IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,660,406
Granted Patent B2
US 12,660,406 · App. 18/581,168 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Method for improving contact resistance of a multi-junction solar cell

Inventors: Florian Stenzel (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, DE); Ansgar Mette (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, DE); Stefan Hoernlein (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, DE); Martin Schaper (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, DE); Axel Schwabedissen (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, DE); Janko Cieslak (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, DE); Eckehard Hofmueller (Kabelsketal, DE); Stefan Stoeckel (Kabelsketal, DE); Eve Krassowski (Kabelsketal, DE)
Assignees: Hanwha Q Cells GmbH; CE Cell Engineering GmbH
H10K39/12H10K39/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,660,406
App. No.
18/581,168
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for improving contact resistance of a multi-junction solar cell having a front and a back and multiple subcells, including: a) delivering the solar cell with front and back contacts in grid, strip or transparent form; b) contact-connecting one region of the back contact to a contact device connected to one pole of a voltage source, and the front contact or another region of the back contact, which is electrically insulated from the region, to another contact device, which is connected to the other pole of the voltage source; c) applying a voltage against the forward direction of the solar cell to the contacts, the voltage smaller than a solar cell breakdown voltage; d) guiding a point light source over the solar cell, a subregion of the front or back being illuminated, inducing current in the subregion, and illuminating the subregion with light beams of different wavelengths.

Claims (14)

1 . A method for improving a contact resistance of a multi-junction solar cell having a front and a back and multiple subcells, the method comprising:

a) delivering the multi-junction solar cell with a front contact and a back contact, the front contact and/or the back contact being in grid, strip or transparent form,

b) electrically contact-connecting one region of the back contact to a contact device that is electrically connected to one pole of a voltage source, and the front contact or another region of the back contact, which is electrically insulated from the region, to another contact device, which is electrically connected to another pole of the voltage source,

c) applying a voltage directed against a forward direction of the multi-junction solar cell to the front contact and the back contact using the voltage source, the applied voltage being smaller in magnitude than a breakdown voltage of the multi-junction solar cell,

d) guiding at least one point light source over the front and/or the back of the multi-junction solar cell while the voltage is applied, one or more sections of a subregion of the front or back being illuminated, with a result that a flow of current is induced in a respective subregion and acts on the respective subregion, and the one or more sections of the subregion being simultaneously illuminated with multiple light beams having different wavelength ranges by the point light source.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multiple light beams having different wavelength ranges simultaneously illuminate a single section of the subregion, which the multiple light beams having different wavelength ranges illuminate in at least a partially-overlapping fashion.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one point light source is guided exclusively over either the front or the back of the multi-junction solar cell.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one point light source has multiple flashlamps having multiple different spectral filters, the at least one point light source has a laser device having multiple lasers designed to emit laser light of different wavelengths, or the at least one point light source has a laser device having a laser and a frequency doubler.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each subcell has an absorber and the wavelength ranges of the multiple light beams are respectively selected in such a way that the wavelength ranges are each adapted for an absorption coefficient of a respective absorber.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein one subcell of the multiple subcells is a perovskite subcell.

7 . The method according to one of claim 1 , wherein one subcell of the multiple subcells has a silicon-based absorber.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-junction solar cell is formed from an upper subcell and a lower subcell and is in a form of a 2T, 3T or 4T multi-junction solar cell.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-junction solar cell has an upper subcell, a lower subcell and at least one middle subcell.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a number of wavelength ranges of the multiple light beams of different wavelength ranges in step d) corresponds to a number of subcells, or absorbers thereof, each of the wavelength ranges being adapted for a particular absorption coefficient of the absorbers.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2026
From: STENZEL, FLORIAN; METTE, ANSGAR; HOERNLEIN, STEFAN; SCHAPER, MARTIN; SCHWABEDISSEN, AXEL; CIESLAK, JANKO; MOFMUELLER, ECKEHARD; STOECKEL, STEFAN; KRASSOWSKI, EVE
To: HANWHA Q CELLS GMBH; CE CELL ENGINEERING GMBH
Reel/Frame 074062/0393 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2023 104 175.4 · Feb 20, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240284689A1 · Aug 22, 2024
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