Monolithically Interconnected, Thin Silicon Solar Cell Array

ASTROPOWER PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH EFFICIENCY, MONOLITHICALLY INTERCONNECTED THIN SILICON SOLAR CELL ARRAY. THE ARRAY INCORPORATES AN INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUE TO ACHIEVE ELECTRICAL ISOLATION AND INTERCONNECTION OF THE ARRAY ELEMENTS. A MONOLITHICALLY INTERCONNECTED ARRAY TECHNOLOGY OFFERS REDUCED COST AND COMPLEXITY AS WELL AS INCREASED RELIABILITY AND YIELD COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL SOLAR CELL ARRAY INTERCONNECTION TECHNOLOGIES. THE PROPOSED DEVICE WILL INCORPORATE MANY HIGH PERFORMANCE FEATURES TO ENHANCE ARRAY EFFICIENCY. THE ARRAY ELEMENTS WILL BE ELECTROSTATICALLY BONDED TO A THERMALLY MATCHED GLASS SUPERSTRATE AND CHEMICALLY THINNED, RESULTING IN A LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH SPECIFIC POWER ARRAY. FRONT AND BACK SURFACE PASSIVATION AND LIGHT TRAPPING WILL BE INCORPORATED TO ENHANCE THE ARRAY EFFICENCY. THE PHASE I PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON THE DEMONSTRATION OF A LIGHTWEIGHT SILICON SOLAR CELL ARRAY USING MONOLITHICALLY INTERCONNCECTED ELEMENTS. THE GOAL WILL BE TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS PROCESS BY FABRICATING A SERIES CONNECTED (5-10 VOLTS), 25CM2, 18% EFFICIENT, SOLAR CELL ARRAY.