A solar array having solar cells arranged in parallel strings at the front side of a supporting substrate with the corresponding cells in the several strings arranged in rows transverse to the strings. Each cell has a rear contact surface facing and exposed through an opening in the substrate and front contact and light sensitive surfaces. The cells in each cell string are connected in electrical series by series interconnectors, each passing between a pair of adjacent cells and through the substrate. Each interconnector is electrically joined at its front end to the front contact surface of the adjacent cell and at its rear end to the rear contact surface of the other adjacent cell through the corresponding substrate opening. The cells in each cell row are connected in electrical parallel by parallel interconnector strips electrically jointed to the rear ends of the corresponding series interconnectors.
A support for a solar cell array includes means for positioning the solar cells and limiting the relative movement of the cells. Integral rib stiffeners are provided as well as at least one integral junction box. The support further includes a perimeter skirt which may be used for connecting modules having the support to each other or to a mounting standard.
A method for interconnecting the body of a solar cell to an adjacent solar cell to form a solar cell array capable of withstanding high temperatures and rugged terrestrial applications, but minimizing the electrical degradation of the peak power output of the solar cells comprises the parallel gap welding of an interconnect metal layer perpendicular to the direction of force applied on the solar cell by the interconnect layer connecting adjacent solar cells wherein the width of the weld perpendicular to the direction of force is greater than the length of the weld.
An interconnect tab on each cell of a first set of circular solar cells connects that cell in series with an adjacent cell in the set. This set of cells is arranged in alternate columns and rows of an array and a second set of similar cells is arranged in the remaining alternate columns and rows of the array. Three interconnect tabs on each solar cell of the said second set are employed to connect the cells of the second set to one another, in series and to connect the cells of the second set to those of the first set in parallel. Some tabs (making parallel connections) connect the same surface regions of adjacent cells to one another and others (making series connections) connect a surface region of one cell to the opposite surface region of an adjacent cell; however, the tabs are so positioned that the array may be easily assembled by depositing the cells in a certain sequence and in proper orientation.
