light and functioning as an electrode. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the second electrode is formed using silver or aluminum such that the second electrode has a smaller pattern than the patterned light-converting layer. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first electrode, the light-converting layer, the transparent insulating layer and the second electrode are formed in separate chambers, respectively, or continuously formed in the same chamber by controlling input gas. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the same chamber is a PECVD (Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) chamber. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is further formed over a sidewall of the light-converting layer. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the transparent insulating layer is continuously formed over an upper surface and the sidewall of the plurality of light-converting layers which is spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein light incident onto the sidewall of the light-converting layer is received to the solar cell. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising forming an insulating layer over the sidewall of the light-converting layer to scatter the incident light such that the light is absorbed to the sidewall of the light-converting layer.