Inkjet printing assisted monolithic interconnection of CIGS using shunt-free laser scribing

Flexible design of building integrated thin‐film photovoltaics

“…The back‐end interconnection approach we have implemented for amorphous silicon thin film modules is also applicable for other thin film technologies like CIGS, cadmium‐telluride or perovskites. The approach has already been implemented for CIGS, 25,26 where a transparent conductor was used due to the substrate concept. Comparing our results with literature, the most obvious difference is the high fill factor of over 70% we achieved, whereas in literature values around 60% and well below are usually found 10,25–29 .…”

“…The approach has already been implemented for CIGS, 25,26 where a transparent conductor was used due to the substrate concept. Comparing our results with literature, the most obvious difference is the high fill factor of over 70% we achieved, whereas in literature values around 60% and well below are usually found 10,25–29 . Despite these results reported in literature, to our knowledge there is no production on industry level of customized modules regarding shape and colour and no post‐interconnection process after the deposition of all contact and active layers.…”

“…Comparing our results with literature, the most obvious difference is the high fill factor of over 70% we achieved, whereas in literature values around 60% and well below are usually found. 10,[25][26][27][28][29] Despite these results reported in literature, to our knowledge there is no production on industry level of customized modules regarding shape and colour and no postinterconnection process after the deposition of all contact and active layers. Up to now the serial interconnection using laser scribes after single deposition steps remains the standard for thin film solar modules.…”

“…Furthermore, it is possible to a certain extent to structure modules of different shapes or sizes in such a way that series connection is possible. The back-end interconnection approach used in this study, which was already developed in CIGS thin film technology, 25,26 is demonstrated on amorphous silicon thin film solar cells and is shown in printer suffers from a missing fiducial system. The large gaps between the pattering grooves led to a total interconnection width of $2.7 mm and thus also a relative area loss of $27%.…”