Monolithically integrated solar cell microarray and fabrication method

摘要

A monolithically integrated solar cell microarray (50) includes an isolation layer (64) or multiple isolation layers between a substrate (54) on the one hand side and solar cell layers (56, 58) and a trench (62) in the solar cell layer on the other hand side. The trench (62) exposes the isolation layer (64). Together the isolation layer (64) and the trench (62) define solar cells (52) that are spaced apart and electrically isolated on the substrate (54). The solar cells (52) are scaled to provide a desired current. Base contacts (70) and integral emitter contact/interconnects (74) connect a number of the scaled solar cells (52) in series to sum their voltages to supply a desired output voltage and current. The trench (62) and integral emitter contact/interconnects (74) are formed using photolithographic etching and liftoff processes, respectively, which are much quicker and less expensive than the conventional dicing and soldering processes.