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
ANGEL FUNDING
January 24, 2022
Bert Thin Films, LLC finalizes a total of $2M in funding to start off 2022. The source of funds includes a $1M angel funding round, which was completed a few months after receiving a $1M grant from the US Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office.
DOE AWARD
August 13, 2021
Bert Thin Films, LLC has been awarded a $1M grant from the US Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. The project goal is to further de-risk the copper based paste technology developed by the team for the photovoltaic industry.
SERIES SEED
March 19, 2019
Bert Thin Films, LLC finalizes a total of $1M in seed funding round with the lead by Queen City Angels. The funding continues the success that the team has built with the development of a copper based paste that can directly replace silver pastes.
NEWS ARCHIVES
May 13, 2014
Bert Thin Films, LLC was formed by Dr. Ruvini Dharmadasa and Dr. Thad Druffel to commercialize a copper paste for the solar energy industry that replaces silver paste. To access more news stories related to Bert Thin Films, LLC click Archives below.
