ARRAY OF THIN-FILM PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS HAVING A TOTALLY SEPARATED INTEGRATED BYPASS DIODE ASSOCIATED WITH A PLURALITY OF CELLS AND A PANEL INCORPORATING THE SAME

摘要

An array a thin-film solar cell with a cell level integrated bypass diode includes at least three series-connected solar cells; a bypass diode formed by total separation from a selected parent solar cell; a first conductor connecting the semiconducting material of the first type of the bypass diode with the semiconducting material of the second type of any one chosen solar cell in the array; and a second conductor connecting the semiconducting material of the second type of the bypass diode with the semiconducting material of the first type of any other chosen solar cell in the array, so that the bypass diode is connected in parallel and in opposition to both the one chosen solar cell and the other chosen solar cell.