# US 9,039,940 B2 · Conductive paste and electronic device, and solar cell including an electrode formed using the conductive paste

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- Number: US 9,039,940 B2
- Document ID: US9039940B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/416,260
- Filed: 2012-03-09
- Published: 2012-09-27
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-25
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Suk Jun Kim; Eun Sung Lee; Se Yun Kim; Sang Soo Jee; Jeong Na Heo
- Inventors: Suk Jun Kim; Eun Sung Lee; Se Yun Kim; Sang Soo Jee; Jeong Na Heo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039940B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/211: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H01B 1/22: the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A conductive paste may include a conductive component and an organic vehicle. The conductive component may include an amorphous metal. The amorphous metal may have a lower resistivity after a crystallization process than before the crystallization process, and at least one of a weight gain of about 4 mg/cm2 or less and a thickness increase of about 30 μm or less after being heated in a process furnace at a firing temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conductive paste comprising:
a conductive component including an amorphous metal, the amorphous metal having a lower resistivity after a crystallization process than before the crystallization process, and at least one of a weight gain of about 4 mg/cm2 or less and a thickness increase of about 30 μm or less after being heated in a process furnace at a firing temperature; and
an organic vehicle, wherein the resistivity of the amorphous metal is lower by about 34% or more after the crystallization process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the resistivity of the amorphous metal is lower by about 59% to about 99% after the crystallization process.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The conductive paste of claim 2, wherein the amorphous metal comprises Al86Ni8Y6, Al84.5Ni5.5Y10, Al86Ni6CO2Y6, Al87Y7Fe5Ti1, Al88Y7Fe5, Al86Ni6Co2Y6, Al87Y7Fe5Ti1, Al88Y7Fe5, Al86La5Ni9, Al86La6Ni8, Al85La6Ni9, Al85La5Ni10, Al85.5Ni9.5La5, Ni59Zr20Ti21, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the amorphous metal is crystallized by a heat treatment in a process furnace at a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to about 800° C. and exposure to air.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the weight gain of the amorphous metal ranges from about 0.0001 mg/cm2 to about 4 mg/cm2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the firing temperature ranges from about 300° C. to about 1,000° C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the at least one of weight gain and thickness increase of the amorphous metal is measured when the conductive paste is heat-treated from room temperature up to the firing temperature at a speed of about 40K/min or more.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the thickness increase of the amorphous metal is equal to the thickness of an oxide layer of the amorphous metal when the conductive paste is heated up to the firing temperature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the amorphous metal includes at least one of aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zirconium (Zr), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), tantalum (Ta), magnesium (Mg), lanthanum (La), niobium (Nb), lead (Pb), neodymium (Nd), gadolinium (Gd), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), ytterbium (Yb), cerium (Ce), sodium (Na), barium (Ba), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), lithium (Li), mercury (Hg), hafnium (Hf), antimony (Sb), cadmium (Cd), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), tungsten (W), vanadium (V), arsenic (As), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), manganese (Mn), technetium (Tc), beryllium (Be), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), osmium (Os), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Re), molybdenum (Mo), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), carbon (C), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and boron (B).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the amorphous metal is included in the conductive component in an amount of about 5 wt % to about 100 wt % based on a total wt % of the conductive component.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein the conductive component further includes a metal powder.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The conductive paste of claim 11, wherein the metal powder includes at least one of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni).

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The conductive paste of claim 11, wherein the amorphous metal and the metal powder are included in amounts of about 5 wt % to about 95 wt %, respectively, based on a total wt % of the conductive component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The conductive paste of claim 1, further comprising a binder.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The conductive paste of claim 14, wherein the binder includes at least one of glass frit and metallic glass.

### Claim 16

An electronic device comprising:
an electrode including a fired conductive paste, the fired conductive paste including a conductive component,
wherein the conductive component includes an amorphous metal having a lower resistivity after a crystallization process than before the crystallization process, and at least one of a weight gain of about 4 mg/cm2 or less and a thickness increase of about 30 μm or less after being heated in a process furnace at a firing temperature, and
wherein the resistivity of the amorphous metal is lower by about 34% or more after the crystallization process.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the resistivity of the amorphous metal is lower by about 59% to about 99% after the crystallization process.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the amorphous metal comprises Al86Ni8Y6, Al84.5Ni5.5Y10, Al86Ni6CO2Y6, Al87Y7Fe5Ti1, Al88Y7Fe5, Al86Ni6Co2Y6, Al87Y7Fe5Ti1, Al88Y7Fe5, Al86La5Ni9, Al86La6Ni8, Al85La6Ni9, Al85La5Ni10, Al85.5Ni9.5La5, Ni59Zr20Ti21, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the amorphous metal includes at least one of aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zirconium (Zr), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), tantalum (Ta), magnesium (Mg), lanthanum (La), niobium (Nb), lead (Pb), neodymium (Nd), gadolinium (Gd), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), ytterbium (Yb), cerium (Ce), sodium (Na), barium (Ba), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), lithium (Li), mercury (Hg), hafnium (Hf), antimony (Sb), cadmium (Cd), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), tungsten (W), vanadium (V), arsenic (As), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), manganese (Mn), technetium (Tc), beryllium (Be), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), osmium (Os), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Re), molybdenum (Mo), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), carbon (C), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and boron (B).

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the conductive component further includes a metal powder.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the metal powder includes at least one of silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and nickel (Ni).

### Claim 22

A solar cell comprising:
a semiconductor layer; and
an electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, the electrode including a fired conductive paste that includes a conductive component,
wherein the conductive component includes an amorphous metal having a lower resistivity after a crystallization process than before the crystallization process, and at least one of a weight gain of about 4 mg/cm2 or less and a thickness increase of about 30 μm or less after being heated in a process furnace at a firing temperature, and
wherein the resistivity of the amorphous metal is lower by about 34% or more after the crystallization process.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The solar cell of claim 22, wherein the resistivity of the amorphous metal is lower by about 59% to about 99% after the crystallization process.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The solar cell of claim 23, wherein the amorphous metal comprises Al86Ni8Y6, Al84.5Ni5.5Y10, Al86Ni6CO2Y6, Al87Y7Fe5Ti1, Al88Y7Fe5, Al86Ni6Co2Y6, Al87Y7Fe5Ti1, Al88Y7Fe5, Al86La5Ni9, Al86La6Ni8, Al85La6Ni9, Al85La5Ni10, Al85.5Ni9.5La5, Ni59Zr20Ti21, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The solar cell of claim 22, wherein the amorphous metal includes at least one of aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zirconium (Zr), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), cobalt (Co), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), tantalum (Ta), magnesium (Mg), lanthanum (La), niobium (Nb), lead (Pb), neodymium (Nd), gadolinium (Gd), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), ytterbium (Yb), cerium (Ce), sodium (Na), barium (Ba), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), lithium (Li), mercury (Hg), hafnium (Hf), antimony (Sb), cadmium (Cd), indium (In), bismuth (Bi), tungsten (W), vanadium (V), arsenic (As), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), manganese (Mn), technetium (Tc), beryllium (Be), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), osmium (Os), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Re), molybdenum (Mo), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), carbon (C), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and boron (B).

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The solar cell of claim 22, wherein the amorphous metal is included in the conductive component in an amount of about 5 wt % to about 100 wt % based on a total wt % of the conductive component.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The solar cell of claim 22, wherein the conductive component further includes a metal powder.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The solar cell of claim 27, wherein the amorphous metal and the metal powder are included in amounts of about 5 wt % to about 95 wt %, respectively, based on a total wt % of the conductive component.

### Claim 29 (depends on 22)

The solar cell of claim 22, further comprising:
a buffer layer on a first region of the semiconductor layer,
wherein the electrode is on a second region of the semiconductor layer different from the first region.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The solar cell of claim 29, wherein the buffer layer includes at least one of a fired product of glass frit and metallic glass.