IP Library Granted Patent US 9,818,891
Granted Patent B2
US 9,818,891 · App. 14/985,113 · Granted Nov 14, 2017

Solar cell module and method for manufacturing the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,818,891
App. No.
14/985,113
Granted
Nov 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solar cell module and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method for manufacturing the solar cell module includes applying a low melting point metal on an electrode included in each of a plurality of solar cells, melting the low melting point metal to form a contact layer on the electrode, generating an ultrasonic vibration in the contact layer to remove a surface oxide layer formed on a surface of the electrode, melting a surface metal of the electrode and the contact layer to form a metal connection layer on the surface of the electrode, and connecting the metal connection layer to an interconnector.

Claims (38)

1. A method for manufacturing a solar cell module comprising:

applying a first low melting point metal layer of a metal solder on a first electrode and a second electrode included on a tope surface in each of a plurality of solar cells;

melting the first low melting point metal layer to form a contact layer on the first electrode;

generating an ultrasonic vibration in the contact layer to remove a surface oxide layer formed on a surface of the first electrode while keeping an insulating layer disposed between a surface of the second electrode and the first low melting point metal layer;

melting a surface metal of the first electrode and the contact layer to form a metal connection layer on the surface of the first electrode; and

connecting the metal connection layer to a second low melting point metal layer of an interconnector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the removing of the surface oxide layer includes:

generating the ultrasonic vibration in a surface of the contact layer;

generating a cavitation phenomenon inside the contact layer by the ultrasonic vibration; and

removing the surface oxide layer formed on the surface of the first electrode by the cavitation phenomenon.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting of the metal connection layer to the second low melting point metal layer of the interconnector includes melting a first low melting point metal of the metal connection layer and a second low melting point metal of the interconnector and bonding the metal connection layer to the interconnector.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration is generated by an ultrasonic tip.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before applying the first low melting point metal layer, forming an insulating layer surrounding the first electrode.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the forming of the first electrode and the second electrode includes:

applying a first metal on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate;

generating the ultrasonic vibration in the first metal to form the first electrode;

applying a second metal on a second surface of the semiconductor substrate; and

generating the ultrasonic vibration in the second metal to form the second electrode.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first metal is a high melting point metal, and the second metal is a low melting point metal.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein a melting point of the high melting point metal is equal to or higher than about 150° C., and a melting point of the low melting point metal is equal to or lower than about 150° C.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the high melting point metal includes at least one conductive material of Sn—Ag—Cu, Sn—Zn, or Sn—Pb.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein an amount of tin (Sn) included in the high melting point metal is about 60 wt % to 100 wt %, and

wherein an amount of tin (Sn) included in the low melting point metal is about 10 wt % to 60 wt %.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, before forming the first and second electrodes, forming a first anti-reflection layer on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and forming a second anti-reflection layer on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming of the first electrode includes:

generating a cavitation phenomenon by the ultrasonic vibration to etch a portion of the first anti-reflection layer; and

connecting the first metal to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate through the etched portion of the first anti-reflection layer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming of the second electrode includes:

generating a cavitation phenomenon by the ultrasonic vibration to etch a portion of the second anti-reflection layer; and

connecting the second metal to the second surface of the semiconductor substrate through the etched portion of the second anti-reflection layer.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a first connection layer between the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and the first electrode.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first connection layer is formed by generating cracks inside the first anti-reflection layer by the cavitation phenomenon.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first connection layer is formed by mixing the first anti-reflection layer with the first metal.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming a second connection layer between the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and the second electrode.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second connection layer is formed by generating cracks inside the second anti-reflection layer by the cavitation phenomenon.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second connection layer is formed by mixing the second anti-reflection layer with the second metal.

20. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first surface is a non-incident surface, on which light is not incident, and

wherein the second surface is an incident surface, on which light is incident.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2024
From: SHANGRAO XINYUAN YUEDONG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD
To: JINGAO SOLAR CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 067599/0894 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 11, 2023
From: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
To: SHANGRAO XINYUAN YUEDONG TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD
Reel/Frame 066044/0299 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2022
From: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
To: SHANGRAO JINKO SOLAR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 061571/0754 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2016
From: LIM, KWANGYOUNG; MOON, KANGSEOK; SON, JEONGHUN; AHN, SEHWON
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 037751/0250 →