Prefabricated conductors on a substrate to facilitate corner connections for a solar cell array
A substrate for solar cells is fabricated such that an area of the substrate remains exposed when at least one solar cell having at least one cropped corner that defines a corner region is attached to the substrate; the area of the substrate that remains exposed includes one or more conductors printed on the substrate; and electrical connections between the solar cell and the conductors are made in the corner region resulting from the cropped corner of the solar cell. The substrate may also include buried conductors for making series connections that determine a flow of power through a plurality of solar cells, including corner-to-corner and column-to-column connections for the plurality of solar cells that are attached to the substrate in a two-dimensional (2-D) grid of an array. The substrate may also be covered by a polyimide overlay for preventing electrostatic discharge (ESD).
1 . A structure, comprising:
a substrate for solar cells, wherein the substrate is configured such that:
the substrate is a multi-layer substrate comprised of a plurality of insulating layers separating and overlaying one or more patterned metal layers, and the one or more patterned metal layers form electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate that are conductive paths electrically connected to at least one of the solar cells, forming electrical connections, and electrically isolated from others of the solar cells;
the solar cells are attached to the multi-layer substrate;
the solar cells have a cropped corner that defines a corner region;
an area of the multi-layer substrate remains exposed in the corner region;
the multi-layer substrate includes prefabricated electrical conductors that are corner conductors integrated with the multi-layer substrate, wherein the corner conductors are electrically connected to the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate, forming the electrical connections;
one or more contacts of the solar cells are electrically connected to the corner conductors, forming the electrical connections, using interconnects in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed in the corner region; and
one or more bypass diodes in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed for use in one or more of the electrical connections, the one or more bypass diodes electrically connecting back contacts of two of the solar cells within the a solar cell array, the one or more bypass diodes being attached to the multi-layer substrate in the corner regions independent of the solar cells, the one or more bypass diodes connected to a jumper in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed, the jumper connecting a back contacts of a first solar cell to a front contact of a second solar cell and connecting through one of the one or more bypass diodes to a back contact of the second solar cell, the jumper enabling circuit termination or channeling current between the solar cells; wherein the jumper has a shape comprised of two flange elements with parallel planes connected by a web element for enabling multiple connection points.
2 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contacts includes front contacts on a front side of the solar cells.
3 . The structure of claim 2 , wherein the front contacts extend into the corner region.
4 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the one or more contacts includes back contacts on back side of the solar cells.
5 . The structure of claim 4 , wherein the back contacts extend into the corner region.
6 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the prefabricated electrical conductors are patterned on the multi-layer substrate.
7 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the prefabricated electrical conductors are covered with an insulating layer.
8 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate pass under the solar cells.
9 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate are outside a perimeter of the solar cells.
10 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate pass from one cropped corner to another cropped corner of the solar cells.
11 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the solar cells comprises a plurality of solar cells being attached to the multi-layer substrate in a two-dimensional (2-D) grid of the solar cell array.
12 . The structure of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connections are series connections that determine a flow of current through the plurality of solar cells.
13 . The structure of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connections terminate a string of the plurality of solar cells.
14 . The structure of claim 11 , wherein the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate pass from a cropped corner of one of the solar cells to a cropped corner of another one of the solar cells.
15 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate enable the electrical connections to move current out termination wiring from the multi-layer substrate.
16 . A structure, comprising:
a substrate for solar cells, wherein the substrate is configured such that:
the substrate is a multi-layer substrate comprised of a plurality of insulating layers separating-and overlaying one or more patterned metal layers, and the one or more patterned metal layers form electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate that are conductive paths electrically connected to at least one of the solar cells, forming electrical connections, and electrically isolated from others of the solar cells;
the solar cells are attached to the multi-layer substrate;
the solar cells have a cropped corner that defines a corner region;
an area of the multi-layer substrate remains exposed in the corner region;
the multi-layer substrate includes prefabricated electrical conductors that are corner conductors integrated with the multi-layer substrate, wherein the corner conductors are electrically connected to the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate, forming the electrical connections;
one or more contacts of the solar cells are electrically connected to the corner conductors, forming the electrical connections, using interconnects in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed in the corner region;
one or more electrically conductive elements are added to or removed in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed, to select current pathways for the solar cells by adding the conductive elements to bridge between the conductive paths or by removing the conductive elements to isolate between the conductive paths; and
one or more bypass diodes in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed for use in one or more of the electrical connections, the one or more bypass diodes electrically connecting back contacts of two of the solar cells within a solar cell array, the one or more bypass diodes being attached to the multi-layer substrate in the corner regions independent of the solar cells, the one or more bypass diodes connected to a jumper in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed, the jumper connecting a back contact of a first solar cell to a front contact of a second solar cell and connecting through one of the one or more bypass diodes to a back contact of the second solar cell, the jumper enabling circuit termination or channeling current between the solar cells; wherein the jumper has a shape comprised of two flange elements with parallel planes connected by a web element for enabling multiple connection points.
17 . A structure, comprising:
a substrate for solar cells, wherein the substrate is configured such that:
the substrate is a multi-layer substrate comprised of a plurality of insulating layers separating and overlaying one or more patterned metal layers, and the one or more patterned metal layers form electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate that are conductive paths electrically connected to at least one of the solar cells, forming electrical connections, and electrically isolated from others of the solar cells;
the solar cells are attached to the multi-layer substrate;
the solar cells have a cropped corner that defines a corner region;
an area of the multi-layer substrate remains exposed in the corner region; the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed in the corner region includes prefabricated electrical conductors that are corner conductors integrated with the multi-layer substrate, wherein the corner conductors are electrically connected to the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate, forming the electrical connections;
one or more contacts of the solar cells are electrically connected to the corner conductors, forming the electrical connections, using interconnects in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed in the corner region; and
one or more bypass diodes in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed for use in one or more of the electrical connections, the one or more bypass diodes electrically connecting back contacts of two of the solar cells within a solar cell array, the one or more bypass diodes being attached to the multi-layer substrate in the corner regions independent of the solar cells, the one or more bypass diodes connected to a jumper in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed, the jumper connecting a back contact of a first solar cell to a front contact of a second solar cell and connecting through one of the one or more bypass diodes to a back contact of the second solar cell, the jumper enabling circuit termination or channeling current between the solar cells; wherein the jumper has a shape comprised of two flange elements with parallel planes connected by a web element for enabling multiple connection points.
18 . A structure, comprising:
a substrate for solar cells, wherein the substrate is configured such that:
the substrate is a multi-layer substrate comprised of a plurality of insulating layers separating-and overlaying one or more patterned metal layers, and the one or more patterned metal layers form electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate that are conductive paths electrically connected to at least one of the solar cells, forming electrical connections, and electrically isolated from others of the solar cells;
the solar cells are attached to the multi-layer substrate;
the solar cells have a cropped corner that defines a corner region;
an area of the multi-layer substrate remains exposed in the corner region;
the multi-layer substrate includes printed electrical conductors that are corner conductors integrated with the multi-layer substrate, wherein the corner conductors are electrically connected to the electrical conductors buried within the multi-layer substrate, forming the electrical connections;
one or more contacts of the solar cells are electrically connected to the corner conductors, forming the electrical connections, using interconnects in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed in the corner region; and
one or more bypass diodes in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed for use in one or more of the electrical connections, the one or more bypass diodes electrically connecting back contacts of two of the solar cells within a solar cell array, the one or more bypass diodes being attached to the multi-layer substrate in the corner regions independent of the solar cells, the one or more bypass diodes connected to a jumper in the area of the multi-layer substrate that remains exposed, the jumper connecting a back contacts of a first solar cell to a front contact of a second solar cell and connecting through one of the one or more bypass diodes to a back contact of the second solar cell, the jumper enabling circuit termination or channeling current between the solar cells; wherein the jumper has a shape comprised of two flange elements with parallel planes connected by a web element for enabling multiple connection points.
19 . The structure of claim 16 , wherein the prefabricated electrical conductors are patterned on the multi-layer substrate.
20 . The structure of claim 1 , wherein the solar cells are placed on top of the prefabricated conductors.