Solar cell chips with new geometry and method for manufacturing the same

1. A method for manufacturing solar cell chips, each having an active surface area configured to directly convert solar energy into electrical energy, comprising cutting the solar cell chips out of a wafer using a laser drawn continuously about substantially an entire periphery of each chip, the periphery having a non-rectangular geometry configured to facilitate the continuous cutting by the laser and maximizing a number of solar cell chips cut from the wafer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active surface area has a geometry similar to and disposed within the geometry of the solar cell chips.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active surface area has a shape that is one of substantially circular or substantially hexagonal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the substantially circular shape is substantially elliptical.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the active surface area includes a transitional shape that is between a hexagonal and circular shape.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the active surface area includes at least one of a octagonal, decagonal, or dodecagonal shape.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the active surface area includes rounded corners.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is guided such that the solar cell chips are substantially free of straight cut edges.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is guided linearly with a substantially sinusoidal movement of the laser.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is guided such that the solar cell chips include a substantially circular geometry in a region of the active surface area and a web extension at two opposite ends of the solar cell chips.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the active surface area is at least partially surrounded around a periphery of the active surface area by a non-active area.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is guided such that the active surface areas are arranged in a close packed crystal structure in a plane of the solar cell chips, and gaps within the crystal structure include non-active areas configured for electric bonding areas.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the solar cell chips include an electric bonding area in at least some of the non-active areas.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the electric bonding area includes first and second punctual bonding areas disposed at opposite sides of the active surface area.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser includes at least one of a YAG laser, a fiber laser, or a disk laser.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser is at least one of guided using a total reflection process or used within a dry process.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting includes causing relative movement between the wafer and the laser beam.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein causing the relative movement includes moving a wafer table that supports the wafer, moving a flying optics laser, or moving a laser scanner.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solar cell chips are cut out of the wafer using only laser cutting.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solar cell chips are cut out of the wafer without using a saw.

21. A solar cell chip comprising an active surface area configured to directly convert solar energy into electric energy manufactured according to the method of claim 1 .

22. The solar cell chip of claim 21 , wherein the solar cell chip is substantially free of straight cut edges.

23. The solar cell chip of claim 21 , wherein the solar cell chip includes a substantially circular geometry in a region of the active surface area and a web-like extension at two opposite ends of the solar cell chip.

24. The solar cell chip of claim 21 , wherein the solar cell chip includes an elliptic geometry.

25. A solar cell module, comprising at least two and at most about 2000 solar cell chips of claim 21 .