Multiscale analysis and optimization of front silver paste electrodes for solar cells
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Escalating energy demands compel cost-efficient photovoltaic innovation. Silver paste has emerged as a critical bottleneck: its exorbitant cost and resource scarcity pose challenges to front-side metallization in silicon photovoltaics. This paradigm drives advanced electrode engineering to slash silver usage while preserving efficiency, thereby resolving the fundamental cost–performance dilemma of solar technology. We develop a geometric-engineering strategy to reconfigure the front-side metallization of crystalline-silicon solar cells while simultaneously reducing silver consumption and safeguarding cell efficiency. A comprehensive framework for electrode structure is established through numerical and finite-element analyses; the morphology of sub-grid electrodes is systematically optimized. Simulations show that by changing the cross-sectional shape of the sub-grid electrode, silver-paste consumption can be significantly reduced without sacrificing cell performance. Computational stress profiling across front-contact geometries elucidates thermomechanical-fatigue mechanisms that govern electrode longevity under thermal cycling. Complementary density-functional-theory (DFT) simulations unravel atomic-scale adhesion dynamics at Ag/metal interfaces. This multi-objective optimization framework establishes material–structure-synergy pathways for cost-efficient and highly reliable photovoltaic manufacturing.
Source: Solar Energy
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,900
Award: G2564144248
OpenAlex ID: W7129615677