Giovanna Laudisio

High-efficiency lead-free silver pastes for crystalline silicon solar cells

Lead-free n-type contacting photovoltaic pastes have historically lagged behind their lead-containing counter-parts in efficiency performance. The industry almost exclusively uses front-side silver pastes that rely on lead-containing frits to achieve good SiNx anti-reflective coating (ARC) etching and low contact resistance. Research into lead-free frit chemistry has been a lower priority due to regulatory allowances for lead and, as a result, there is a lack of market pull for lead-free pastes and modules. Nevertheless, there is a need to find a sustainable replacement for lead, and thus we have been continuously improving our lead-free offerings. We have developed high-efficiency lead-free pastes with superior line conductivity and contact resistance compared to an industry-leading lead-containing paste.