Reinforcing structures for thin-film photovoltaic device substrates, and associated methods

1. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

nano-filler disposed within the polymer base material,

the reinforced substrate presenting a surface in a condition that is made ready for deposition of thin film layers of the photovoltaic device;

a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate;

a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer; and

at least one of:

a window layer formed on the solar absorber layer,

an interface layer disposed between the back contact layer and the reinforced substrate, and

a stress relief layer formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate opposite to the back contact layer;

wherein the polymer base material comprises a silicone composition, the silicone composition comprising:

(A) a silicone resin having silicon-bonded alkenyl groups or silicon-bonded hydrogen,

(B) an organosilicon compound having an average of at least two silicon bonded hydrogen atoms or silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule, and present in an amount sufficient to cure said silicone resin, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a hydrosilylation catalyst.

2. A thin film photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

a reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material to present the reinforced substrate, the reinforcing structure including a structure selected from the group consisting of nano-filler, metal foil, and a fiber reinforcing structure; and

a plurality of thin film layers formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate, the plurality of thin film layers including:

a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate, and

a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer, the solar absorber layer including three sub layers collectively forming a p-i-n structure;

wherein the polymer base material comprises a silicone composition, the silicone composition comprising:

(A) a silicone resin having silicon-bonded alkenyl groups or silicon-bonded hydrogen,

(B) an organosilicon compound having an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms or silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule, and present in an amount sufficient to cure said silicone resin, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a hydrosilylation catalyst.

3. The thin film photovoltaic device of claim 2 , further comprising

a stress relief layer formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate opposite of the back contact layer.

4. A thin film photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

a reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material to present the reinforced substrate, the reinforcing structure including nano-filler and metal foil;

a plurality of thin film layers formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate, the plurality of thin film layers including:

a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate, and

a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer;

a window layer formed on the solar absorber layer; and

a top contact layer formed on the window layer.

5. A thin film photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

a reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material to present the reinforced substrate, the reinforcing structure including a structure selected from the group consisting of nano-filler, metal foil, and a fiber reinforcing structure; and

a plurality of thin film layers formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate, the plurality of thin film layers including:

a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate, and

a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer; and

a back contact interface layer disposed between the back contact layer and the solar absorber layer;

wherein the polymer base material comprises a silicone composition, the silicone composition comprising:

(A) a silicone resin having silicon-bonded alkenyl groups or silicon bonded hydrogen,

(B) an organosilicon compound having an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms or silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule, and present in an amount sufficient to cure said silicone resin, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a hydrosilylation catalyst.

6. A thin film photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

a reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material to present the reinforced substrate; and

a plurality of thin film layers formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate,

wherein the polymer base material comprises a silicone composition, and

wherein the silicone composition is a hydrosilylation-curable silicone composition comprising:

(A) a silicone resin having silicon-bonded alkenyl groups or silicon-bonded hydrogen;

(B) an organosilicon compound having an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms or silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule, and present in an amount sufficient to cure said silicone resin; and

(C) a catalytic amount of a hydrosilylation catalyst.

7. The thin film photovoltaic device of claim 6 , the silicone resin having the formula:

(R 1 R 2 2 SiO 1/2 ) w (R 2 2 Si O 2/2 ) x (R 2 SiO 3/2 ) y (SiO 4/2 ) z

wherein R 1 is a C 1 to C 10 hydrocarbyl group or a C 1 to C 10 halogen-substituted hydrocarbyl group, both free of aliphatic unsaturation; R 2 is R 1 , an alkenyl group, or hydrogen; w is from 0 to 0.9; x is from 0 to 0.9; y is from 0 to 0.99; z is from 0 to 0.85; w+x+y+z=1, y+z/(w+x+y+z) is from 0.1 to 0.99, and w+x/(w+x+y+z) is from 0.01 to 0.9, provided said silicone resin has an average of at least two silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule.

8. The thin film photovoltaic device of claim 7 , the silicone resin being a rubber-modified silicone resin comprising the reaction product of:

(1) said silicone resin having the formula:

(R 1 R 2 2 SiO 1/2 ) w (R 2 2 SiO 2/2 ) x (R 2 SiO 3/2 ) y (SiO 4/2 ) z , and

(2) at least one silicone rubber (D)(iii) selected from rubbers having the formula:

R 5 R 1 2 SiO(R 1 R 5 SiO) c SiR 2 R 5 and

R 1 R 2 2 SiO(R 2 2 SiO) d SiR 2 2 R 1 ,

in the presence of the hydrosilylation catalyst, and optionally in the presence of an organic solvent, provided that:

when said silicon-bonded alkenyl groups of said silicon resin, said silicon rubber (D)(iii) has silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms, and

when said silicone resin (A) silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms, said silicon rubber (D)(iii) has silicon-bonded alkenyl groups.

9. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced substrate further includes a metal foil bonded with the polymer base material.

10. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced substrate further includes a fiber reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material.

11. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

a reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material to present the reinforced substrate, the reinforcing structure including metal foil,

the reinforced substrate presenting a surface in a condition that is made-ready for deposition of thin film layers of the photovoltaic device;

a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate;

a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer; and

at least one of:

a window layer formed on the solar absorber layer,

an interface layer disposed between the back contact layer and the reinforced substrate, and

a stress relief layer formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate opposite to the back contact layer;

wherein the polymer base material comprises a silicone composition, the silicone composition comprising:

(A) a silicone resin having silicon-bonded alkenyl groups or silicon-bonded hydrogen,

(B) an organosilicon compound having an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms or silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule, and present in an amount sufficient to cure said silicone resin, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a hydrosilylation catalyst.

12. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a reinforced substrate, including:

a polymer base material, and

a reinforcing structure bonded with the polymer base material to present the reinforced substrate, the reinforcing structure including a fiber reinforcing structure,

the reinforced substrate presenting a surface in a condition that is made-ready for deposition of thin film layers of the photovoltaic device;

a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate;

a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer; and

at least one of:

a window layer formed on the solar absorber layer,

an interface layer disposed between the back contact layer and the reinforced substrate, and

a stress relief layer formed on a surface of the reinforced substrate opposite to the back contact layer;

wherein the polymer base material comprises a silicone composition, the silicone composition comprising:

(A) a silicone resin having silicon-bonded alkenyl groups or silicon-bonded hydrogen,

(B) an organosilicon compound having an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms or silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule, and present in an amount sufficient to cure said silicone resin, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a hydrosilylation catalyst.

13. The photovoltaic device of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing structure includes nano-filler and metal foil.

14. The photovoltaic device of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing structure includes nano-filler and a fiber reinforcing structure.

15. The photovoltaic device of claim 3 , wherein the reinforcing structure includes nano-filler and metal foil.

16. The photovoltaic device of claim 3 , wherein the reinforcing structure includes nano-filler and a fiber reinforcing structure.

17. The photovoltaic device of claim 4 , further comprising a buffer layer disposed between the top contact layer and the window layer.

18. The photovoltaic device of claim 4 , wherein the reinforcing structure further includes a fiber reinforcing structure.

19. The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the reinforcing structure includes nano-filler and metal foil.

20. The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the reinforcing structure includes nano-filler and a fiber reinforcing structure.

21. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the solar absorber layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of a group II-VI material and a group material.

22. The photovoltaic device of claim 21 , the solar absorber layer including a material selected from the group consisting of copper-indium-diselenide and an alloy of copper-indium-diselenide.

23. The photovoltaic device of claim 4 , wherein the solar absorber layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of a group II-VI material and a group material.

24. The photovoltaic device of claim 23 , the solar absorber layer including a material selected from the group consisting of copper-indium-diselenide and an alloy of copper-indium-diselenide.

25. The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the solar absorber layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of a group II-VI material and a group material.

26. The photovoltaic device of claim 25 , the solar absorber layer including a material selected from the group consisting of copper-indium-diselenide and an alloy of copper-indium-diselenide.

27. The thin film photovoltaic device of claim 5 , further comprising a back contact interface layer disposed between the back contact layer and the solar absorber layer.