Open AccessA Crystalline Metallic Copper Network Application Film Produced by High-Temperature Atmospheric Sintering
Author(s) -
Takahiko Kato,
Shuichiro Adachi,
Takuya Aoyagi,
Takashi Naito,
Hiroki Yamamoto,
Takeshi Nojiri,
Masato Yoshida
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
ieee journal of photovoltaics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.023
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 2156-3403
pISSN - 2156-3381
DOI - 10.1109/jphotov.2012.2188018
Subject(s) - photonics and electrooptics
We show the first production of a copper (Cu) application film (AF) consisting of a novel network of crystalline metallic Cu embedded with copper-phosphorus-oxygen glasses (Cu 2(PO4) and Cu 2P2O 7) to provide new feedstock materials for crystalline silicon (Si) photovoltaics (PVs). The Cu crystal network was preferentially grown in AF, and thus, a Cu AF with low-electrical resistivity was formed in air at elevated temperatures of ≥ 450°C by using a copper-phosphorus (Cu-P) alloy paste as a starting material for the sintering. The Cu-P alloy had the role that governed deoxidization of a cuprous oxide, which was formed on heating during the sintering, by virtue of a concurrent oxidation of the Cu phosphide at elevated temperatures. Our results may open the way to the widespread use of atmospherically sintered Cu AFs for mass-production of next-generation crystalline Si PVs.