SEMICONDUCTOR PHOTOCONVERTER AND SOLAR BATTERY MODULE Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: solar energy converting devices. SUBSTANCE: contacts of new integral photoconverter have current-takeoff strips arranged at certain pitch in parallel with transverse (horizontal) axis; two current-collecting strips crossing current-takeoff ones at 90 deg and placed symmetrically to longitudinal (vertical) axis, and closed strip over perimeter. Novelty is that contacts are divided into four separate symmetrical systems each incorporating all necessary fragments. To this end, transverse and longitudinal axes are free from contacts and the latter proper have, in addition, on front and rear parts several pairs of pads comparable in size with pitch and arranged on current-collecting strips as well as on edges abutting against strip over perimeter and in center (on rear side only) either side of mentioned axes at distance comparable with pitch and symmetrical against one another; two narrow strips arranged between edges in parallel to longitudinal axis either side of it at distance comparable with pitch; two pairs of strips whose width equals that of pads placed on edges of rear side with current-collecting strips abutting against them either side of longitudinal axis perpendicular to it and at distance from it comparable with pitch. New design of contacts enables dividing integral photoconverter into any types of their halvers or quarters without impairing their power characteristics and to interconnect them in parallel to form unit cells of any desired type whose photoactive area and power characteristics are identical to integral photoconverter. In addition, inadmissible defects can be removed from photoconverter and its blank. Nonrectangular photoconverters with new contact design and their halves and quarters are used to build new rectangular solar battery module. According to invention, integral photoconverters are placed in module center and nonphotoactive apertures, on horizontal and vertical ends are filled up with respective halves (quarters) of integral photoconverter. Its transverse halves are placed in extreme horizontal rows and longitudinal halves, in extreme vertical rows. In this way, module is made rectangular in perimeter within which photoconverter and unit cells are arranged with utmost density. EFFECT: improved electric energy generation per unit area of panel mounting photoresistor and photocells. 7 cl, 8 dwg