A PV module with an active area utilization of 99.8%

We have developed a laser-interconnected high-efficiency a-Si alloy module with an active area utilization of 99.8%. This structure uses very small through-hole contact points to collect current from the TCO to the more conductive stainless steel substrate, resulting in a large-area parallel-connected module with very little shadow loss. In addition to a dramatic increase in the area utilization we have also demonstrated great potential for improving the manufacturing process and reducing the cost of our modules. The improvement in the manufacturing process of these modules is a result of the high degree of automation that can be obtained using this laser process. The improved surface feature height of this module over the conventional finger designs will allow us to significantly reduce the thickness of the encapsulation materials. We will present details on an 11.5% multi-junction device using this advanced process