Elongated Photovoltaic Devices, Methods of Making Same, and Systems for Making Same

Abstract

Under one aspect, a nonplanar photovoltaic module having a length includes: (a) an elongated nonplanar substrate; and (b) a plurality of solar cells disposed on the elongated nonplanar substrate, wherein each solar cell in the plurality of solar cells is defined by (i) a plurality of grooves around the nonplanar photovoltaic module and (ii) a groove along the length of the photovoltaic module. In some embodiments, each groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module, independently, has a repeating pattern, a non-repeating pattern, or is helical. In some embodiments, the module further includes a patterned conductor providing serial electrical communication between adjacent solar cells. In some embodiments, portions of the patterned conductor providing serial electrical communication between adjacent solar cells are within a groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A nonplanar photovoltaic module having a length, comprising:
 a. an elongated nonplanar substrate; and   b. a plurality of solar cells disposed on the elongated nonplanar substrate, wherein each solar cell in the plurality of solar cells is defined by (i) a plurality of grooves around the nonplanar photovoltaic module and (ii) a groove along the length of the photovoltaic module.   
     
     
         23 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 22 , wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module, independently has a repeating pattern, a non-repeating pattern, or is helical. 
     
     
         24 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 22 , further comprising a patterned conductor providing serial electrical communication between adjacent solar cells in the plurality of solar cells. 
     
     
         25 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 24 , wherein portions of the patterned conductor providing serial electrical communication between adjacent solar cells are within a groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module. 
     
     
         26 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 22 , wherein a solar cell in the plurality of solar cells comprises a back-electrode layer disposed on the substrate, wherein portions of the back-electrode layer are defined by a first groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module and the groove along the length of the photovoltaic module. 
     
     
         27 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 26 , wherein a solar cell in the plurality of solar cells further comprises a semiconductor junction disposed on the back-electrode layer, wherein portions of the semiconductor junction are defined by a second groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module and the groove along the length of the photovoltaic module. 
     
     
         28 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 27 , wherein a solar cell in the plurality of solar cells further comprises a transparent conductor layer disposed on the semiconductor junction, wherein portions of the transparent conductor layer are defined by a third groove of the plurality of grooves about the photovoltaic module and the groove along the length of the photovoltaic module. 
     
     
         29 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 28 , wherein a solar cell in the plurality of solar cells comprises a portion of the back-electrode layer, a portion of the semiconductor junction at least partially overlying the portion of the back-electrode layer, and a portion of the transparent conductor layer at least partially overlying the portion of the semiconductor junction. 
     
     
         30 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 29 , wherein portions of the transparent conductor layer are in the second groove and provide electrical communication between the portion of the back-electrode layer of a first solar cell of the plurality of solar cells and the portion of the transparent conductor layer of a second solar cell of the plurality of solar cells, wherein the first solar cell is adjacent to the second solar cell. 
     
     
         31 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 29 , wherein the first, second, and third grooves are laterally offset from each other. 
     
     
         32 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 22 , further comprising a substantially transparent casing circumferentially disposed on the plurality of solar cells. 
     
     
         33 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 22 , wherein the groove along the length of the photovoltaic module is linear. 
     
     
         34 . The photovoltaic module of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of solar cells comprises at least ten solar cells. 
     
     
         35 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A method of creating a non-unifacial photovoltaic module around an elongated substrate, the method comprising:
 a) disposing a first material on the elongated substrate to form a back electrode;   b) disposing one or more photovoltaic materials on the back electrode to form a photovoltaic layer;   c) disposing a second material on the photovoltaic layer to form a front electrode;   d) patterning any of the back electrode, the photovoltaic layer, and the front electrode layer to form a cell boundary, the patterning comprising:   traversing a first path in the any of the back electrode, the photovoltaic layer, and the front electrode layer in (i) a first orientation directed along a width of the elongated substrate, and (ii) a second orientation directed along a length of the elongated substrate,   the traversing in (i) the first orientation occurring substantially concurrently with the traversing in (ii) the second orientation so that the first path includes a component in the first orientation and a component in the second orientation.   
     
     
         54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A photovoltaic module having a length dimension and a width dimension, the photovoltaic module comprising:
 (A) an elongated substrate;   (B) a plurality of photovoltaic components comprising (i) a first material disposed on the elongated substrate to form a back electrode, (ii) one or more photovoltaic materials disposed on the back electrode to form a photovoltaic layer, and (iii) a second material disposed on the photovoltaic layer to form a front electrode;   (C) one or more solar cells formed from the plurality of photovoltaic components such that the one or more solar cells are operable to generate electricity from light impinging the one or more solar cells from a range of directions spanning more than 180 degrees about the length dimension or the width dimension of the photovoltaic module; and   (D) an electrical boundary within at least one photovoltaic component in the plurality of photovoltaic components, wherein   the electrical boundary is formed by a patterning of the back electrode, the photovoltaic layer, the front electrode, or any combination thereof,   the patterning comprising a forming of a filled or unfilled via following a path comprising a first component and a second component, wherein:
 the first component is a first orientation directed along a width of the elongated substrate, and 
 the second component is a second orientation directed along a length of the elongated substrate; and 
   wherein the forming advances substantially concurrently (i) in the first orientation at a first rate and (ii) in the second orientation at a second rate.   
     
     
         56 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein at least one of the first and second rates is variable. 
     
     
         57 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein the first rate is different from the second rate. 
     
     
         58 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein the electrical boundary is an isolation boundary. 
     
     
         59 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein the electrical boundary defines a serial electrical connection between solar cells that share the electrical boundary. 
     
     
         60 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein the electrical boundary defines a parallel electrical connection between solar cells that share the electrical boundary. 
     
     
         61 . (canceled)