GLASS COMPOSITIONS USED IN CONDUCTORS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS

• US 20110146776A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Laudisio, Giovanna, Laughlin, Brian J., Carroll, Alan Frederick, Hang, Kenneth Warren
• Granted Patent: US 8,252,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/06 containing halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/18 containing free metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/16 the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/22 the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

The invention relates to glass compositions useful in conductive pastes for silicon semiconductor devices and photovoltaic cells.

Claims

1. A composition comprising:

(a) one or more conductive materials;

(b) one or more glass frits, wherein at least one of the glass frits comprises;

SiO₂;

B₂O₃;

Bi₂O₃;

CeO₂ 0.1-3 wt %;

F 1-10 wt %; and

Na+Li+K 1-3 wt %; and

(c) organic medium.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of the glass frits further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of:

Ca, CaO, Mg, MgO, Sr, SrO, Ba, and BaO.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the CeO₂ is at 0.75-2.5 wt %

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of the glass frits further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of:

ZnO, TiO₂, Ta₂O₅, Nb₂O₅, and ZrO₂.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises Ag.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the glass frits are 4-8 wt % of the total composition.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the conductive materials are 75-85 wt % of the total composition.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the Na is selected from:

NaO, Na2F, and mixtures thereof;

wherein the Li is selected from;

Li2O, LiF, and mixtures thereof; and

wherein the K is selected from;

K2O, KF, and mixtures thereof.

10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a semiconductor substrate, one or more insulating films, and the composition of claim 1;

(b) applying the insulating film to the semiconductor substrate,

(c) applying the thick film composition to the insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, and

(d) firing the semiconductor, insulating film and thick film composition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the insulating film comprises one or more components selected from:

titanium oxide, silicon nitride, SiNx;

H, silicon oxide, and silicon oxide/titanium oxide.

12. A semiconductor device made by the method of claim 10.

13. A semiconductor device comprising an electrode, wherein the electrode, prior to firing, comprises the composition of claim 1.

14. A solar cell comprising the semiconductor device of claim 13.

8. A composition comprising:

(a) one or more conductive materials;

(b) one or more glass frits, wherein at least one of the glass frits comprises;

SiO₂ 2.5-8 wt %;

B₂O₃ 3-10 wt %;

Bi₂O₃ 25-80 wt %;

CeO₂ 0.1-3 wt %;

F 1-10 wt %; and

Na+Li+K 1-3 wt %; and

(c) organic medium.

15. A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film, and a front-side electrode, wherein the front-side electrode comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of zinc-silicate, willemite, and bismuth silicates.