Patent US4388346A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4388346A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrodes for solid state devices
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1981-11-25
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Granted: 1983-06-14
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Expires: 2001-11-25
Abstract
Abstract Contact electrodes on a semiconductor device (50) such as a photovoltaic solar cell is formed by screening through a mask (38) onto a surface (40) a pattern of ink containing a dispersion of lower melting, sinterable metal (tin) coated base metal (copper) particles dispersed in a liquid vehicle including a vaporizable binder polymer and a fluorocarbon polymer. On firing the screen coated device (46) in an oven (48) the binder polymer is vaporized, the fluorocarbon vapors etch the surface and the coated metal particles sinter without being oxidized to form an adherent, coherent, contact electrode (53).
Inventors
- 👤 with respect to an invention of Beggs James M. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- 👤 Donald B. Bickler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 07:28
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01B; H01B1/00; H01B1/02; H01G; H01G9/00; H01G9/20; H01M; H01M6/00; H01M6/14; H01M6/18; H01M6/188; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/20; H10F77/206; H10F77/211; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of forming a contact electrode on the surface of an electrical device comprising the steps of: (1) applying an ink including grains of a conductive, oxidizable, base metal to said surface, said grains containing a coating of a lower melting, sinterable, non-oxidizing metal and being dispersed in a liquid vehicle containing a polymer vaporizable at the temperature of sintering and a minor amount of a vaporizable, fluorocarbon polymer;
Claim 2
Independent Claim
70 words
A method of forming a contact electrode on the surface of an electrical device comprising the steps of: (1) applying an ink including grains of a conductive, oxidizable, base metal to said surface, said grains containing a coating of a lower melting, sinterable, non-oxidizing metal and being dispersed in a liquid vehicle containing a polymer vaporizable at the temperature of sintering and a minor amount of a vaporizable, fluorocarbon polymer;
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
(2) heating said surface to vaporize said polymer and said fluorocarbon polymer to etch said surface and to sinter said grains so that they flow to form an adherent, continuous, conductive, contact electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
(2) heating said surface to vaporize said polymer and said fluorocarbon polymer to etch said surface and to sinter said grains so that they flow to form an adherent, continuous, conductive, contact electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the grains are applied to the surface in a predetermined pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 2 in which the pattern is formed by placing a mask containing openings in the form of said pattern to said surface before step (1).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the ink is screened through said mask by means of a roller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 4 in which the ink contains 50 to 85% by weight of metal grains.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 5 in which the ink contains 15 to 45% by weight of liquid vehicle comprising a polymer vaporizable at the temperature of firing and 1 to 10% of a fluorocarbon polymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 6 in which the polymer comprises an acrylic polymer and the fluorocarbon is polytetrafluoroethylene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the device is a photovoltaic device, the base metal is copper or nickel and the flux metal is selected from the group consisting of tin, lead, zinc, bismuth or cadmium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 8 in which the base metal is copper and the flux metal is tin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 8 in which the grains have a particle size from 1 to 100 microns.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 1 in which the grains are coated with flux metal by an electroless process.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-06-13 | 1986-12-13 | 1987-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-06-13 | 1990-12-13 | 1991-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-06-13 | 1994-12-13 | 1995-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |