| abstract |
Photovoltaic devices comprised of one or more encapsulated slabs of photovoltaic material are prepared by a process wherein a large area body of photovoltaic material is divided into a plurality of slabs. A photoactive area is defined within each slab, and defects therein passivated. Current collecting structures are affixed to each slab, and if the device includes a plurality of slabs, they are electrically interconnected. The front surfaces of the slabs are laminated with a transparent protective material, and the rear surfaces are bonded to a support plate. Also disclosed herein is a particular configuration of bus bar tape for interconnecting the slabs and an apparatus for preparing the current collecting wires. |