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BERT THIN FILMS

Plug and Play Copper Pastes

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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.

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COPPER

FORMULATING

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COPPER PASTE

Far cheaper than silver

Same methods as silver pastes

Simple plug and play

Filling paste jar

Front Side Copper Metallization Paste

  • Screen printable using industry standard screens and printers

  • Fired in air using industry standard belt furnaces 

  • Does not require an inert atmosphere

  • Demonstrated on several architectures

  • Can be formulated for specific design

CuBert™ is a lower cost paste requiring no process changes

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BERT THIN FILMS TEAM

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THAD DRUFFEL, PHD, PE

Founder & CEO

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RUVINI DHARMADASA, PHD

Founder & CTO

NEWS

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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.

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CONTACT US

625 Myrtle St.
Louisville, KY 40208

502-738-7001

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