Solar cell device and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

A solar cell device including an electrode formed by applying a conductive paste containing at least a conductive powder, glass frit and an organic vehicle onto a semiconductor substrate provided with a silicon nitride layer on a surface thereof and firing the applied conductive paste, wherein the electrode has a structure with a front electrode layer containing silver as a main component, a glass layer containing tellurium glass as a main component, and a silicon oxide layer containing plural silver particles precipitated by the firing. The solar cell device is provided with an electrode formed using a conductive paste not containing lead glass and has good solar cell characteristics.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A solar cell device including an electrode formed by applying a conductive paste comprising at least a conductive powder, a glass frit and an organic vehicle onto a semiconductor substrate provided with a silicon nitride layer on a surface thereof and firing the applied conductive paste, wherein the electrode has a structure comprising a front electrode layer comprising silver as a main component, a glass layer comprising tellurium glass as a main component, and a silicon oxide layer containing silver particles precipitated by the firing. 
     
     
         2 . A solar cell device according to  claim 1 , wherein the conductive powder comprises silver, and the glass frit comprises a tellurium glass frit having 30 to 90 mol % of tellurium oxide. 
     
     
         3 . A solar cell device according to  claim 2 , wherein the tellurium glass frit having at least one of lithium oxide and boron oxide. 
     
     
         4 . A solar cell device according to  claim 2 , wherein the tellurium glass frit having at least one of zinc oxide, bismuth oxide and aluminum oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The solar cell device according to  claim 1 , wherein the silver particles are precipitated near the interface between the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer. 
     
     
         6 . The solar cell device according to  claim 1 , wherein the silver particles are fine particles with a particle size of less than or equal to 100 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The solar cell device according to  claim 2 , wherein the silver particles are fine particles with a particle size of less than or equal to 100 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The solar cell device according to  claim 1 , wherein the conductive paste comprises essentially no lead component. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a solar cell device, comprising forming the electrode described in  claim 1  by applying a conductive paste containing at least a conductive powder comprising silver, tellurium glass frit and an organic vehicle onto a semiconductor substrate provided with a silicon nitride layer on a surface thereof and firing the applied conductive paste.