Solar Cell Front Electrode Gravure Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional silicon solar cells face challenges in forming fine patterns for front electrodes using screen-printing, which results in low aspect ratios and increased manufacturing complexity, particularly in forming busbar electrodes with widths larger than 100 μm, necessitating additional processing steps and reducing productivity.
Innovation Solution
The solar cell design incorporates a front electrode with a finger line and busbar electrode formed simultaneously using gravure off-set printing, featuring first and second electrode lines with widths of 100 μm or less, allowing for the simultaneous formation of both components with a high aspect ratio and simplified manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If screen-printing is used to form the front electrode, then the manufacturing process is simple, but it is difficult to achieve fine patterns and high aspect ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the formation of finger lines and busbar electrodes into a single off-set printing process. The printing plate is designed with both finger line patterns and busbar electrode patterns, allowing both to be formed simultaneously in one step, eliminating the need for separate printing operations while achieving fine patterns and high aspect ratios.
2Manufacturing precision
If gravure off-set printing is used to form smaller patterns, then fine patterns can be achieved, but busbar electrodes with width larger than 100 μm cannot be formed, requiring additional processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the formation of both fine finger lines and wider busbar electrodes (100 μm or less) into a single off-set printing operation. The printing plate configuration allows simultaneous deposition of paste for both electrode types in one process step, achieving fine patterns while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adjusts the paste viscosity and printing parameters to enable the off-set printing process to form both fine finger lines and busbar electrodes with widths of 100 μm or less in a single process, optimizing the printing conditions to accommodate the full range of electrode width requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If additional processes are added to form busbar electrodes after finger lines, then busbar electrodes can be formed with correct dimensions, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the formation of finger lines and busbar electrodes into a single off-set printing process. The printing plate is designed with both finger line patterns and busbar electrode patterns, allowing both to be formed simultaneously in one step, eliminating the need for separate printing operations while achieving fine patterns and high aspect ratios.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency of the solar cell by increasing the aspect ratio of the front electrode, improving productivity, and reducing manufacturing costs through the simultaneous formation of finger and busbar electrodes, while maintaining a low void fraction to minimize resistance and maintain high fill factor.
Implementation Method 1
a solar cell is a device converting the solar energy into the electric energy by using a photovoltaic effect
Data Source
AI summary
A solar cell includes a silicon semiconductor substrate; an emitter layer formed on a surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate; an antireflection layer formed on the emitter layer: and a front electrode electrically connected to the emitter layer by penetrating the antireflection layer. The front electrode includes a finger line and a busbar electrode electrically connected to the finger line, and the busbar electrode includes at least a first electrode line and a second electrode line electrically connected to each other. The first and second electrode lines have a width same as or larger than a width of the finger line, and the first and second electrode lines have the width of 100 μm or less.