Systems and methods for monolithically integrated bypass switches in photovoltaic solar cells and modules

1. A monolithically integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure, comprising:

a semiconductor layer forming a solar cell region and a bypass switch region, said solar cell region and said bypass switch region partitioned by an electrical isolation trench, said semiconductor layer having a light receiving frontside and a backside opposite said frontside;

a patterned first-level metal layer (M1) positioned on said semiconductor layer backside providing base and emitter metallization on said solar cell region and metallization on said bypass switch region;

an electrically insulating backplane positioned on said patterned first-level metal layer (M1);

said electrical isolation trench formed through said semiconductor layer to said electrically insulating backplane and electrically isolating said solar cell region and said bypass switch region;

a patterned second-level metal layer (M2) positioned on said electrically insulating backplane; and

a plurality of electrically conductive via plugs formed through said electrically insulating backplane connecting select portions of said patterned second-level metal layer (M2) to select portions of said patterned first-level metal layer (M1);

said patterned first-level metal layer (M1), said patterned second-level metal layer (M2), and said plurality of electrically conductive via plugs designed to complete the electrical metallization and interconnections of said integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure.

2. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said patterned first-level metal (M1) is an interdigitated pattern of busbarless base and emitter fingers.

3. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said patterned second-level metal (M2) is an interdigitated pattern of base and emitter fingers with solar cell busbars.

4. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said patterned second-level metal (M2) is substantially orthogonal to the patterned first-level metal (M1).

5. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor layer is a mono-crystalline silicon layer.

6. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor layer is a multi-crystalline silicon layer.

7. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein the background doping of said semiconductor layer is an n-type doping to produce a solar cell with n-type absorber and base.

8. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said solar cell is a back-contact solar cell.

9. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said solar cell is an interdigitated back-contact (IBC) solar cell.

10. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch region comprises a bypass diode.

11. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch is a pn junction diode.

12. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 11 , wherein the p-type and n-type terminals of said pn junction diode are connected to the n-type and p-type terminals of said solar cell, respectively.

13. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch is a Schottky barrier diode.

14. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch is a transistor.

15. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor layer has a thickness in the range of about 1 micron up to about 200 microns.

16. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said electrically insulating backplane has a thickness in the range of about 50 micron up to about 250 microns.

17. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said electrically insulating backplane is a flexible material with relatively close Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) match to that of said semiconductor layer.

18. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure is flexible and is packaged in a flexible lightweight photovoltaic module laminate.

19. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said light receiving frontside has a passivation and anti-reflection coating.

20. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein the area ratio of said trench isolation pattern to said solar cell region and said bypass switch region is less than or equal to 1%.

21. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein the area ratio of said bypass switch region to said solar cell region is less than or equal to 1%.

22. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein the area ratio of said bypass switch region to said solar cell region is less than or equal to 0.3%.

23. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein the area ratio of said bypass switch region to said solar cell region is in the range of approximately 0.26 to 1.3%.

24. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said electrically insulating backplane is a flexible prepreg sheet.

25. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said electrically insulating backplane sheet is rigid.

26. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said electrically insulating backplane is a flexible aramid fiber and resin prepreg sheet.

27. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor layer comprises a plurality of mini solar cell regions and corresponding bypass switch regions.

28. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor layer comprise at least one crystalline semiconductor material from the group of silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, gallium phosphide, other III-V semiconductors, or a combination thereof.

29. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch is a full-periphery rim diode surrounding said solar cell region and separated from said solar cell region by said trench isolation pattern.

30. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch region comprises a plurality of diodes.

31. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch is a diode located on at least one side of said solar cell region and separated from said solar cell region by said trench isolation pattern.

32. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch is a diode located on at least one corner of said solar cell region and separated from said solar cell region by said trench isolation pattern.

33. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch comprises at least one diode island located within the area of said solar cell region and separated from said solar cell region by said trench isolation pattern.

34. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , wherein said bypass switch comprises at least one diagonal diode island positioned between two opposite diagonal corners of said solar cell region and separated from said solar cell region by said trench isolation pattern.

35. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of monolithically integrated solar cells and bypass switches supported in a module laminate.

36. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 35 , wherein said module laminate is a flexible laminate.

37. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 35 , wherein said module laminate is a rigid glass-covered module laminate.

38. The integrated solar cell and bypass switch structure of claim 35 , wherein said module laminate is a lightweight photovoltaic module laminate.