Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Panel or array
Reexamination Certificate
1996-07-19
2001-11-20
Nguyen, Nam (Department: 1753)
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Panel or array
C136S259000, C257S433000, C156S285000, C156S286000, C156S311000, C156S312000, C438S007000, C438S010000, C438S118000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320115
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved, highly reliable semiconductor device and a process for the production of said semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved, highly reliable semiconductor device having a photoelectric conversion element sealed therein, specifically, an improved, highly reliable solar cell module having a sealing resin and a process for the production of said semiconductor device or solar cell module.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, societal consciousness of the problems relating to the environment and energy has been increasing all over the world. Particularly, heating of the earth because of the so-called greenhouse effect due to an increase of atmospheric CO
2
has been predicted to cause a serious problem. In view of this, there is an increased demand for a means of power generation capable of providing clean energy without causing CO
2
buildup.
Now, public attention has been focused on solar cells in order to meet such demand, because they can supply electric power without causing such a problem as above mentioned and are expected to be a future power generation source, and they are safe and easy to handle.
In order to use such a solar cell as a power generation source, it is usually designed into a module in a desired configuration which can be used as the power generation source.
In
FIG. 1
, there is shown an example of such solar cell module.
FIG. 1
is a schematic cross-sectional view of the solar cell module. In
FIG. 1
, reference numeral
101
indicates a photovoltaic element (or a photoelectric conversion element), reference numeral
102
a sealing resin (that is, a filler resin), reference numeral
103
a transparent surface protective member, and reference numeral
104
a back face protective member.
As the surface protective member
103
, a glass member most often has been used.
Now, in recent years, public attention has been focused on solar cell modules having a so-called thin film solar cell such as an amorphous silicon solar cell in which no glass member is used because they have various advantages such that they are light weight and excel in shock resistance and flexibility and they can be produced at a low cost.
In these solar cell modules, the surface protective member
103
to cover the light incident side of the photovoltaic element
101
usually comprises a transparent film excelling in weatherability, such as a fluororesin film. The back face protective member
104
covering the rear side of the photovoltaic element
101
usually comprises a resin film having an excellent insulating property, such as nylon film, polyester film, or the like. In the case where the back face protective member
104
is required to have moisture resistance and weatherability in addition to the insulating property, it usually comprises an aluminum foil sandwiched with TEDLAR (trademark name).
The sealing resin
102
serves as an adhesive between the photovoltaic element
101
and the surface protective member
103
and also as an adhesive between the photovoltaic element and the back face protective member
104
. In addition to this, the sealing resin
102
also serves as a filler for filling irregularities at the surface of the photovoltaic element
101
and for preventing the photovoltaic element from being externally damaged and from suffering from external shocks. The sealing resin
102
is usually constituted by a transparent thermoplastic resin such as polyvinyl butyral resin (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). Of these thermoplastic resins, EVA has been widely used because the use thereof as the sealing resin
102
is advantageous in that it is inexpensive and easy to handle, its heat resistance can be improved by way of crosslinking, and it is highly durable against outdoor use over a long period of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The production of a semiconductor device (that is, a solar cell module) having the above described configuration shown in
FIG. 1
using EVA as the sealing resin
102
can be conducted in a manner of providing a stacked body comprising EVA as the sealing resin
102
and a photovoltaic element
101
which are interposed between a surface protective member
103
and a back face protective member
104
and subjecting the stacked body to thermocompression treatment using a laminator of a double vacuum chamber system (hereinafter referred to as double vacuum chambered laminator).
FIG. 2
is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of such double vacuum chambered laminator. In
FIG. 2
, reference numeral
201
indicates a lower chamber, reference numeral
202
an upper chamber, and reference numeral
203
a flexible member comprising a silicone rubber sheet which is hermetically sealingly provided between the lower chamber
201
and the upper chamber
202
so as to isolate one from the other. The lower chamber
201
contains a metal mounting table
204
installed therein. The mounting table
204
is provided with an electric heater
205
installed therein. The lower chamber
201
is provided with an exhaust pipe
206
which is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). The upper chamber
202
is provided with an exhaust pipe
207
which is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). Reference numeral
208
indicates an O-ring disposed between the lower chamber
201
and the upper chamber
202
. Reference numeral
209
indicates an object to be treated which is positioned on the mounting table
204
. The mounting table
204
is also provided with a cooling system (not shown) through which a cooling medium such as cooling water is circulated in order to cool the object
209
.
Description will now be made of a manner of treating the above described stacked body using the laminator shown in
FIG. 2
to produce a solar cell module while using a crosslinking type EVA as the sealing resin
102
.
First, the stacked body as the object
209
to be treated is positioned on the mounting table
204
of the lower chamber
201
. Thereafter, the interior of each of the lower chamber
201
and the upper chamber
202
is exhausted to a predetermined vacuum through the exhaust pipes
206
and
207
by operating the vacuum pump (not shown). Successively, the stacked body
209
is heated to a predetermined temperature at which the EVA as the sealing resin
102
can be fused without being crosslinked, by means of the electric heater
205
. Then, while continuing the evacuation of the lower chamber
201
, only the pressure of the interior of the upper chamber
202
is returned to atmospheric pressure, wherein the flexible member
203
(the silicone rubber sheet) is sagged toward the lower chamber
201
side to compress the stacked body. Thereafter, the stacked body
209
is heated to and maintained at a predetermined temperature at which the EVA as the sealing resin
102
can be crosslinked by means of the electric heater
205
. The stacked body
209
thus treated is cooled to a predetermined temperature by means of a cooling system (not shown), and it is taken out of the laminator. By this procedure, there can be obtained a solar cell module.
A semiconductor device (that is, a solar cell module) having the above described configuration shown in
FIG. 1
using a crosslinking type EVA as the sealing resin
102
can also be produced using a laminator of a single vacuum chamber system (hereinafter referred to as single vacuum chambered laminator).
FIG. 3
is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of such single vacuum chambered laminator. The laminator shown in
FIG. 3
comprises a mounting table
301
made of a metal which is provided with an exhaust system
304
which is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). The mounting table
301
is provided with an electric heater
303
installed therein. Reference numeral
302
indicates a flexible member comprising a silicone rubber sheet which is disposed above the mounting table
301
such that a space is established between the surface of the mounting table
301
and the flexi
Kataoka Ichiro
Komori Ayako
Mori Takahiro
Shiotsuka Hidenori
Yamada Satoru
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Nguyen Nam
Ver Steeg Steven H.
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