Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Specific Contact Resistance Measurement of Screen-Printed Ag Metal Contacts Formed on Heavily Doped Emitter Region in Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

  • Published:
Journal of Electronic Materials Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers are widely used to develop low-cost high-efficiency screen-printed solar cells. In this study, the electrical properties of screen-printed Ag metal contacts formed on heavily doped emitter region in mc-Si solar cells have been investigated. Sintering of the screen-printed metal contacts was performed by a co-firing step at 725°C in air ambient followed by low-temperature annealing at 450°C for 15 min. Measurement of the specific contact resistance (ρ c) of the Ag contacts was performed by the three-point probe method, showing a best value of ρ c = 1.02 × 10−4 Ω cm2 obtained for the Ag contacts. This value is considered as a good figure of merit for screen-printed Ag electrodes formed on a doped mc-Si surface. The plot of ρ c versus the inverse of the square root of the surface doping level (N −½s ) follows a linear relationship for impurity doping levels N s ≥ 1019 atoms/cm3. The power losses due to current traveling through various resistive components of finished solar cells were calculated by using standard expressions. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) views of the Ag metal and doped mc-Si region show that the Ag metal is firmly coalesced with the doped mc-Si surface upon sintering at an optimum firing temperature of 725°C.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  1. J.F. Nijs, J. Szlufcik, J. Poortmans, S. Sivoththaman, and R.P. Mertens, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices ED-46, 1948 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  2. D.K. Schroder and D.L. Meier, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices ED-31, 637 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  3. S.M. Sze, The Physics of the Semiconductor Devices, 2nd edn (New York: Wiley, 2002), pp. 3–22.

  4. P.N. Vinod, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 20, 966 (2005).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. H.H. Berger, Solid State Electron. 15, 145 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. C.Y. Chang, Y.K. Fang, and S.M. Sze, Solid State Electron. 14, 541 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. H.C. Card, IEEE Electron Devices ED-23, 539 (1976).

  8. P.N. Vinod, B.C. Chakravarty, R. Kumar, M. Lal, and S.N. Singh, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 16, 285 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  9. G.K. Reeves and H.B. Harrison, Electron. Lett. 18, 1083 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H. El-Omari, J.P. Boyeaux, and A. Laugier, Proceedings of 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Washington DC (New York, IEEE, 1996), p. 585.

  11. S. Silvestre, D. Patron, L. Castener, J. Carter, and P. Ashburn, Proceedings of 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, Washington DC (New York: IEEE, 1996), p. 497.

  12. H.B. Harrison, G.K. Reeves, IEEE Electron Device Lett.. EDL-5, 111 (1982).

  13. J.D. Plummer and P.B. Griffin, Proc. IEEE 89, 240 (2001). doi:10.1109/5.915373.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. G. Schubert, F. Huster, and P. Fath, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 90, 3399 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. P.N. Vinod, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 22, 1248 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. P.N. Vinod, J. Alloy. Compd. 470, 393 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. I.B. Cooper, A. Ebong, B.C. Rounsaville, and A. Rohatgi, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices ED-37, 2872 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  18. P.N. Vinod, Proceedings of 14th International Workshop on the Physics of Semiconductor Devices (IWPSD), Bombay, India (Narosha, 2007), p. 953.

  19. D.L. Meier and D.K. Schroder, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices ED-31, 647 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  20. P.N. Vinod, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 19, 594 (2008).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Thrikkakara P.O., Cochin, 682021, India

    P. Narayanan Vinod

Authors
  1. P. Narayanan Vinod
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Narayanan Vinod.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vinod, P.N. Specific Contact Resistance Measurement of Screen-Printed Ag Metal Contacts Formed on Heavily Doped Emitter Region in Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells. J. Electron. Mater. 42, 2905–2909 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-013-2678-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-013-2678-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation