Free-standing metallic article for semiconductors

摘要

A free-standing metallic article, and method of making, is disclosed in which the metallic article is electroformed on an electrically conductive mandrel. The mandrel has an outer surface with a preformed pattern, wherein at least a portion of the metallic article is formed in the preformed pattern. The metallic article is separated from the electrically conductive mandrel, which forms a free-standing metallic article that may be coupled with the surface of a semiconductor material for a photovoltaic cell.

主权项

1. A method of forming an electrical component for a photovoltaic cell, the method comprising the steps of:
i) electroforming a metallic article on an electrically conductive mandrel, wherein the electrically conductive mandrel has an outer surface comprising at least one preformed pattern, the preformed pattern comprising a continuous grid pattern coupled to a cell interconnection pattern, wherein the metallic article comprises a plurality of electroformed elements formed in the preformed pattern, the plurality of electroformed elements comprising a cell interconnection element coupled to a continuous grid having a plurality of first elements intersecting a plurality of second elements, and wherein the cell interconnection element is configured to directly couple the grid to a neighboring cell; and ii) separating the metallic article from the electrically conductive mandrel, wherein the plurality of electroformed elements are interconnected such that the metallic article forms a unitary, free-standing piece when separated from the electrically conductive mandrel; wherein the preformed pattern has a height and a width, wherein the ratio of the height to the width is an aspect ratio, and wherein the preformed pattern has an aspect ratio greater than 1; and wherein the plurality of electroformed elements are configured to serve as an electrical conduit for a light-incident surface of a photovoltaic cell.