Photovoltaic apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

This photovoltaic apparatus comprises a second groove for electrically isolating first and second back electrodes from each other, a third groove formed on a region located between a first groove and the second groove to cut at least an intermediate layer from the upper surface of the second back electrode, a first insulating member embedded in the third groove to cover at least a cut portion of the intermediate layer and a conductive member electrically connected to the first substrate electrode on a region located between the second and third grooves and electrically connected to the second back electrode across the third groove.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a photovoltaic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 to 6 are sectional views for illustrating a process of manufacturing the photovoltaic apparatus according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the structure of a photovoltaic apparatus according to comparative example with respect to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the structure of a photovoltaic apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9 to 11 are sectional views for illustrating a process of manufacturing the photovoltaic apparatus according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the structure of a photovoltaic apparatus according to a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic apparatus comprising: a substrate having an insulating surface;a first substrate electrode and a second substrate electrode formed on said insulating surface of said substrate and isolated from each other by a first groove;a first photoelectric conversion portion so formed as to cover said first substrate electrode and said second substrate electrode;a second photoelectric conversion portion formed on the surface of said first photoelectric conversion portion through a conductive intermediate layer;a first back electrode and a second back electrode, formed on the surface of said second photoelectric conversion portion, corresponding to said first substrate electrode and said second substrate electrode respectively;a second groove for electrically isolating said first back electrode and said second back electrode from each other;a third groove formed on a region located between said first groove and said second groove to cut at least said intermediate layer from the upper surface of said second back electrode;a first insulating member embedded in said third groove to cover at least a cut portion of said intermediate layer; anda conductive member electrically connected to said first substrate electrode on a region located between said second groove and said third groove and electrically connected to said second back electrode across said third groove.

2. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth groove formed on said region located between said second groove and said third groove to pass through said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and expose the surface of said first substrate electrode, wherein said conductive member is embedded in said fourth groove to come into contact with the surface of said first substrate electrode exposed in said fourth groove and formed to be electrically connected to said second back electrode across said first insulating member embedded in said third groove.

3. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conductive member includes a conductive melt portion obtained by partially melting said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and electrically connected to said first substrate electrode and a connecting portion formed to be electrically connected to said melt portion and to be electrically connected to said second back electrode across said first insulating member embedded in said third groove on said region located between said second groove and said third groove.

4. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first insulating member fills up said third groove.

5. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the upper surface of said first insulating member is so formed as to project upward beyond the upper surface of said second back electrode.

6. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conductive member is so formed as to come into contact with the surface of a region of said second back electrode located between said first groove and said third groove.

7. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second groove is so formed as to pass through said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and expose the surface of said first substrate electrode.

8. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said third groove is so formed as to pass through said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and expose the surface of said first substrate electrode.

9. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second insulating member embedded in said second groove.

10. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second insulating member fills up said second groove.

11. The photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate layer has a function of partly reflecting and partly transmitting light incident from the side of said substrate.

12. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus, comprising steps of: forming a substrate electrode on an insulating surface of a substrate having said insulating surface;forming a first substrate electrode and a second substrate electrode isolated from each other by a first groove by forming said first groove on said substrate electrode;forming a first photoelectric conversion portion to cover said first substrate electrode and said second substrate electrode;forming a second photoelectric conversion portion on the surface of said first photoelectric conversion portion through a conductive intermediate layer;forming a back electrode on the surface of said second photoelectric conversion portion;thereafter forming a second groove for separating said back electrode into a first back electrode and a second back electrode while forming a third groove on a region located between said first groove and said second groove to pass through at least said intermediate layer from the upper surface of said second back electrode;forming a first insulating member in said third groove to cover at least a cut portion of said intermediate layer; andforming a conductive member electrically connected to said first substrate electrode on a region located between said second groove and said third groove and electrically connected to said second back electrode across said third groove.

13. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a step of forming a fourth groove on said region located between said second groove and said third groove to pass through said second back electrode, said second photovoltaic conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and expose the surface of said first substrate electrode, wherein said step of forming said conductive member includes a step of embedding said conductive member in said fourth groove to come into contact with the surface of said first substrate electrode exposed in said fourth groove while electrically connecting said conductive member to said second back electrode across said first insulating member embedded in said third groove.

14. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said step of forming said second groove and said third groove is carried out substantially simultaneously with said step of forming said fourth groove.

15. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said step of forming said conductive member includes a step of forming said conductive member to come into contact with a region of said second back electrode located between said first groove and said third groove.

16. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said step of forming said conductive member includes steps of:forming a conductive melt portion electrically connected to said first substrate electrode by partially melting said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion on said region located between said second groove and said third groove, andforming a connecting portion to be electrically connected to said melt portion and to be electrically connected to said second back electrode across said first insulating member embedded in said third groove.

17. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said step of forming said third groove includes a step of forming said third groove to pass through said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and expose the surface of said first substrate electrode.

18. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said step of forming said first insulating member includes a step of filling said third groove with said first insulating member.

19. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said step of forming said second groove includes a step of forming said second groove to pass through said second back electrode, said second photoelectric conversion portion, said intermediate layer and said first photoelectric conversion portion and expose the surface of said first substrate electrode.

20. The method of manufacturing a photovoltaic apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a step of filling said second groove with a second insulating member.