Basic study on the influence of glass composition and aluminum content on the Ag/Al paste contact formation to boron emitters

In this study, the contact formation of aluminum containing silver metallization pastes for boron emitters was investigated. Model pastes with varied glass composition (PbO-containing and PbO-free) and Al content were prepared. It was found, that glass viscosity as well as Al content have a strong influence on densification behavior of the pastes. The most significant effect of the aluminum addition is the change of the thermodynamic conditions in the system silver-glass-silicon. For investigations of the contact formation an in-situ-contact resistance measurement was performed. The interface morphology of the pastes in dependence on the firing temperature was investigated by means of cross section samples in SEM and EDX. Finally, n-type Si solar cells were electrically characterized and the IV-data were correlated to the interface morphology. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.