Investigation on Low Firing Copper for Front Electrode of Si-Based Solar Cell Applications

Solar cell is one of the most popular alternative energies. The aim of this study is to construct an ohmic contact between front electrode and Si-based solar cell by a Newly-invented low-cost paste and low temperature sintering process. The core-shell of CucoreAgshell powders were prepared for making high solid content paste, then screen printing the fine line on laser-opening H-pattern silicon substrate and applying firing process. Because the silver coverage is more than 95% and silver nanoparticles start to melt at 200 °C. The shell of nanoparticles of silver not only is used to prevent copper from oxidized, but also connected core Cu particles for enhancing the conductivity of CucoreAgshell. TEM, EDS, SEM were used to examine the microstructure of CucoreAgshell. Fourpoint probe and transmission line model were employed to analyze the sheet resistance and the specific contact resistance. The lowest specific contact resistivity is 0.005 Ωcm2, sheet resistance is 0.0138 Ω/ and the lowest resistivity of front electrode measured is 2.65 × 10-5 Ωcm when CucoreAgshell paste with 94 wt% solid content was fired at 550 °C.