High voltage photovoltaic mini-modules

This work describes the design, simulation, fabrication process, and characterization of high voltage photovoltaic mini-modules using silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers. The mini-modules are made of a number of small area photovoltaic cells (<1 mm(2)) monolithically connected in series. Isolation between cells is performed by means of anisotropic etching of the active layer of the SOI wafer. Measurements using standard sunlight (AM1.5 100 mW/cm(2)) confirm the viability of this technology to fabricate small area arrays showing open circuit voltages, V-oc, between 620 mV and 660 mV and photocurrent densities tip to 22.3 mA/cm(2) for single cells of 0.225 mm(2) area and 10 mu m active film thickness. Series connection scales up Voc and the maximum power, P-m, from 625 in V and 21.2 mu W respectively, in a single cell to 103 V and 3.2 mW when 169 cells are connected in series in a 0.42 cm(2) module total area. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.