Patent ID: 7902452

Claim:
A photovoltaic (solar) cell module that comprises at least one encapsulant layer from an optically transparent multilayer laminate film, wherein the optically transparent multilayer laminate film is made from three layers of ionomer copolymer film consisting essentially of ionomer copolymer obtained by the copolymerization of ethylene and ethylenically unsaturated C 3 -C 8 carboxylic acid and having about 10 to 100 wt % of the acid groups neutralized, wherein: (a) two of the three layers of film are optical layers that each independently transmit at least about 85% of light incident to their respective surfaces, and/or have haze of less than about 6% as measured according to ASTM D1003-00, (b) one of the three layers of film is a structural layer which is chemically distinct from the optical layers in that one or more item is varied from the group consisting of: (i) percentage of the acid component in the ionomers, level of neutralization of the acid components in the ionomers, identity of the counterion present in the ionomers, and presence or absence of a third comonomer in the ionomers, (c) the optical layers are in contact with opposite surfaces of the structural layer, (d) wherein the structural layer has a modulus of less than about 15,000 psi as measured according to ASTM D882-01, (e) the multilayer laminate film has a modulus of less than about 15,000 psi as measured according to ASTM D882-01, and (f) the multilayer laminate film (i) transmits at least about 85% of incident visible light and/or (ii) has a haze value of equal to or less than about 6% as measured according to ASTM D1003-00.