Firing furnace for firing electrode of solar cell element, method for manufacturing solar cell element, and solar cell element

Abstract

Disclosed is a firing furnace for firing an electrode of a solar cell element, which is provided with: a transfer member, which transfers a substrate having a conductive paste applied thereto; a heating section, which heats the substrate and fires the conductive paste; and a cooling section, which cools the heated substrate. The furnace is also provided with a heating means for heating the transfer member. Specifically, at the time of firing the electrode paste using the wire-type firing furnace, since a wire is fired at a temperature substantially equivalent to the ambient temperature of the heating section, deterioration of yield due to having the electrode damaged by a deposited material of the metal component of the conductive paste is suppressed, said deposited material being deposited on the wire, and the wire-type firing furnace can be continuously used.

1 . A furnace for firing electrodes on a solar cell device, comprising a transport member for transporting a substrate having a conductive paste applied thereto, a heating zone for heating the substrate to fire the conductive paste, and a cooling zone for cooling the heated substrate, the furnace further comprising a means for heating the transport member. 
     
     
         2 . The firing furnace of  claim 1  wherein the temperature difference between the heating zone atmosphere and the transport member is 0 to 200° C. 
     
     
         3 . The firing furnace of  claim 1  wherein the transport member comprises at least two wires extended for parallel and horizontal motion in a longitudinal direction of the furnace wherein the substrate is transported by the wires while it is rested thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The firing furnace of  claim 1  wherein the transport member is of the walking beam system. 
     
     
         5 . The firing furnace of  claim 1  wherein the means for heating the transport member is an electrical means. 
     
     
         6 . A method for manufacturing a solar cell device, comprising the steps of forming a pn junction in a semiconductor substrate, applying a conductive paste to a light-receiving surface and non-light-receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate, and firing the conductive paste to form power-extracting electrodes,
 the step of firing the conductive paste being performed in the firing furnace of any one of  claims 1  to  5 .   
     
     
         7 . A solar cell device obtained by the method of  claim 6 .