JPS5994885A - Photoelectric conversion device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion element (also simply referred to as an element) in which a non-single crystal semiconductor including an amorphous semiconductor having at least one P-N or PN junction is provided on a light-transmitting insulating substrate. The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device capable of generating an abnormal voltage by connecting a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices in series, and a method for manufacturing the same.

This invention reduces the area required for connecting multiple elements to 1/10 to 1/100 of the conventional mask alignment method.
It is characterized by using a laser scribing method.

This invention is characterized in that by using the side surface of the coating constituting the electrical connection t-electrode at the connection portion, rather than the mounting surface, the total area required at the connection portion is reduced. In the conventional mask alignment method, the connection part required 5 to 1 mm, but this has been reduced to 1/1 of that.
It is characterized in that the photovoltaic power of the entire panel used as a conversion device is preferably 0 to 1/100 350 to 30μ.

In this invention, by using a laser beam scribing method, this scribe'% is calculated based on the alignment mark.
By storing the 24N '+ address in the memory of a computer (microcomputer) in advance, the mask alignment required in the conventionally known mask alignment method, and the manufacturing yield for alignment accuracy. It is characterized by eliminating all causes of price increases and yield reductions in manufacturing at once, such as reductions in yield.

Conventionally, many examples of photoelectric conversion devices (hereinafter simply referred to as devices), that is, devices in which a plurality of elements are arranged on the same substrate and are integrated or hybridized, are known.

For example, JP-A-55-4994, JP-A-55-12427
4 Furthermore, patent application No. 54-90097 filed by the present inventor
/90098/90099 (Showa 54. '/, '
16 applications) are known. In particular, this application by the present inventor uses a 5iO-8117) heterojunction as a semiconductor, which is different from the case where other amorphous silicon semiconductors are used. Alternatively, it is characterized by being a non-single crystal semiconductor having at least one PN or PIN junction to which a halogen element is added.

However, in these conventional inventions, as shown in FIG. 1, which is a vertical cross-sectional view, all of them are based on the mask alignment method, and the alignment accuracy is insufficient, and a large area is required for the connecting portion.

For example, in a method of directly and selectively manufacturing a conductive layer or a semiconductor layer using a metal mask, the mask that provides this selectivity may shift by 5 to 3 mm during film formation. Furthermore, since a coating component is formed on the mask, there are many disadvantages such as contamination of the mask and obscurity of the side walls of the coating formed by the mask.

Further, a method such as a screen printing method is known in which conductors or semiconductors formed entirely on a substrate are independently and selectively etched away using a mask. However, in this method, the process is extremely time consuming, such as the process of aligning the mask for screen printing, the process of coating the resist, the process of baking and solidifying, the process of etching the conductor or semiconductor, and the process of removing the resist. The rise was inevitable.

However, in the photoelectric conversion device of the present invention, particularly in the thin film type photoelectric conversion device, the conductive layer for electrodes, which is each thin film layer,
Furthermore, it has been found that by using a laser scribing method in which the semiconductor layers are both reeded at K500X to 1μ, mask alignment is not required at all.

As a result, in contrast to the conventional mask alignment process, this 8A does not use any masks at all, so it is called a scribing process, but since this scribing process is extremely simple and easy,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an extremely innovative photoelectric conversion device that reduces the manufacturing cost of the device and saves money.

Furthermore, in addition to using this laser scribing process, the present invention has a redundancy (margin) in the alignment accuracy of the scribe line.
It is important to have a degree of precision.

Therefore, the first electrode (lower side) between adjacent elements and the second electrode (upper electrode) of the other element are electrically connected on the side surface of the first electrode, thereby making it possible to scrub. It was possible to provide redundancy in the position of the opening groove of the pipeline.

A conventional example and the structure of the present invention will be described below according to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a conventionally known photoelectric conversion device using a mask alignment method.

In the drawings, a transparent conductive film (abbreviated as ○TF) constituting the first electrode is selectively formed on a transparent substrate (for example, a glass plate) (1) by a first mask alignment step. . Further, a semiconductor layer (3) is selectively formed in the same manner as υ by a second mask alignment step.

Further, in the third mask alignment process, a υ second electrode is provided. In FIG. 1, a connecting portion (2
), and in the connection part, one side α→ of the OTF requires a gate with a diameter of mm, for example, 3 mm. Furthermore, the first electrode (3'7) and the second electrode (38) are electrically connected on the surface of H, but this part is connected to the second electrode of G59) to prevent flickering caused by blurring of the mask. A gap (6) of 1 to 5 mm, for example 3 mm, is required to avoid short-circuiting including
Typically, 4 mm is required, and furthermore,
If it is less than 1 mm, the mask alignment accuracy will be extremely poor and the yield will be extremely reduced. If the gap "t" of this connecting part (6) is set to 5 mm or more, for example, 20
The effective area of a device of cm x 60 cm and K width of 15 mm remained at 75% O when the peripheral area was taken into consideration.

The present invention eliminates such process complexity and reduces the effective area to 85.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an extremely innovative photoelectric conversion device that can increase the conversion rate by up to 92%, for example.

The details are shown below according to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the present invention.

In the drawing, a transparent substrate (1), for example, a glass plate (for example, thickness 1.2 mm, length in left and right direction in the drawing) 60c
m.

A width of 20 am) was used. Furthermore, a light-transmitting conductive film is applied to the entire upper surface, for example, To (1500λ) + SnO□
(200 to 400
000 K) was formed by a vacuum evaporation method, and the LFOVD method - the first step was formed by a plasma OVD method or a spray method.

After this, YAG laser processing is performed on the lower side of this substrate and the upper side. The opened groove is approximately 50μ in width and 20cm in length.
m, and the width of each element (31), (l]) is 10
~20mm e.g. 15mm (one segment is '1
Thus, O T y (2) forming the first electrode was cut and separated to form an open groove. After that, apply plasma OVD or LP to this upper surface.
A non-single crystal semiconductor layer having an FN or P-N junction is formed by the OVD method to a thickness of 0.2 to 0.7μ, typically 0.4 to 0.0μ.
It was formed to a thickness of 5μ. A typical example is a P-type semiconductor (S
ixO,-4x=0.250~150W-1 type amorphous or semi-amorphous silicon semiconductor (0,4~
0.5μ) - A non-single crystal semiconductor with one P-N junction consisting of a semiconductor with N-type microcrystals (100-200λ), Mant is a P-type semiconductor (s 1x cL-J-N type, P type B1 semiconductor - type 81xGe,, semiconductor - N type 8
A tandem type PINP-N having two P-N junctions and one PN junction made of one semiconductor is a PIN junction semiconductor.

Such a non-single crystal semiconductor layer (3) was formed to have a uniform thickness over the entire surface. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2 (B) K, the first
A second open groove Q8 was formed in the direction of the open groove by a second V-za scribing step. This laser is made of glass (1
) or above the substrate.

Thus, the second open groove 0 frame extends along the side surface of the first electrode (9).
exposed. The side surface (9) of this second groove may be on the l side from the side surface H of the first electrode 0Q, and as an extreme example, as shown in the drawing, the side surface (9) of the second groove may be located inside the first electrode (31). It's okay to go in. Furthermore, as shown in the conventional example, it is not necessarily necessary to expose the surface α of the first electrode;
, this OTF is completely removed and the t side (Fig. 2 (
B)) There is no practical problem. That is, it is extremely important for the industrial application of the present invention to be able to provide a margin for the intensity of the output pulse of the laser beam.

In FIG. 2, a back electrode is further formed on this top surface as shown in FIG. The electrodes are made by forming a transparent conductive film of FOO~1400~TO (indium tin oxide), then forming silver to a thickness of 300~3000'' on the upper surface, and then coating aluminum or aluminum on the upper surface. A double layer film of aluminum and nickel was formed.For example, 1050
1. Convert silver to 1000^, then nickel's long wave, effectively scan and convert it. Also, eagle. Furthermore, nickel is used to improve adhesion to the external lead electrode (2). These were formed using an electron beam evaporation method or a plasma vapor phase method at a temperature of 300'O or less, which degrades the semiconductor layer.

This TO is due to the reaction between the semiconductor and ifhsoIi-)
It also helps improve sexuality.

The above example shows a case in which such a back electrode is irradiated upward with laser light. This laser beam slightly gouged out the semiconductor layer to prevent leakage due to residual metal in the groove between the elements (31) and 0. This ejector is an OTF for the first electrode.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 2(c), the double-respect element (
We were able to create a photoelectric conversion device in which 3υ, (2) were connected in series at the connecting part (2).

FIG. 2 (9) shows the attempt to further complete the present invention as a photoelectric conversion device. That is, as a passivation film, a silicon oxide film Q) of 50 to 2
It was formed to a thickness of ooi. In addition, external extraction terminal (to)
was provided at the peripheral part (5)K. These were filled with organic resins such as bolimide, polyamide, kapton or epoxy).

Thus, for the irradiated light (1o) K, the substrate (
60cm x 20cm), each element is 14.35m
m.

Connection part 150μ External extraction electrode part 10mm Peripheral part 4nu
Effective area (19Ymm x 14.3omx 4oa) with 40 stages within 580mm x 19gmm
-xxo84 warehouses, ie 91. s%) can be obtained f
If the resulting Co segment has a conversion efficiency of 10.6%, then at the panel 9.7% (AM l (100 mW
/a a) K was able to provide an output power of 11.6W.

This does not cause any industrial problems in the panel manufacturing process when carried out using the conventional mask matching method, and is extremely suitable for large-area, low-cost mass production for generating large amounts of power.

Furthermore, in Figure 2 @, if the laser output is increased,
The cutting around the opening groove is good, but there is no practical problem even if the lower part is slightly damaged.

In particular, since the first electrode and the second electrode can be electrically connected at the side of the first electrode, the area of the contact portion can be sufficiently reduced.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2(B) K, if the laser scribe of the semiconductor layer (3) is one groove line, the electrode will be (3
2), but historically it is also possible to use the electric current of Ω3 more effectively.
FIGS. 4 and 6 are a vertical sectional view and a vertical plan view showing the positional relationship of three laser scribes. Numbers etc. are the same as in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows a case where the second laser swiping step is performed from above the substrate at the connecting portion (6), leaving a portion of the OTF of the first electrode at the open groove portion. Overflowing diagram (
In the plan view of B), the semiconductor layer (the field is connected to the first electrode (
2) The second electrode also covers the large first electrode at the periphery to prevent leakage current between these electrodes.

In Figure 4, the loss area required for the first open groove part α and the second open groove part Q is minimized (100μ or 6).
It was possible to have a connection portion of 0μ.

FIG. 5 is located midway between FIGS. 3 and 4, and shows a vertical sectional view of a typical connecting portion. In this drawing, the width of the connecting portion was 160 μ to 100 μ in the first and second open groove portions 50 to 30 μ and the third open groove portion 75 to 50 μ.

The spot layer of the YAG laser as described above can be made smaller than the connecting part between its outputs 3 and 3, thereby improving the effective area as a photoelectric conversion device.0 Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of the external extraction electrode part. It is something.

FIG. 6(4) corresponds to FIG. 2, but the external lead electrode (5) is connected to the soldered electrode (42) and the ground side electrode (4). Further, in Fig. 6 φ), a joint 04) connected to the first electrode on the lower side is provided on the second electrode material, and is provided on the external lead electrode (43) via solder 02). There is. The original second electrode (4) is cut by the third groove (a), and the cut surface is passivated with a silicon nitride film.

The mineral memory resin mold (2) is covered with a lead electrode (5), (4) for fixing, and this panel is further covered with, for example, 40 (40).
It is possible to package +mX240am or 60cmX20am into 6 or 4 straight 1fq K aluminum sash frames, and provide a 120cmX40cm +7) NID0 standard panel.

Also, the NBDO standard panel can be used with other glass plates by Seaflex! It is effective to use laminated glass on the upper side of the structure and place a photoelectric conversion device between them to increase the strength of the structure.

In FIGS. 2 to 6, light was incident through the lower glass plate. However, the present invention does not limit the light incident side to the lower side.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical i-plane view of a conventional photoelectric conversion device. FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the photoelectric conversion device of the present invention. 3 to 6 are enlarged views of portions of the photoelectric conversion device of the present invention. 0 Sai 1 (sword)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first electrode made of a transparent conductive film on an insulating substrate, a non-single crystal semiconductor having at least one PN or P-N junction covering the electrode; In a photoelectric conversion device in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices each having a second electrode on a semiconductor are electrically connected and arranged on the insulating substrate, the first and second photoelectric conversion devices are arranged next to each other. 1st
A photoelectric conversion device characterized in that the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device is connected to the first electrode of the tenth photoelectric conversion device through a connecting portion. 2. In claim 1, the connecting portion is 350~
A charging conversion device characterized by having a width of 30μ. (1)