Photovoltaic cell set and cell module with an electronic circuit having a measurement area
A photovoltaic cell set ( 10 ). The set ( 10 ) includes at least one conductive layer ( 21, 23; 25, 25 ′) over a top face of the substrate ( 22; 28 ) or a bottom faced of the substrate ( 22; 28 ) to establish an electrical contact of the photovoltaic cells ( 2, 12 ). At least one large-size first photovoltaic cell ( 2 ) is provided to capture light energy to be converted into electrical energy in a module ( 1 ). At least one small-size second photovoltaic cell ( 12 ) independent of the first photovoltaic cell ( 2 ) is provided. It is arranged to measure in the module ( 1 ) a voltage or a current to optimise the operation of the module ( 1 ).
1 . A photovoltaic cell set configured to be part of a photovoltaic cell module with an electronic circuit, comprising:
at least one large-size first photovoltaic cell, which is arranged to capture light energy to be converted into electrical energy in the module,
at least one small-size second photovoltaic cell independent of the first photovoltaic cell, which is arranged to measure in the module a voltage or a current to adapt an operating point of the module,
a substrate suited for making one or more photovoltaic cells,
a first conductive layer arranged over a top face of the substrate,
a second conductive layer arranged over a bottom face of the substrate,
an insulation is made to define the first photovoltaic cell, and
another insulation is made to make the second photovoltaic cell independent of the first photovoltaic cell so as to enable the second photovoltaic cell to perform the measurement of the voltage or of the current in the module,
wherein the insulation and the another insulation extend at least from the first conductive layer through the substrate to the second conductive layer.
2 . The set according to claim 1 , wherein the first conductive layer is a first conductive layer that is mostly transparent, intended to fix the substrate under a face of a support element of the set.
3 . The set according to claim 1 , wherein the first photovoltaic cell is a thin-film cell arranged over a support in a form of a substrate.
4 . The set according to claim 1 , wherein a material of the first photovoltaic cell is an amorphous silicon.
5 . The set according to claim 2 , wherein the second conductive layer is connected to the first conductive layer by a peripheral opening of the set formed in the substrate or in the first photovoltaic cell.
6 . The set according to claim 5 , wherein a positive contact is arranged over the second conductive layer at the periphery intended to allow polarising the first conductive layer at the same positive potential for the two photovoltaic cells, wherein a negative contact is arranged over the large photovoltaic cell over the substrate via the second conductive layer insulated from a boundary, and wherein another negative contact is arranged over the small photovoltaic cell over the substrate via the second conductive layer.
7 . The set according to claim 1 , wherein portions of the set are made in the same colour as the first photovoltaic cell and/or the second photovoltaic cell so as not to be distinguishable through a watch glass.
8 . The set according to claim 1 , wherein the first photovoltaic cell is in a form of a dial or of a bezel or of a crystal of a watch, or of another portion of a watch.
9 . The set according to claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic cells are made in one or more substrate wafers, which are silicon wafers, or over one or more supports of a material made of glass, or plastic, or metal with an insulation layer, or over crystalline layers.
10 . The photovoltaic cell module with the electronic circuit comprising the photovoltaic cell set according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one large-size first photovoltaic cell is arranged to capture the light energy to be converted into the electrical energy, the module also comprising in the electronic circuit, a switching controller and an adapter for adapting the operating point of the module, and
wherein the at least one small-size second photovoltaic cell independent of the first photovoltaic cell, is arranged to measure in the module the voltage or the current for adapting the operating point of the module.
11 . The module according to claim 10 , wherein the measured voltage is an off-load voltage of the second photovoltaic cell which is a signal proportional to a logarithm of irradiation.
12 . The module according to claim 10 , wherein a small resistance branches off from the second photovoltaic cell to measure an electrical voltage proportional to an operating or a short-circuit current.
13 . A photovoltaic cell set configured to be part of a photovoltaic cell module with an electronic circuit, comprising:
at least one large-size first photovoltaic cell, which is arranged to capture light energy to be converted into electrical energy in the module,
at least one small-size second photovoltaic cell independent of the first photovoltaic cell, which is arranged to measure in the module a voltage or a current to adapt an operating point of the module,
a substrate at a back of which p-type and n-type areas are formed in alternation and in parallel, and
a conductive layer arranged over the p-type and n-type areas while being structured so as to define a first comb and a second comb, teeth of the first comb being arranged above the p-type areas, while teeth of the second comb being arranged above the n-type areas.
14 . The set according to claim 13 , further comprising from top to bottom, at least one passivation layer arranged directly over an upper face of the substrate, while the conductive layer is arranged over a lower face of the substrate.
15 . The set according to claim 13 , wherein the substrate is a crystalline substrate made of silicon.
16 . The set according to claim 14 , wherein an anti-reflective layer is arranged over the passivation layer.
17 . The set according to claim 13 , wherein the p-type and n-type areas and the teeth of the combs are rectilinear.
18 . The set according to claim 13 , wherein the p-type and n-type areas and the teeth of the combs are curved or arcuate.
19 . The set according to claim 13 , wherein the first comb is connected to a first positive contact, while the second comb is connected to a first negative contact in connection with the first photovoltaic cell, and wherein a second negative contact is to be connected to a first tooth of the second comb or two teeth of the first and second combs insulated from rest of the first and second combs by an insulation break-up.