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Relation of silver electrode solderability to intermetallic compound growth rate

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Abstract

The reliability of crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic modules has a strong dependence on the silver (Ag) electrode solderability. To achieve desirable soldering, the reaction that occurs between Ag electrode and solder (Sn/Pb alloy) need to be comprehensively understood and elaborately controlled. In this article, the correlation of Ag electrode soldering states with intermetallic compound (Ag3Sn) growth was discussed. It was found that the reaction dynamics of Ag electrode and solder was closely associated with the glass frit in Ag paste. Here taken for exemplification were three kinds of V–B–Si oxide glass frit, which led to diverse soldering states for the Ag electrode, e.g. inveracious soldering, appropriate soldering and over-soldering, owing to their different affection on the Ag3Sn growth rate. The effect of glass frit on the Ag3Sn growth was addressed from the aspects of glass phase transition temperature, distribution of glass phase in electrode, and reaction between glass and solder. In addition, it was also demonstrated that the amount of glass frit added in Ag paste might impose significant affection on the solderability of the sintered electrode.

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Acknowledgements

This study was partly supported by the Shanghai Science and Technology Committee Project [Number 17DZ1201102]. We also acknowledge the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Number 51202272] and Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission [Grant Number 16DZ2260600].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China

    Jiefeng Zhang, Guoqing Li, Xiao Yuan, Hua Zhao, Yunxia Yang, Hongbo Li & Hua Tong

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  1. Jiefeng Zhang
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  2. Guoqing Li
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  3. Xiao Yuan
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  4. Hua Zhao
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  5. Yunxia Yang
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  6. Hongbo Li
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  7. Hua Tong
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Correspondence to Xiao Yuan or Hua Tong.

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Zhang, J., Li, G., Yuan, X. et al. Relation of silver electrode solderability to intermetallic compound growth rate. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 30, 7209–7215 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-019-00972-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-019-00972-3

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