Patent ID: 8373059

Claim:
A solar cell array formed by connecting a plurality of solar cells, each solar cell including a first electrode of a first conductivity type formed on a photoreceiving surface of the solar cell, each solar cell including a semiconductor single-crystalline layer having at least one p-n junction, each solar cell also including a plurality of second electrodes of a second conductivity type that are also formed on the photoreceiving side of the solar cell, wherein a first electrode of a first solar cell of the array and a second electrode of a second adjacent solar cell of the array are connected with each other by an interconnector, and wherein a protective diode is electrically connected between the first and second solar cells such that a first electrode of the first conductivity type of the protective diode is electrically connected to one of said plurality of second electrodes of said first solar cell by an interconnector, and a second electrode of the second conductivity type of said protective diode is electrically connected to one of said plurality of second electrodes of said second solar cell by an interconnector, wherein a rear of the first solar cell is adjacent the front of the second solar cell, and wherein the semiconductor layer of each solar cell is patterned such that along at least one side edge of the solar cell, the semiconductor layer includes recessed portions at both the front and rear of the solar cell, wherein at least one of the second electrodes of each solar cell is formed on the recessed portion of the semiconductor layer located at the front of the solar cell, and wherein the first electrode of each solar cell is formed on a top, non-recessed portion of the semiconductor layer at the rear of the solar cell.