DuPont Microcircuit Materials (DuPont) has introduced DuPont Solamet PV19x photovoltaic metallization pastes as the newest family of advanced materials designed to help increase the power output of solar panels.

Solamet PV19x pastes offer solar cell and panel manufacturers significant efficiency gains up to and exceeding 0.15 percent when compared to Solamet PV18x paste, the current industry benchmark. Increasing the efficiency of solar cells boosts the power output of solar panels, lowers overall system costs and helps improve the return on investment for solar energy systems.

DuPont Solamet PV19A photovoltaic metallization paste, the first product in the PV19x series, is a front side silver paste based on proprietary Tellurium technology and tailored to optimize the efficiency with which solar cells convert sunlight into electricity.

It enhances the power output of solar cells by enabling fine line printing down to 30 microns and demonstrating excellent paste transfer for improved line aspect ratios that minimizes the shading effect on the surface of the solar cells, while maintaining superior electrical conductivity.

"Through our continued investment in research, development and intellectual property, our customers have come to rely on Solamet technology to help them succeed in an intensely competitive market environment," said Thomas Lin, global photovoltaic marketing manager, DuPont Microcircuit Materials.

"DuPont Tellurium technology, for example, is a key differentiator to help Solamet PV19x pastes amplify the power output of solar panels, and we're very excited about the advantages this newest formulation delivers."

Solamet PV19x pastes offer wider processing latitude during manufacturing, which means cost savings result from higher yields, and tighter cell distribution is shifted toward higher efficiency. Improved frit technology enables extreme Lightly Doped Emitters (LDEs) because it improves contact resistance by 10 fold to further boost efficiency on monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells.

DuPont continues setting the pace of innovation in the solar industry with more than 110 new Solamet photovoltaic metallization paste products introduced over the last 7 years, and it is actively developing variants of the new Solamet PV19x series aimed at boosting solar cell efficiencies even further.