Plug and Play Copper Pastes
BERT THIN FILMS
Plug and Play Copper Pastes
ABOUT OUR TECHNOLOGY
Revolutionizing the Solar Industry
The team at Bert Thin Films believes that solar energy should be affordable for everyone.
Challenge
A solar cell includes a metal pattern to collect and conduct the electricity generated from the silicon. This metal is silver, which is expensive and in high demand.
The silver is printed using simple screen printing processes and fired in high speed belt furnaces, processes that have been implemented for decades.
Others have attempted to replace the silver conductor with copper, which is far more abundant and less expensive, but their solutions have required introducing additional steps to the manufacturing processes and thus added expenses that offset the benefits of their copper paste.
Bert Thin Film's Solution
The team at Bert Thin Films has invented and patented a unique copper paste, CuBert™, which is used as a direct substitute for the silver paste in the manufacturing process.
CuBert™ is printed and fired in the same manner as the silver paste; using the same screen-printing equipment and belt furnaces in use today by solar panel manufacturers.
CuBert™ is a direct plug-and-play replacement for the silver paste in the existing manufacturing process, so the cost benefits of the copper conductor can be fully and immediately realized by the manufacturers. And there is plenty to supply the expected industry growth.
COPPER
FORMULATING
COPPER PASTE
Far cheaper than silver
Same methods as silver pastes
Simple plug and play
Front Side Copper Metallization Paste
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Screen printable using industry standard screens and printers
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Fired in air using industry standard belt furnaces
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Does not require an inert atmosphere
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Demonstrated on several architectures
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Can be formulated for specific design
CuBert™ is a lower cost paste requiring no process changes
BERT THIN FILMS TEAM
NEWS
DURAMAT
FUNDING
2023 April
BTF has been awarded a $500K grant from the DuraMAT Consortium. The project solidifies the team with expertise from the National Lab and University researchers to develop accelerated aging tests that explore the impact of diffusion, oxidation, and encapsulant degradation mechanisms.
