A new method for manufacturing thin, flexible, portable high efficiency III-V PV modules that can be folded and rolled. In particular, IMM3J cells are lifted-off their growth substrate and transferred to a polyimide blanket sheet holding up to a few hundred cells. They are fully encapsulated. The interconnects are made with novel use of electrically conductive adhesives and polymers. The method further allows for recovery and reuse of the growth substrate, reducing the cell costs by up to 40%. OptiCOMPs method thereby eliminates any potential supply bottlenecks for GaAs and Ge growth substrates and preserves rare earth materials.
Benefit: High efficiency flexible photovoltaic civilian applications include solar rechargers for portable power applications, including flexible battery-charging covers for hybrid electric vehicles etc.
Keywords: Polyimide Substrate, Stress Balance, Spray-On Polyimide, Imm, Thin Solar Cell, Blanket, Interconnect, Encapsulate
