Patent ID: 8460964

Claim:
A method for producing a thin-film solar cell with a cell level integrated bypass diode, the method comprising the steps of: a) forming an array of solar cells on a support layer, the solar cells being connected in electrical series, the array including at least a first, a second and a third solar cell, each solar cell being formed as a laminated structure comprising: a photovoltaic junction layer including a semiconducting material of a first type and a semiconducting material of a second type, a front electrode disposed in electrical contact with one of the semiconducting materials, and a back electrode disposed in electrical contact with the second one of the semiconducting materials; b) totally separating a bypass diode from a selected parent solar cell, the bypass diode comprising a front electrode, a back electrode and a photovoltaic junction layer; c) connecting the semiconducting material of the first type of the photovoltaic junction layer of the bypass diode with the semiconducting material of the second type of any one chosen solar cell in the array; and d) connecting the semiconducting material of the second type of the photovoltaic junction layer of the bypass diode with the semiconducting material of the first type of the one chosen solar cell in the array, whereby, the bypass diode is connected in parallel and in opposition to the one chosen solar cell.