Patent ID: 7750233
Filing Date: 2010-07-06
Classification: H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A thin film solar cell, comprising: a transparent conductive film arranged on a translucent insulating substrate; first and second separation trenches orthogonal to each other on said translucent insulating substrate and separating said transparent conductive film into a plurality of pieces; and at least one first opening trench parallel to said first separation trench and at least two second opening trenches parallel to said second separation trench, wherein the at least one opening trench is orthogonal to the at least two second opening trenches, wherein solar cells including a photoelectric conversion layer and a back surface electrode formed on said translucent insulating substrate are arranged at adjacent positions with said first opening trench positioned therebetween and at adjacent positions with said second opening trench positioned therebetween; a first pair of solar cells, wherein adjacent solar cells within the first pair are separated by the first opening trench and are electrically connected as the photoelectric conversion layer of one solar cell and the back surface electrode of the other adjacent solar cell are in contact with the transparent conductive film via a connection trench; a second pair of solar cells including a first solar cell and a second solar cell positioned adjacent to each other with one of the second opening trenches therebetween, wherein the first solar cell and the second solar cell are electrically connected each other via the transparent conductive film which is in contact with the photoelectric conversion layer of the first solar cell and the photoelectric conversion layer of the second solar cell, and the first solar cell and the second solar cell are not separated by the second separation trench; and a third pair of solar cells including the second solar cell and a third solar cell, wherein the second solar cell and the third solar cell are insulated form each other by the second separation trench and the other of the second opening trenches, and the transparent conductive film in contact with the photoelectric conversion layer of the second solar cell is separated from the transparent conductive film in contact with the photoelectric conversion layer of the third solar cell by the second separation trench.