Laser-assisted solar cell metallization processing

Laser assisted processing techniques, utilized to produce fine, metal grid patterns for high efficiency solar cells, were developed. It is found that laser assisted pyrolysis of spun on silver neodecanoate is the most promising of all the metallization techniques investigated. Early adhesion problems were solved by optimizing deposition parameters. Linewidth studies were carried out as a function of laser power, scan speed, and film thickness. Preliminary solar cells were fabricated and characterized using this metallization scheme. Silver neodecanoate films were decomposed of a pulsed UV laser and metal mask. The various models of localizing surface temperature rise in silicon due to laser heating were studied. The study and calculations of the silicon temperature rise resulting in decomposition of the spun on silver neodecanoate are presented.