Gridded thin film solar cell

Claim 1

In a photovoltaic solar module having a plurality of series connected cells interconnected on a single glass substrate wherein each cell comprises a first conductor layer deposited on said substrate, a thin film semiconductor layer deposited on said first conductor layer and a second conductor layer deposited on said semiconductor layer and wherein said second conductor layer of each cell is in ohmic contact with the first conductor layer of an adjacent cell and where at least one of said first and second conductor layers is transparent, the improvement comprising: a plurality of first metallic conductor strips deposited on said at least one transparent conductor layer of each cell, said plurality of strips positioned substantially normal to one edge of said one transparent conductor layer and originating at said one edge thereof; and a second metallic conductor strip deposited on said at least one transparent conductor layer of each cell, said second strip positioned along said one edge and interconnecting one end of each of said plurality of first strips; wherein said second metallic conductor strip of each cell extends laterally onto said substrate from said cells, the other of said first and second conductor layers of each cell extends laterally on said substrate from said cells, the semiconductor layer is a continuous unpatterned sheet for all cells, and interconnection between adjacent cells is made by contacting the extended portion of said second metallic conductor strips of a first cell with the extended portion of said other conductor of an adjacent cell at a point on said substrate laterally displaced from said semiconductor sheet.