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

1. A thick-film paste 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 solids of a lead-tellurium-boron-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 25 to 60 wt % PbO, greater than 25 to 70 wt % TeO2, 0.1 to less than 5 wt % B2O3, and 0 to 15 wt. % V2O5; and

c) an organic medium.

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-boron-oxide is between 5/95 and 95/5.

4. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 0-20.0 wt % of components selected from the group of PbF2, SiO2, Bi2O3, BiF3, LiO2, SnO2, AgO2, ZnO, Al2O3, Na2O, TiO2, CuO, ZrO2, and CeO2.

5. The thick-film paste of claim 4 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide further comprises: 0.1-5 wt % TiO2.

6. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , 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-boron-oxide is at least partially crystalline.

9. The thick-film paste of claim 4 , further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of: PbF2, SiO2, Na2O, K2O, Rb2O, Cs2O, Al2O3, MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, V2O5, ZrO2, MoO3, Mn2O3, Ag2O, ZnO, Ga2O3, GeO2, In2O3, SnO2, Sb2O3, Bi2O3, BiF3, P2O5, CuO, NiO, Cr2O3, Fe2O3, CoO, Co2O3, and CeO2.

10. The thick film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-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, Sb, Bi, Ce, Cu, F, 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 solids of a lead-tellurium-boron-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 25 to 60 wt % PbO, greater than 25 to 70 wt % TeO2, 0.1 to 5 wt % B2O3, and 0 to 15 wt. % V2O5; and

iii) an organic medium; and

(c) firing the semiconductor substrate, insulating film, and thick-film paste, to form an electrode in contact with the insulating layer 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. The process of claim 11 , wherein the thick-film paste composition further comprises: 0.5 to 15% by weight based on solids of a lead-tellurium-lithium-titanium-oxide.

15. An article comprising:

(a) a semiconductor substrate;

(b) an insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate; and

(c) an electrode in contact with the insulating layer and in electrical contact with the semiconductor substrate, the electrode comprising an electrically conductive metal and lead-tellurium-boron-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 25 to 60 wt % PbO, greater than 25 to 70 wt % TeO2, 0.1 to less than 5 wt, and 0 to 15 wt. % V2O5.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the electrode further comprises lithium and titanium.

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

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the semiconductor device is a solar cell.

19. The article of claim 16 , wherein the article is a semiconductor device.

20. The article of claim 19 , wherein the semiconductor device is a solar cell.

21. The thick-film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 0.25 to less than 5 wt % B2O3.

22. The thick-film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises greater than 25 to 60 wt % TeO2.

23. A thick-film paste 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 7% by weight based on solids of a lead-tellurium-boron-oxide, wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 25 to 50 wt % PbO, 40 to 70 wt % TeO2, 0 to 10 wt % V2O5, and 0.1 to 15 wt % B2O3; and

c) an organic medium.

24. The thick-film paste composition of claim 23 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 40 to 60 wt % TeO2.

25. The thick thick-film paste composition of claim 23 , comprising 0.5 to 3% by weight based on solids of the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide.

26. The thick-film paste of claim 23 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 0-20.0 wt % of components selected from the group of PbF2, SiO2, Bi2O3, BiF3, LiO2, SnO2, AgO2, ZnO, Al 2 O 3 , Na2O, TiO2, CuO, ZrO2, and CeO2.

27. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 0.1 to 4.6 wt % B2O3.

28. The thick-film paste of claim 1 , wherein the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide comprises 0 to 10 wt. % V2O5.

29. The thick-film paste composition of claim 1 , comprising 0.5 to 7% by weight based on solids of the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide.

30. The thick-film paste composition of claim 1 , comprising 0.5 to 3% by weight based on solids of the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide.

31. The thick-film paste composition of claim 23 , comprising 0.5 to 3% by weight based on solids of the lead-tellurium-boron-oxide.