• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2011

We have fabricated $FeSe_x$ superconducting thin films at much different substrate temperatures of 430 and $610^{\circ}C$ on $Al_2O_3$(0001) substrates by using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Superconducting transitions for both films were shown around 10 K, but their transition width and growth directions of grains were different. We found that superconducting tetragonal FeSe phases and non-superconducting hexagonal FeSe phases were coexisted in the sample grown at the low temperature of $430^{\circ}C$, whereas the hexagonal FeSe phase was decreased with increasing fabrication temperatures.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.75-79
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• 2015

Recently, $Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ (CZTSSe) has been received a tremendous attraction as light absorber material in thin film solar cells (TFSCs), because of its earth abundance, inexpensive and non-toxic constituents and versatile material characteristics. Kesterite CZTSSe thin films were synthesized by sulfo-selenization of sputtered Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursors. The sulfo-selenization of Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursor thin films has been carried out in a graphite box using rapid thermal annealing (RTA) technique. Annealing process was done under sulfur and selenium vapor pressure using Ar gas at $520^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. The effect of tuning Se/(S+Se) precursor composition ratio on the properties of CZTSSe films has been investigated. The XRD, Raman, FE-SEM and XRF results indicate that the properties of sulfo-selenized CZTSSe thin films strongly depends on the Se/(S+Se) composition ratio. In particular, the CZTSSe TFSCs with Se/(S+Se) = 0.37 exhibits the best power conversion efficiency of 4.83% with $V_{oc}$ of 467 mV, $J_{sc}$ of $18.962mA/cm^2$ and FF of 54%. The systematic changes observed with increasing Se/(S+Se) ratio have been discussed in detail.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.177-181
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• 2014

$Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ (CZTSSe) absorber thin films were prepared on Mo coated soda lime glass substrates by sulfo-selenization of sputtered stacked Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films. The Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films were sulfo-selenized inside a graphite box containing S and Se powder using rapid thermal processing furnace at $540^{\circ}C$ in Ar atmosphere with pre-treatment at $300^{\circ}C$. The effect of different S/Se ratio on the structural, compositional, morphological and electrical properties of the CZTSSe thin films were studied using XRD (X-ray diffraction), XRF (X-ray fluorescence analysis), FE-SEM (field-emission scanning electron microscopy), respectively. The XRD, FE-SEM, XRF results indicated that the properties of sulfo-selenized CZTSSe thin films were strongly related to the S/Se composition ratio. In particular, the CZTS thin film solar cells with S/(S+Se)=0.25 shows best conversion efficiency of 4.6% ($V_{oc}$ : 348 mV, $J_{sc}$ : $26.71mA/cm^2$, FF : 50%, and active area : $0.31cm^2$). Further detailed analysis and discussion for effect of S/Se composition ratio on the properties CZTSSe thin films will be discussed.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2017

Recently, three-dimensional (3D) light harvesting structures are highly attracted because of their high light harvesting capacity and charge collection efficiencies. In this study, we have fabricated $Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ based 3D thin film solar cells on PR patterned Molybdenum (Mo) substrates using photolithography technique. Specifically, Mo patterns were deposited on PR patterned Mo substrates by sputtering and the thin Cu-Zn-Sn stacked layer was deposited over this Mo patterns by sputtering technique. The stacked Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films were sulfo-selenized to form CZTSSe pattern. Finally, CZTSSe absorbers were coated with thin CdS layer using chemical bath deposition and ZnO window layer was deposited over CZTSSe/CdS using DC sputtering technique. Fabricated 3-D solar cells were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) to study their structural, compositional and morphological properties, respectively. The 3% efficiency is achieved for this kind of solar cell. Further efforts will be carried out to improve the performance of solar cell through various optimizations.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.481-488
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• 2022

The Cu₂ZnSn(S_xSe_1-x)₄ (CZTSSe) absorbers are promising thin film solar cells (TFSCs) materials, to replace existing Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) and CdTe photovoltaic technology. However, the best reported efficiency for a CZTSSe device, of 13.6 %, is still too low for commercial use. Recently, partially replacing the Zn²⁺ element with a Cd²⁺element has attracting attention as one of the promising strategies for improving the photovoltaic characteristics of the CZTSSe TFSCs. Cd²⁺ elements are known to improve the grain size of the CZTSSe absorber thin films and improve optoelectronic properties by suppressing potential defects, causing short-circuit current (J_sc) loss. In this study, the structural, compositional, and morphological characteristics of CZTSSe and CZCTSSe thin films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The FE-SEM images revealed that the grain size improved with increasing Cd²⁺ alloying in the CZTSSe thin films. Moreover, there was a slight decrease in small grain distribution as well as voids near the CZTSSe/Mo interface after Cd²⁺ alloying. The solar cells prepared using the most promising CZTSSe absorber thin films with Cd²⁺ alloying (8 min. 30 sec.) exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.33 %, J_sc of 34.0 mA/cm², and fill factor (FF) of 62.7 %, respectively.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.97-100
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• 2015

The kesterite $Cu_2ZnSnSe_4$ (CZTSe) thin film solar cells were synthesized by selenization of sputtered Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursors on Mo coated soda lime glass substrate in Ar atmosphere. Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursors were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering process with 30 W power at room temperature. As-deposited metallic precursors were placed in a graphite box with Se pellets and selenized using rapid thermal processing furnace at various temperature ($480^{\circ}C{\sim}560^{\circ}C$) without using a toxic $H_2Se$ gas. Effects of Selenization temperature on the morphological, crystallinity, electrical properties and cell efficiency were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), J-V measurement system and solar simulator. Further details about effects of selenization temperature on CZTSe thin films will be discussed.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.36.2-36.2
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• 2010

A small amount of Na incorporated in $CuInSe_2$ (CIS) absorption layer has become widely accepted as a requirement for efficient polycrystalline CIS solar cells. However, there is ongoing argument on the role of sodium incorporated in the absorber. In this paper, CIS absorption layers have been deposited using the three-stage co-evaporation process on Mo coated non-Alkali glass substrates. The NaF was evaporated during the second-stage with various fluxes. This paper is focusing on differences of micro-structure and composition ratio of the absorber realized with different Na contents and the variation of electrical properties of the cells with the corresponding absorbers. The analytical results of x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and current-voltage characteristics will be discussed to investigate the effect of NaF flux on the CIS absorber formation and its cell performance.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.107-112
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• 2010

The Cu$(In_{1-x}Ga_x)Se_2$ is the absorber material for thin film solar cell with high absorption coefficient of $1{\times}10^5cm^{-1}$. In the case of CIGS, the movable energy band gap from $CuInSe_2$ (1.00 eV) to $CuGaSe_2$ (1.68 eV) can be acquired while controlling Ga contain ratio. Generally, the co-evaporator method have used for development and fabrication of the CIGS absorption layer. However, this method should need many steps and lengthy deposition time with high temperature. For these reasons, in this paper, a new growth method of CIGS layer was attempted to hydride vapor transport (HVT) method. The CIGS mixed-source material reacted for HCl gas in the source zone was deposited on the substrate after transporting to growth zone. c-plane $Al_2O_3$ and undoped GaN were used as substrates for growth. The characteristics of grown samples were measured from SEM and EDS.