Mounting for solar cell

Claim 2

A solar cell construction comprising: a wafer of semiconductor photosensitive material including a base region of one conductivity type and an emitter region of opposite conductivity type, said wafer having a coefficient of thermal expansion of a first value, an electrode grid structure in electrical contact with said emitter region for conducting charge carriers from said emitter region to an edge of said wafer, a first electrically conductive electrode in ohmic and thermal conductive contact with said base region over an area of about the same extent as said base region and having a coefficient of thermal expansion close in value to said first value, a second electrically conductive electrode in ohmic and thermal conductive contact with said grid structure at said edge of said wafer and having a coefficient of thermal expansion close in value to said first value, an electrical conductor in ohmic and thermal conductive contact with said second electrode and having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially different than said first value, and a block of electrically conductive heat sink material in ohmic and thermal conductive contact with said first electrode over said area for cooling said wafer and said electrodes, said block having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially different than said first value.

Claim 3

The construction of claim 1 further including mounting means attached to said block.

Claim 4

The construction of claim 1 wherein said first and second electrodes are the same refractory metals.

Claim 5

The construction of claim 3 wherein said first electrode is a sheet of molybdenum and said second electrode is a molybdenum wire.

Claim 6

The construction of claim 1 wherein said wafer, electrodes, conductor and block of material are joined by lead-tin solder.

Claim 7

The construction of claim 1 wherein said wafer has a geometrically shaped periphery, said grid structure terminating at spaced locations along said periphery, said second electrode having said geometrical shape and extending along said periphery.

Claim 8

The construction of claim 6 wherein said second electrode is an elongated member of restricted cross section formed of a refractory metal.

Claim 9

The construction of claim 1 wherein said wafer is silicon material, said first and second electrodes are refractory metals, and said conductor and heat sink material are copper.

Claim 10

A solar cell device comprising: a solar cell generator comprising a body of semiconductor material having a base region of a first conductivity type and an emitter region of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type, said emitter region having a light receiving face, and the thickness of said cell being much less than the cell face perimeter, a metallized grid structure on said cell face terminating at an edge of said cell at said perimeter, a strip of refractory metal in ohmic contact with said grid structure at said edge, a non-ferrous electrical metal conductor electrode in ohmic contact with said refractory metal electrode and having a solar energy transmissive aperture over said cell face, a sheet of refractory metal in thermal and ohmic contact with said base region over an area of approximately the same extent as said base region on a side opposite said emitter region, and a non-ferrous electrical metal electrical conductor and heat sink member having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of said layer in ohmic and thermal contact with said sheet over an area of about the same extent as said sheet.

Claim 11

A solar cell device comprising: a solar cell generator comprising a body of semiconductor material having a base region of a first conductivity type and an emitter region of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type, said emitter region having a light receiving face, and the thickness of said cell being much less than the cell face perimeter, a metallized grid structure on said cell face terminating at an edge of said cell at said perimeter, a strip of refractory metal in ohmic contact with said grid structure at said edge, a non-ferrous electrical metal conductor electrode in ohmic contact with said refractory metal electrode and having a solar energy transmissive aperture over said cell face, a sheet of refractory metal in thermal and ohmic contact with said base region over an area of approximately the same extent as said base region on a side opposite said emitter region, and a non-ferrous electrical metal electrical conductor and heat sink member having a thickness substantially greater than the thickness of said layer in ohmic and thermal contact with said sheet over an area of about the same extent as said sheet.

Claim 12

The device of claim 9 wherein said non-ferrous conductors are copper and said refractory metal is molybdenum.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 wherein said electrode is a sheet of copper including a lip extending around said cell face and a tab extending from said lip in a direction approximately parallel with the plane of said cell face.

Claim 14

The device of claim 9 further including a stud member depending from said heat sink member.

Claim 15

A solar cell construction comprising a relatively thin, relatively brittle wafer of semiconductor material having a radiation receiving surface and a back surface comprising, in combination: first conductive electrode of about the same size as the wafer, and having a coefficient of expansion very close to that of the wafer, formed on the back surface of the wafer; a conductive wire which has a coefficient of expansion very close to that of the wafer and which serves as a collector of charge carriers produced by said solar cell, located at the radiation receiving surface of the wafer along the peripheral edge of said surface, the wafer being supported between said conductive electrode and said wire; a second electrode comprising a conductive metal formed with an aperture therein aligned with the radiation receiving surface of the wafer so that radiation can pass through the aperture to said solar cell, the second electrode abutting and being conductively secured to said wire at one surface thereof along the border of said aperture; and an electrically conductive heat sink having a surface at least equal in size to said first conductive electrode conductively secured to said first conductive electrode.

Claim 16

A solar cell construction comprising a relatively thin, relatively brittle wafer of semiconductor material having a radiation receiving surface and a back surface comprising, in combination: first conductive electrode of about the same size as the wafer, and having a coefficient of expansion very close to that of the wafer, formed on the back surface of the wafer; a conductive wire which has a coefficient of expansion very close to that of the wafer and which serves as a collector of charge carriers produced by said solar cell, located at the radiation receiving surface of the wafer along the peripheral edge of said surface, the wafer being supported between said conductive electrode and said wire; a second electrode comprising a conductive metal formed with an aperture therein aligned with the radiation receiving surface of the wafer so that radiation can pass through the aperture to said solar cell, the second electrode abutting and being conductively secured to said wire at one surface thereof along the border of said aperture; and an electrically conductive heat sink having a surface at least equal in size to said first conductive electrode conductively secured to said first conductive electrode.

Claim 17

A solar cell construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said wafer is formed of silicon and said first electrode and said wire are formed of the same refractory metal.

Claim 18

A solar cell construction as set forth in claim 13 wherein said refractory metal is molybdenum.

Claim 19

A solar cell construction as set forth in claim 15 wherein said second electrode is formed of copper.

Claim 20

A solar cell array comprising: a plurality of like solar cell constructions, each construction comprising a wafer of semiconductor material having a radiation receiving surface and a back surface, said wafer being located between (a) one surface of a first conductive electrode on the back surface of the wafer and (b) a second electrode comprising a relatively highly conductive metal in electrical contact with the wafer and formed with an aperture therein aligned with the radiation receiving surface of the wafer so that radiation can pass through the aperture to said wafer, and a heat sink conductor having a surface at least equal in size to the first electrode and heat conductively coupled at said last mentioned surface with the other surface of said first conductive electrode; first and second spaced apart heat sink members; means thermally and electrically connecting a first group of said solar cell constructions via their respective heat sink conductors to said first heat sink member; means thermally and electrically connecting a second, different group of said solar cell constuctions via their respective heat sink conductors to said second heat sink member; and means electrically connecting the second electrode of each cell construction of said first group to the first electrode of a corresponding cell construction of the second group.

Claim 21

A solar cell array comprising: a plurality of like solar cell constructions, each construction comprising a wafer of semiconductor material having a radiation receiving surface and a back surface, said wafer being located between (a) one surface of a first conductive electrode on the back surface of the wafer and (b) a second electrode comprising a relatively highly conductive metal in electrical contact with the wafer and formed with an aperture therein aligned with the radiation receiving surface of the wafer so that radiation can pass through the aperture to said wafer, and a heat sink conductor having a surface at least equal in size to the first electrode and heat conductively coupled at said last mentioned surface with the other surface of said first conductive electrode; first and second spaced apart heat sink members; means thermally and electrically connecting a first group of said solar cell constructions via their respective heat sink conductors to said first heat sink member; means thermally and electrically connecting a second, different group of said solar cell constuctions via their respective heat sink conductors to said second heat sink member; and means electrically connecting the second electrode of each cell construction of said first group to the first electrode of a corresponding cell construction of the second group.

Claim 22

The array of claim 17 wherein each heat sink conductor includes connecting means for connecting that conductor to a heat sink member.

Claim 23

The array of claim 18 wherein said connecting means includes a threaded stud member depending from said heat sink conductor and means for securing said stud member to a heat sink member.

Claim 24

The array of claim 17 wherein said heat sink members extend in columns and said electrically connecting means extend in rows.