Mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in the Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells

Kyoung Kook Hong; Sung Bin Cho; Jae Sung You; Ji Weon Jeong; Seung Mook Bea; Joo Youl Huh

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2008.10.021

Mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in the Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells

Kyoung Kook Hong
, Sung Bin Cho
, Jae Sung You
, Ji Weon Jeong
, Seung Mook Bea
, Joo Youl Huh^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

166 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study examined the interfacial reactions between various Ag pastes and (100) Si wafers with and without an SiN_x layer during firing at 800 °C for extended times in order to better understand the mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells. The results showed that, in contrast to the model proposed previously, the Ag crystallites were formed by a direct reaction between Ag⁺ ions dissolved in the glass frit and the Si wafer without an aid of liquid-Pb formation. The redox reactions between PbO and Si as well as between PbO and SiN_x were suppressed by adding a few weight percent of Ag powder into the glass frit. The size and distribution of the inverted pyramidal Ag crystallites formed at the glass/Si interface were found to depend critically on the PbO content in the glass frit. The role of PbO in Ag crystallite formation was discussed in terms of the solubility of Ag and the viscosity of the glass frit at the firing temperature.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	898-904
Number of pages	7
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	93
Issue number	6-7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2008.10.021
Publication status	Published - 2009 Jun

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by New & Renewable Energy R&D program (2006-N-PV12-P-01) under the Korea Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE).

Keywords

Ag crystallite
Crystalline Si solar cell
Glass frit
Redox reaction
Thick-film Ag contact

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Surfaces, Coatings and Films

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.solmat.2008.10.021

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title = "Mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in the Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells",

abstract = "This study examined the interfacial reactions between various Ag pastes and (100) Si wafers with and without an SiNx layer during firing at 800 °C for extended times in order to better understand the mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells. The results showed that, in contrast to the model proposed previously, the Ag crystallites were formed by a direct reaction between Ag+ ions dissolved in the glass frit and the Si wafer without an aid of liquid-Pb formation. The redox reactions between PbO and Si as well as between PbO and SiNx were suppressed by adding a few weight percent of Ag powder into the glass frit. The size and distribution of the inverted pyramidal Ag crystallites formed at the glass/Si interface were found to depend critically on the PbO content in the glass frit. The role of PbO in Ag crystallite formation was discussed in terms of the solubility of Ag and the viscosity of the glass frit at the firing temperature.",

keywords = "Ag crystallite, Crystalline Si solar cell, Glass frit, Redox reaction, Thick-film Ag contact",

author = "Hong, \{Kyoung Kook\} and Cho, \{Sung Bin\} and You, \{Jae Sung\} and Jeong, \{Ji Weon\} and Bea, \{Seung Mook\} and Huh, \{Joo Youl\}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by New \& Renewable Energy R\&D program (2006-N-PV12-P-01) under the Korea Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE).",

year = "2009",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2008.10.021",

language = "English",

volume = "93",

pages = "898--904",

journal = "Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells",

issn = "0927-0248",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "6-7",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in the Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells

AU - Hong, Kyoung Kook

AU - Cho, Sung Bin

AU - You, Jae Sung

AU - Jeong, Ji Weon

AU - Bea, Seung Mook

AU - Huh, Joo Youl

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by New & Renewable Energy R&D program (2006-N-PV12-P-01) under the Korea Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE).

PY - 2009/6

Y1 - 2009/6

N2 - This study examined the interfacial reactions between various Ag pastes and (100) Si wafers with and without an SiNx layer during firing at 800 °C for extended times in order to better understand the mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells. The results showed that, in contrast to the model proposed previously, the Ag crystallites were formed by a direct reaction between Ag+ ions dissolved in the glass frit and the Si wafer without an aid of liquid-Pb formation. The redox reactions between PbO and Si as well as between PbO and SiNx were suppressed by adding a few weight percent of Ag powder into the glass frit. The size and distribution of the inverted pyramidal Ag crystallites formed at the glass/Si interface were found to depend critically on the PbO content in the glass frit. The role of PbO in Ag crystallite formation was discussed in terms of the solubility of Ag and the viscosity of the glass frit at the firing temperature.

AB - This study examined the interfacial reactions between various Ag pastes and (100) Si wafers with and without an SiNx layer during firing at 800 °C for extended times in order to better understand the mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells. The results showed that, in contrast to the model proposed previously, the Ag crystallites were formed by a direct reaction between Ag+ ions dissolved in the glass frit and the Si wafer without an aid of liquid-Pb formation. The redox reactions between PbO and Si as well as between PbO and SiNx were suppressed by adding a few weight percent of Ag powder into the glass frit. The size and distribution of the inverted pyramidal Ag crystallites formed at the glass/Si interface were found to depend critically on the PbO content in the glass frit. The role of PbO in Ag crystallite formation was discussed in terms of the solubility of Ag and the viscosity of the glass frit at the firing temperature.

KW - Ag crystallite

KW - Crystalline Si solar cell

KW - Glass frit

KW - Redox reaction

KW - Thick-film Ag contact

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DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2008.10.021

M3 - Article

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JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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IS - 6-7

ER -

Mechanism for the formation of Ag crystallites in the Ag thick-film contacts of crystalline Si solar cells

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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