Cost-effective fabrication of a high-conductivity copper electrode for heterojunction solar cells via laser-induced selective metallization

Abstract

Replacing expensive silver with inexpensive copper for the metallization of silicon wafer solar cells can lead to significant reductions in material costs associated with cell production, but the susceptibility of the Cu material to oxidation remains a challenging issue to solve. In this study, we investigate copper metallization of Indium Tin Oxide surfaces to define copper grid electrodes for heterojunction cells. We propose a novel laser-induced selective metallization (LISM) method to fabricate large-scale copper electrodes for heterojunction solar cells at low cost. This study includes a comprehensive evaluation of the morphological characteristics and electrical properties of the electrodes. The effects of laser parameters on the morphology, composition, size, and conductivity of copper electrodes are investigated. The goal of establishing the process window is to obtain the optimal laser parameters for manufacturing highly conductive copper electrodes. These optimized parameters will then be employed to fabricate high-performance electrodes for solar cells. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the mechanism underlying laser selective metallization is provided. The resulting Cu electrodes exhibit high conductivity and low resistivity of 1.98 × 10−5Ω.cm, demonstrating the potential of this method for efficient and cost-effective solar electrode production.