INTEGRATED THIN FILM SOLAR CELL

摘要

An integrated thin film solar cell comprising a string which is composed of a plurality of thin film photoelectric conversion elements formed on a light-transmitting insulating substrate and electrically connected in series with each other, and one or more collector electrodes electrically joined to the string.  Each thin film photoelectric conversion element has a light-transmitting first electrode layer arranged on the light-transmitting insulating substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer arranged on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer arranged on the photoelectric conversion layer.  Each collector electrode is electrically joined to the second electrode layer of any thin film photoelectric conversion element in the string.  The string has an isolation trench which is formed between adjacent two thin film photoelectric conversion elements by removing the second electrode layers and the photoelectric conversion layers thereof.  The first electrode layer of each thin film photoelectric conversion element has an extending part which has an end extending across the isolation trench to the region of an adjacent thin film photoelectric conversion element, said first electrode layer being electrically insulated from the first electrode layer of the adjacent thin film photoelectric conversion element by an electrode separation line.  The second electrode layer of each thin film photoelectric conversion element is electrically connected to the extending part of the first electrode layer of an adjacent thin film photoelectric conversion element via a conductor part which penetrates through the photoelectric conversion layer.  In any thin film photoelectric conversion element electrically joined with a collector electrode, at least the portion of the first electrode layer directly below the collector electrode and the other portions thereof are insulated and separated by at least one of the electrode separation line and an insulation line.