Thin film solar module having a monolithic solar cell array, which includes a plurality of solar cells having a layered structure that has a rear contact layer, a front contact layer, and an absorber layer between the rear contact layer and the front contact layer, and an electrical connection structure having contact strips for electrically connecting in series solar cells arranged adjacent to one another, wherein the electrical connection structure electrically connects in series each two solar cells (2 m, 2 m+1) adjoining in a series connection direction by one or more contact strips, wherein the contact strips are spaced apart from one another transversely to the series connection direction and extend with a directional component in the series connection direction in connecting strip regions of the solar cells and each contact strip contacts a side of the rear contact layer of one of the solar cells facing toward the absorber layer and a side of the front contact layer of the other solar cell facing away from the absorber layer, wherein the connecting strip regions of the solar cells have connecting recesses in the front contact layer and the absorber layer to expose the side of the rear contact layer facing toward the absorber layer, and wherein the respective contact strip extends in the connecting strip region in a connecting trench of the other solar cell that forms the connecting opening and contacts the rear contact layer of the relevant solar cell continuously along its extension over the rear contact layer and extends between the associated solar cells over a separating strip region separating them, with an insulating layer interposed, characterized in that a contact surface of the respective contact strip to the rear contact layer has a length/width ratio of at least 3:1. a monolithic solar cell array, which includes a plurality of solar cells having a layered structure that has a rear contact layer, a front contact layer, and an absorber layer between the rear contact layer and the front contact layer, and an electrical connection structure having contact strips for electrically connecting in series solar cells arranged adjacent to one another, wherein the electrical connection structure electrically connects in series each two solar cells (2 m, 2 m+1) adjoining in a series connection direction by one or more contact strips, wherein the contact strips are spaced apart from one another transversely to the series connection direction and extend with a directional component in the series connection direction in connecting strip regions of the solar cells and each contact strip contacts a side of the rear contact layer of one of the solar cells facing toward the absorber layer and a side of the front contact layer of the other solar cell facing away from the absorber layer, wherein the connecting strip regions of the solar cells have connecting recesses in the front contact layer and the absorber layer to expose the side of the rear contact layer facing toward the absorber layer, and wherein the respective contact strip extends in the connecting strip region in a connecting trench of the other solar cell that forms the connecting opening and contacts the rear contact layer of the relevant solar cell continuously along its extension over the rear contact layer and extends between the associated solar cells over a separating strip region separating them, with an insulating layer interposed, characterized in that a contact surface of the respective contact strip to the rear contact layer has a length/width ratio of at least 3:1.