New Product: DuPont’s Solamet PV412 PV metallization paste handles flexible thin films

Product Briefing Outline: DuPont has introduced its new ‘Solamet’ PV412 photovoltaic (PV) metallization paste, the latest in a line of silver conductor materials specifically developed for thin film PV technologies.  DuPont collaborated with Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (ASTI), a developer of flexible thin-film solar modules, as it developed the new metallization paste.

Problem: The main purpose of the low temperature curing Ag Silver paste is for use as a front side current collector grid and bus bar to reduce the resistive losses due to the relatively low conductivity of the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer used in thin film PV devices.

Solution: Solamet PV412 photovoltaic metallization paste is designed for use on devices where a Transparent Conductive Oxide is utilized.  It is ideal for use with Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS), Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) on flexible substrates, and Heterojunction with intrinsic thin layers (HIT) PV cells, and also suitable for any PV application where a low temperature curing conductor is required.  Key features include fine line printing down to 80um resolution, long screen residence time for robust printer operation, low contact resistance, low gridline resistance, high adhesion to indium tin oxide, and strong compatibility with most transparent conductive oxides.

Applications: Amorphous Silicon (a-Si/) / Microcrystalline Silicon (µuc-Si) – Ag Silver grid & bus bar, Copper Indium Gallium Selenium (CIGS) – Ag Silver grid & bus bar Heterojunction – Ag Silver grid & bus bar, Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) – Carbon ink (back contact)

Platform: Low temperature curing Ag Silver paste

Availability: September 2009 onwards.