US 12,113,142 B2
Strings of solar cells having laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures and their methods of manufacture
Pei Hsuan Lu, San Jose, CA (US); Tyler D. Newman, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Paul W. Loscutoff, Castro Valley, CA (US); George G. Correos, Corralitos, CA (US); Yafu Lin, San Jose, CA (US); Andrea R. Bowring, Mountain View, CA (US); David C. Okawa, Redwood City, CA (US); Matthew T. Matsumoto, Pasadena, CA (US); Benjamin I. Hsia, Fremont, CA (US); Arbaz Ahmed Shakir, Santa Clara, CA (US); John H. Lippiatt, San Jose, CA (US); Simone I. Nazareth, San Jose, CA (US); Ryan Reagan, Hayward, CA (US); Todd R. Johnson, San Jose, CA (US); Ned Western, San Jose, CA (US); Tamir Lance, Los Gatos, CA (US); and Marc Robinson, Cedar Park, TX (US)
Assigned to Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd., Singapore (SG)
Filed by Maxeon Solar Pte. Ltd., Singapore (SG)
Filed on Jun. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/356,417.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/043,695, filed on Jun. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0408313 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. H01L 31/05 (2014.01); H01L 31/02 (2006.01); H01L 31/18 (2006.01); H02S 40/34 (2014.01)
CPC H01L 31/0508 (2013.01) [H01L 31/0201 (2013.01); H01L 31/0516 (2013.01); H01L 31/1876 (2013.01); H02S 40/34 (2014.12)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar cell string, comprising:
a first solar cell having a front side and a back side, and one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures electrically connecting a first metal foil to the back side of the first solar cell;
a second solar cell having a front side and a back side, and one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures electrically connecting a second metal foil to the back side of the second solar cell; and
a conductive interconnect coupling the first and second solar cells, the conductive interconnect comprising a strain relief feature, the strain relief feature comprising an overhang portion of the first metal foil and an overhang portion of the second metal foil, the overhang portion of the first metal foil in direct physical contact with the overhang portion of the second metal foil, wherein the strain relief feature comprises a plurality of folds out of plane of the first and second solar cells, the plurality of folds extending from a location below a bottom of the first and second solar cells to a location above a top of the first and second solar cells, and a plurality of welds between adjacent ones of the plurality of folds, wherein individual ones of the plurality of welds are laterally spaced apart from one another along a direction laterally between the one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures of the first solar cell and the one or more laser assisted metallization conductive contact structures of the second solar cell.