Patent EP-2709162-A1 (EP)
Inventor: LACHENAL DAMIEN
IPC: H01L31/18
Filed: 2012-09-13
Abstract: The present invention relates to a photovoltaic cell (solar cell) with at least one base of a first polarity and at least one emitter of a second polarity and having a front side for receiving light and a back side opposite said front side, wherein base contact structure elements contacting the at least one base and emitter contact structure elements contacting the at least one emitter are formed on said back side separately from each other; wherein the base contact structure elements are connected electrically by base connector lines provided on the base contact structure elements and the emitter contact structure elements are connected electrically by emitter connector lines provided on the emitter contact structure elements, wherein the base connector lines and the emitter connector lines extend longitudinally side by side, distanced from each other and alternately over the back side of the photovoltaic cell, respectively; the base contact structure elements and the emitter contact structure elements comprise base contact islands and emitter contact islands being spaced apart from each other; the base contact islands and the emitter contact islands have lengths extending longitudinally in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the base connector lines and the emitter connector lines, respectively, and have such a length that the base contact islands and the emitter contact islands interfinger; and wherein each of the base connector lines connects a group of base contact islands by crossing the base contact islands in the longitudinal direction and each of the emitter connector lines connects a group of emitter contact islands by crossing the emitter contact islands in the longitudinal direction. The invention further relates to a photovoltaic cell module (solar cell module) comprising at least two photovoltaic cells of this type being electrically connected with each other. It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve the IBC solar cell of the above mentioned type in such way that the base and emitter contact structures collect the current more effectively, wherein the IBC solar cell shall be producible at low costs. The object is solved by a solar cell of the above mentioned type wherein the base connector lines and the emitter connector lines have such a width in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the base and emitter connector lines that there is a direct contact between each of the connector lines and the corresponding base contact islands and emitter contact islands over the full width of the connector lines in the regions where the base connector lines cross the base contact islands and in the regions where the emitter connector lines cross the base connector islands, respectively, wherein the base connector lines do not overlap the emitter contact islands in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the base and emitter connector lines and the emitter connector lines do not overlap the base contact islands in the direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the base and emitter connector lines.