R&D Lead - Solar PV Cells Metallization (Copper Paste)
Anuna Labs • Bengaluru
About the Company Anuna Labs is an advanced materials deeptech startup developing air-stable copper nanoparticle inks and pastes as a drop-in replacement for silver. Our core differentiation is sintering in ambient air at low temperature — no inert atmosphere, no vacuum, no specialised equipment — which removes the oxidation barrier that has kept copper out of high-volume metallization for three decades. About the Role This role is for a paste development lead who will define the scope, build and lead a team of materials scientists, and be accountable for whether copper metallization actually works on India's largest cell manufacturers' lines. Key Responsibilities Formulation and optimisation of copper-based front- and rear-side metallization pastes for PERC, TOPCon, and HJT architectures Rheology design and control — viscosity, thixotropic index, yield stress, wet weight, solids loading — tuned to printability targets Glass frit / organic vehicle / additive system selection and its interaction with our copper nanoparticle platform Sintering and firing window development, including low-temperature cure routes for HJT and TCO-compatible processes Screen printing process development: mesh and emulsion selection, opening geometry, squeegee parameters, snap-off, print speed Fine-line printing targets — line width, aspect ratio, continuity, and print-to-print repeatability Firing profile design on belt furnaces; identifying break points and process windows across ramp rate, peak temperature, and belt speed Correlating print and fire parameters to cell-level electrical output Contact resistivity and contact formation mechanism on n+ / p+ emitters, poly-Si, and TCO surfaces Copper diffusion risk assessment and barrier/passivation strategy Translating cell requirements (ρc, Rs, FF, line resistance, efficiency loss, adhesion) into actionable paste specifications for the R&D team Characterisation and failure analysis: TLM, I–V, Suns-Voc, EL/PL imaging, SEM/EDX cross-sections, XRD, TGA/DSC Building and leading a team of materials scientists and process engineers Running joint development programmes with cell manufacturers — trials on their lines, on their timelines, with their data with leading PV Cell manufacturers of India Technical documentation, IP generation, and spec control Requirements Experience at a paste manufacturer (Ag, Al, or Cu systems) or a GW-scale cell line Track record of running joint development programmes with external manufacturing customers Working knowledge of module-level BOM and interconnection economics Patents or publications in metallization, contact formation, or thick-film systems Experience scaling a lab formulation into repeatable kilogram-scale production Exposure to non-PV metallization — packaging, printed electronics, automotive glass Location & Work Mode Onsite in Banglore,India
