3T Tandem Solar Cell, Tandem Solar Cell Module and Method for Manufacturing

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This invention relates to a 3-terminal (3T) tandem solar cell and a method to manufacture such cells and modules. The 3T tandem solar cell combines two thin-film solar cells with different absorber materials, stacking them to better use a broad spectrum of sunlight. A specially designed electrically conductive connecting layer with an embedded one-piece wiring element provides efficient electrical coupling between the two cells, forming a third electrode that allows for improved energy extraction and modular connection. The method supports the production of robust, high-efficiency solar modules by enabling reliable electrical contacts, mechanical stability, and scalable manufacturing processes.

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• Photovoltaic modules for residential and commercial solar panels, increasing module efficiency.
• Solar power plants where maximizing energy output per area is crucial.
• Flexible or curved solar panels for integration into vehicles, portable electronics, or building facades.
• Solar energy solutions for off-grid or remote installations requiring high reliability and output.
• Development and scaling of advanced tandem solar cell technology in research and industry settings.

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• Enables higher efficiency than traditional single-junction or 2-terminal tandem solar cells by better leveraging the solar spectrum through stacked layers.
• Reduces internal electrical resistance and losses by integrating a single-piece conductive element with multiple contact points, thus improving overall cell performance.
• Allows robust, scalable, and potentially faster manufacturing methods, suitable for mass production and integration into different solar module formats.
• Mechanical design increases reliability and reduces the risk of electrical shorts, enhancing module durability.
• Supports both rigid (glass) and flexible (polymer) substrates for diverse application scenarios, improving the versatility of solar panel installations.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a 3T tandem solar cell, to a tandem solar cell module, and to a method for producing such a tandem solar cell module. The 3T tandem solar cell according to the invention comprises at least one first solar cell (11, 11') that comprises a first absorber layer (11-2, 11'-2), which is arranged between a first electrode (11-1, l l'-l) on one face of the first solar cell (11, 11'), said face facing the incident light (100), and a first transparent conductive layer (11-3, 11'-3) on one face of the first solar cell (11, 11'), said face facing away from the incident light (100), wherein the first solar cell (11, 11') is arranged on a solar cell (12, 12') that comprises a second absorber layer (12-2, 12'-2), which is arranged between a second electrode (12-1, 12'- 1) on one face of the second solar cell (12, 12'), said face facing away from the incident light (100), and a second transparent conductive layer (12-3, 12'-3) on one face of the second solar cell, said face facing the incident light (100). According to the invention, a connection layer (13) is provided which is arranged between the first and second solar cell (11, 11', 12, 12'), wherein the connection layer (13) forms an electrically conductive connection between the first and second solar cell (11, 11', 12, 12'), and the connection layer (13) comprises an electrically conductive single-piece line element (13-3, 13'-3) which is configured and designed to form the electrically conductive connection. The line element (13-3, 13'-3) is embedded in an embedding medium (13-2), including respective contact points (K1, K2, K3, K4, K5) for the first and second transparent conductive layer (11-3, 11'-3, 12-3, 12' -3), and is connected to a third electrode (13-1, 13'-1) of the at least one tandem solar cell (10, 10') or integrally forms same.