Thick-film pastes containing lead—tellurium—lithium—titanium—oxides, and their use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices

1. A thick-film paste composition for use in forming an electrical connection in a photovoltaic device comprising a semiconductor substrate having at least one insulating layer on a main surface thereof, the composition comprising:

a) 85 to 99.5% by weight of an electrically conductive metal or derivative thereof, based on total solids in the composition;

b) 0.5 to 15% by weight, based on total solids in the composition, of a lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.1-5 wt % Li 2 O; and

c) an organic medium,

wherein the thick-film paste, when fired, is capable of penetrating the at least one insulating layer.

2. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive metal comprises silver.

3. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the mole ratio of lead to tellurium of the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide is between 5/95 and 95/5.

4. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises:

25-65 wt % PbO,

25-70 wt % TeO 2 , and

0.1-5 wt % TiO 2 .

5. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the organic medium comprises a polymer.

6. The thick-film paste of claim 5 , wherein the organic medium further comprises one or more additives selected from the group consisting of solvents, stabilizers, surfactants, and thickeners.

7. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive metal is 90-95 wt % of the solids.

8. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide is at least partially crystalline.

9. The thick-film paste of claim 4 , further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of: PbF 2 , SiO 2 , Na 2 O, K 2 O, Rb 2 O, Cs 2 O, MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, V 2 O 5 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , BiF 3 , MoO 3 , Mn 2 O 3 , Ag 2 O, ZnO, Ga 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , In 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , Sb 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3 , P 2 O 5 , CuO, NiO, Cr 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , CoO, Co 2 O 3 , and CeO 2 .

10. The thick film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide further comprises oxides of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Si, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, V, Zr, Mo, Mn, Zn, B, P, Se, Sn, Ga, Ge, In, Al, Sb, Bi, Ce, Cu, Ni, Cr, Fe, Co, and Ag.

11. A process comprising:

(a) providing a semiconductor substrate comprising one or more insulating films deposited onto at least one surface of the semiconductor substrate;

(b) applying a thick-film paste composition onto at least a portion of the insulating film to form a layered structure, wherein the thick-film paste composition comprises:

i) 85 to 99.5% by weight of an electrically conductive metal or derivative thereof, based on total solids in the composition;

ii) 0.5 to 15% by weight, based on total solids in the composition, of a lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.1-5 wt % Li 2 O; and

iii) an organic medium, and

(c) firing the semiconductor substrate, one or more insulating films, and thick-film paste, forming an electrode in contact with the one or more insulating layers and in electrical contact with the semiconductor substrate.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the thick-film paste composition is applied pattern-wise onto the insulating film.

13. The process of claim 11 , wherein the firing is carried out in air or an oxygen-containing atmosphere.

14. An article comprising:

(a) a semiconductor substrate;

(b) one or more insulating layers on the semiconductor substrate; and

(c) an electrode in contact with the one or more insulating layers and in electrical contact with the semiconductor substrate, the electrode comprising an electrically conductive metal and lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.1-5 wt % Li 2 O.

15. The article of claim 14 , wherein the article is a semiconductor device.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the semiconductor device is a solar cell.

17. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the organic medium comprises dibasic ester.

18. The process of claim 11 , wherein the organic medium comprises dibasic ester.

19. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.16-5 wt % Li 2 O.

20. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.25-3 wt % Li 2 O.

21. The process of claim 11 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.16-5 wt % Li 2 O.

22. The process of claim 11 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.25-3 wt % Li 2 O.

23. The article of claim 14 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.16-5 wt % Li 2 O.

24. The article of claim 14 , wherein the lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide comprises 0.25-3 wt % Li 2 O.