Element and photovoltaic cell

Abstract

The invention provides an element including a semiconductor substrate and an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the electrode being a sintered product of a composition for an electrode that includes phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles, glass particles and a dispersing medium, and the electrode includes a line-shaped electrode having an aspect ratio, which is defined as electrode short length : electrode height, of from 2:1 to 250:1.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A photovoltaic cell element, comprising a semiconductor substrate and an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the electrode being a sintered product of a composition for an electrode that comprises phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles, glass particles and a dispersing medium, and the electrode comprising a line-shaped electrode having an aspect ratio, which is defined as electrode short length : electrode height, of from 2:1 to 250:1,
 wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises an impurity diffusion layer and the electrode is disposed on the impurity diffusion layer.   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic cell element according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of phosphorus in the phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles is 6 mass % or more. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic cell element according to  claim 1 , wherein the content of phosphorus in the phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles is from 6 mass % to 8 mass %. 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic cell element according to  claim 1 , wherein the glass particles have a glass softening point of 600° C. or less and a crystallization onset temperature of more than 600° C. 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic cell element according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition for an electrode further comprises silver particles. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic cell element according to  claim 5 , wherein the content of the silver particles is from 5 mass % to 65 mass % when the total content of the phosphorous-containing copper alloy particles and the silver particles is 100 mass %. 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic cell element according to  claim 5 , wherein the total content of the phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles and the silver particles in the composition for an electrode is from 70 mass % to 94 mass %, the content of the glass particles in the composition for an electrode is from 0.1 mass % to 10 mass %, and the content of the dispersing medium in the composition for an electrode is from 3 mass % to 29.9 mass %. 
     
     
         8 . A photovoltaic cell comprising the photovoltaic element according to  claim 1 , and a tab line disposed on the electrode of the photovoltaic cell element. 
     
     
         9 . A method of producing an element comprising a semiconductor substrate and an electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the electrode comprising a line-shaped electrode having an aspect ratio, which is defined as electrode short length:electrode height, of from 2:1 to 250:1,
 the method comprising sintering a composition for an electrode that comprises phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles, glass particles and a dispersing medium.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the content of phosphorus in the phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles is 6 mass % or more. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the content of phosphorus in the phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles is from 6 mass % to 8 mass %. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the glass particles have a glass softening point of 600° C. or less and a crystallization onset temperature of more than 600° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the composition for an electrode further comprises silver particles. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the content of the silver particles is from 5 mass % to 65 mass % when the total content of the phosphorous-containing copper alloy particles and the silver particles is 100 mass %. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the total content of the phosphorus-containing copper alloy particles and the silver particles in the composition for an electrode is from 70 mass % to 94 mass %, the content of the glass particles in the composition for an electrode is from 0.1 mass % to 10 mass %, and the content of the dispersing medium in the composition for an electrode is from 3 mass % to 29.9 mass %.