The present invention teaches a method of manufacturing an enclosed transceiver, such as a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag. Structurally, in one embodiment, the tag comprises an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and an RF antenna mounted on a thin film substrate powered by a thin film battery. A variety of antenna geometries are compatible with the above tag construction. These include monopole antennas, dipole antennas, dual dipole antennas, a combination of dipole and loop antennas. Further, in another embodiment, the antennas are positioned either within the plane of the thin film battery or superjacent to the thin film battery.

Method of manufacturing an enclosed transceiver

This invention comprises manufacture of photovoltaic cells by deposition of thin film photovoltaic junctions on metal foil substrates. The photovoltaic junctions may be heat treated if appropriate following deposition in a continuous fashion without deterioration of the metal support structure. In a separate operation, an interconnection substrate structure is provided, optionally in a continuous fashion. Multiple photovoltaic cells are then laminated to the interconnection substrate structure and conductive joining methods are employed to complete the array. In this way the interconnection substrate structure can be uniquely formulated from polymer-based materials employing optimal processing unique to polymeric materials. Furthermore, the photovoltaic junction and its metal foil support can be produced in bulk without the need to use the expensive and intricate material removal operations currently taught in the art to achieve series interconnections.

Substrate structures for integrated series connected photovoltaic arrays and process of manufacture of such arrays

A solar cell module includes: two solar cells, each including an photoelectric conversion body 10a, 10b having first and second main faces and generating photogenerated carriers, a first electrode provided on the first main face, and a second electrode provided on the first or second main face and having a polarity opposite to that of the first electrode; and a wiring member 2a for electrically connecting the first electrode of one of the two solar cells to the second electrode of the other solar cell. The first electrode has a plurality of finger electrodes for collecting the photogenerated carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion body 10a and a bus-bar electrode 11a for collecting the photogenerated carriers collected by the plurality of finger electrodes. The wiring member 2a is connected onto the bus-bar electrode 11a of the one solar cell through a connection layer 13 formed of a conductive resin containing conductive material. The connection layer 13 is also in contact with the first main face of the photoelectric conversion body 10a.

Solar cell module

A flexible photovoltaic device includes a flexible substrate and a photovoltaic device body. The flexible substrate is a metal foil or film provided with an electric insulating layer of a material having an electric conductivity of not more than 10-7 (Ω·cm.)-1 at the time of light impinging and selected from a heat resistant polymer, a metal oxide, a crystalline or amorphous silicon compound and an organometallic compound.

Flexible photovoltaic device

A solar cell module having a plurality of solar cells formed on corresponding substrates, connection members for series electrically connecting each of the electrodes of the solar cell to an opposite polarity electrode of an adjacent solar cell, wherein the connection member is in the form of an elongated shape having a laminated structure composed of an insulating member and a conductive member.

Solar cell module and method of manufacturing the same

A flexible amorphous silicon solar battery comprising a metal foil as the substrate thereof, an insulating layer integrally formed on the metal foil, and at least one amorphous silicon photoelectric conversion portion formed on the insulating layer. The amorphous silicon photoelectric conversion portion thereof comprises an a-Si thin film having a potential barrier therein, an upper electrode and a lower electrode. The a-Si thin film is sandwiched between the upper and lower electrodes. The upper electrodes may be formed of a transparent conductive film. The transparent conductive film may be also in two layers composed of a relatively thin tin dioxide film and a relatively thick ITO film thereby to lower the resistance of transparent conductive film and to obtain a superior a-Si thin film having no impurity particles therein. A plurality of a-Si photoelectric conversion portions may be formed on the same substrate, and are connected in series with one another, to increase the output voltage thereof. The a-Si photoelectric conversion portions may be formed as forward junction and/or reverse junction types. The a-Si solar battery of this invention is flexible because of use of a metal foil with thickness of 10 to 250 μm such as stainless steel, aluminum or iron as the substrate thereof, so that it can be easily attached to a product having a curved surface thereon, such as an automobile or the like. Further, there are no problems or disadvantages, such as spallings and cracks of the a-Si thin film, or deterioration of the physical properties thereof, so that the a-Si solar battery of this invention can provide excellent conversion efficiency.

Amorphous silicon solar battery

PURPOSE:To prevent the electrodes of the solar cells or the lead wires from corroding and to improve the durability by a method wherein the plastic film substrate and the transparent plastic protective film are airtightly bonded all over the peripheries and are formed into a packaged configuration in a depressed condition CONSTITUTION:Solar cell elements 21 are bonded on the surface of a plastic film substrate 1 being constituted of a polycarbonate film using a bonding material with a heat resistance The solar cell elements 21 are bonded in series using lead wires While being mechanically compressed, the end faces of both of the plastic film substrate and a transparent plastic protective film 41 are simultaneously performed a vacuum drawing from parts of the end faces The end faces are heated to the temperatures of 200-300 degC using a supersonic wave, and the transparent plastic protective film 41 and the plastic film substrate 1 are fused After that, both films are adhered by cooling, are bonded together and the transparent plastic protective film and the plastic film substrate can be made in a packaged configuration under a depressed condition

PURPOSE:To prevent the lowering of performance and secular change of an element, and to form an electrode having an excellent ohmic contact by forming a thin aluminum silicide layer on the surface of an amorphous silicon group semiconductor through a mutual diffusion between Al and Si. CONSTITUTION:An aluminum silicide layer 22 is formed in such a manner that aluminum is evaporated under vacuum through electron-beam evaporation in 20-100Angstrom thickness and the evaporated material is kept at a temperature such as 240 deg.C and annealed and treated for approximately 15min. The layer 22 is a thin layer formed through a mutual thermal diffusion between aluminum and silicon. A metallic layer 24 is shaped on the surface of the aluminum silicide layer 22 through a vacuum evaporation. The metallic layer 24 consists of an alloy such as a nickel-chromium alloy in 2,000-3,000Angstrom .

Amorphous silicon group semiconductor element

PURPOSE:To enable to arrange the solar batteries in detachable manner by putting them in close contact along the surface shape of a metallic body of the roof of cars, etc. by a method wherein a rubber magnet is adhered on the back surface, using a thin metallic foil as the substrate of a thin film form amorphous Si solar battery. CONSTITUTION:The construction of a solar battery 9 has an amorphous Si solar battery element layer 3 which generates photovoltaic force on the metallic foil substrate 1 via insulation layer 2, and has a rubber magnet layer 10 of the same type flat form adhered uniformly under said substrate 1. It is preferably that the thickness of said substrate 1 is approx. 50-200mum in order to give flexibility to the solar battery. When the thickness of said substrate becomes less than 50mum, mechanical strength can not be maintained, and, while bending property decreases when it becomes over 200mum.

Flexible solar battery

PURPOSE:To provide amorphous semiconductor doped uniformly on a substrate without separating silicon deposited on an upper electrode, by a method wherein one of two sorts of gas is uniformly flowed onto the substrate through a small hole provided on an electrode opposed to the substrate, and other is flowed in laminar flow in parallel to both electrodes. CONSTITUTION:Flat plate parallel electrodes 23 and 24 opposed with each other are installed within a chamber 29, and the upper electrode 23 thereof is provided with small holes uniformly on the flat plate and with a dopant gas inlet tube 21 projecting in pipe form from the chamber. The lower electrode 24 is grounded through the chamber 29 and provided with a heater 25 to heat a substrate installed at the bottom end, and the substrate is arranged on the lower electrode 24. Dopant gas comprising B2H6 is introduced from the dopant gas inlet tube 21, and silicon as basic gas is introduced through a basic gas inlet port 22 and uniformly flowed in laminar flow towards an exhaust port 26. High-frequency electric field is impressed between both electrodes by a high-frequency generator 27 thereby plasma of mixed gas is produced between both electrodes and P type amorphous silicon hydride is grown on the substrate.

Takeuchi Yukihisa

Papers

Amorphous silicon solar battery

Solar cell module

Amorphous silicon group semiconductor element

Flexible solar battery

Manufacture of amorphous semiconductor