Study of Carrier Transport in Silver Paste Metallized Silicon Solar Cells

AbstractFormation of electrical contacts by printing silver (Ag) paste on silicon (Si) solar cells and subsequent sintering is widely used because it is a low-cost and high-throughput process. However, due to the complicated interfacial compositions and structures between the Ag and Si emitter, current transport through the interface is not well understood. Currently, there are two main current transport models in the literature which include the direct-contact model of Ag crystallites contacting the tips of Si pyramids, and the Ag-insulator (thin interfacial glass)-Si (MIS) model, where Ag nanoparticles can assist tunneling through the insulator. Here, we present experimental evidence to further examine both contact mechanisms on p-type solar cells. The results obtained support the presence of both contact models in optimally fired devices