• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.84-95
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• 2021

The power conversion efficiency of Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ (CZTSe) solar cells depends on the absorber layer thickness; however, changes in the characteristics of the cells with varying absorber layer thickness are unclear. In this study, we investigated the changes in the characteristics of CZTSe solar cells for varying absorber layer thickness. Five absorber thicknesses were employed: CZTSe1 2.78 ㎛, CZTSe2 1.01 ㎛, CZTSe3 0.55 ㎛, CZTSe4 0.29 ㎛, and CZTSe5 0.15-0.23 ㎛. The efficiency of the CZTSe solar cells decreased as the absorber thickness decreased, resulting in power conversion efficiencies of 10.45% (CZTSe1), 8.67% (CZTSe2), 7.14% (CZTSe3), 3.44% (CZTSe4), and 1.54% (CZTSe5). As the thickness of the CZTSe absorber layer decreased, the electron-hole recombination at the grain boundaries and the absorber-back-contact interface increased. This caused an increase in the current loss, owing to light loss in the long-wavelength region. In addition, as the thickness of the CZTSe absorber layer decreased, more ZnSe was produced, and the resulting defects and defect clusters led to an open-circuit voltage loss.

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.56-63
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• 2011

The objective of this study is to investigate appropriate bonding methods of solar cells in order to apply solar cells, which have been receiving particular attention as a renewable energy due to fossil energy depletion and environment issues, to composite structures. Back-contact solar cells with approximately 24.2% energy conversion efficiency were used in this study. Since silicon-based solar cells are mechanically fragile, the secondary-bonding methods using adhesive were examined in this study. The experiment was conducted with three kinds of bonding materials such as EVA film, Resin film and elastic adhesive. The performance of solar cells for three types of adhesives under mechanical loading on test specimens is conducted. In addition, the measuring equipment was designed to evaluate the performance of the solar cells under mechanical loading in real time and the fracture characteristics depending on bonding materials were evaluated. The reason decreasing solar cells efficiency were analyzed and considered by Fractography. The results show that the solar cell performance is largely affected by bonding techniques. Moreover, the bonding method using elastic adhesive shows best solar cell efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.786-788
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• 2013

Molybdenum (Mo) thin film has high electrical conductivity and has been used for a back contact of CIGS thin film solar cell. Generally, the electrical conductivity and the adhesion between the substrate and the film is greatly affected by sputtering conditions such as sputtering power, working pressure, and substrate temperature. In this study, Mo films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering technique. The influence of sputtering pressure on the electrical and structural properties of Mo films was investigated by using SEM(scanning electron microscope), XRD(X-ray Diffraction), 4-point probe, Reflectance, Hall measurement.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.412-417
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• 2010

Mo thin films were used for the back electrode because of the low resistivity in the Mo/$CuInGaSe_2$ contact in chalcopyrite solar cells. $1\;{\mu}m$ thick Mo thin films were deposited on soda lime glass by varying the Ar pressure with the dc-magnetron sputtering process. The effects of the Ar pressure on the morphology of the Mo back electrode were studied and the relationships between the morphology and electro-optical properties, namely, the resistivity as well as the reflectance of the Mo thin films, were investigated. The resitivity increased from $24\;{\mu}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ to $11833\;{\mu}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$; this was caused by the increased surface defect and low crystallinity as the Ar pressure increased from $3{\times}10^{-3}$ to $3{\times}10^{-2}\;Torr$. The surface morphologies of the Mo thin films changed from somewhat coarse fibrous structures to irregular and fine celled structures with increased surface cracks along the cell boundaries, as the Ar pressure increased from $3{\times}10^{-3}$ to $3{\times}10^{-2}\;Torr$. The changes of reflectances in the visible light range with Ar pressures were mainly attributed to the surface morphological changes of the Mo thin films. The reflectance in the visible light range showed the highest value of 45% at $3{\times}10^{-3}\;Torr$ and decreased to 18.5% at $3{\times}10^{-2}\;Torr$.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2013

$Cu_2ZnSnS_4$ thin film have been fabricated by rapid thermal annealing of dc-sputtered metal precursor with Cu/ZnSn/Cu stack in sulfur ambient. A CZTS film with a good uniformity was formed at $560^{\circ}C$ in 6 min. $Cu_2SnS_3$ and $Cu_3SnS_4$ secondary phases were present at $540^{\circ}C$ and a trace amount of $Cu_2SnS_3$ secondary phase was present at $560^{\circ}C$. Single-phase large-grained CZTS film with rough surface was formed at $560^{\circ}C$. Solar cell with best efficiency of 4.7% ($V_{oc}=632mV$, $j_{sc}=15.8mA/cm^2$, FF = 47.13%) for an area of $0.44cm^2$ was obtained for the CZTS absorber grown at $560^{\circ}C$ for 6 min. The existence of second phase at lower-temperature annealing and rough surface at higher-temperature annealing caused the degradation of cell performance. Also poor back contact by void formation deteriorated cell performance. The fill factor was below 0.5; it should be increased by minimizing voids at the CZTS/Mo interface. Our results suggest that CZTS absorbers can be grown by rapid thermal annealing of metallic precursors in sulfur ambient for short process times ranging in minutes.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2023

p-type Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contacts (TOPCon) solar cell is fabricated with a poly-Si/SiO_x structure. It simultaneously achieves surface passivation and enhances the carriers' selective collection, which is a promising technology for conventional solar cells. The quality of passivation is depended on the quality of the tunnel oxide layer at the interface with the c-Si wafer, which is affected by the bond of SiO formed during the subsequent annealing process. The highest cell efficiency reported to date for the laboratory scale has increased to 26.1%, fabricated by the Institute for Solar Energy Research. The cells used a p-type float zone silicon with an interdigitated back contact (IBC) structure that fabricates poly-Si and SiO_x layer achieves the highest implied open-circuit voltage (iV_oc) is 750 mV, and the highest level of edge passivation is 40%. This review presents an overview of p-type TOPCon technologies, including the ultra-thin silicon oxide layer (SiO_x) and poly-silicon layer (poly-Si), as well as the advancement of the SiO_x and poly-Si layers. Subsequently, the limitations of improving efficiency are discussed in detail. Consequently, it is expected to provide a basis for the simplification of industrial mass production.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.142-150
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• 2012

In this Study, Mo back electrode were deposited as the functions of various working pressure, deposition time and plasma per-treatment on sodalime glass (SLG) for application to CIGS thin film solar cell using by DC sputtering method, and were analyzed Mo change to $MoSe_2$ layer through selenization processes. And finally Mo back electrode characteristics were evaluated as application to CIGS device after Al/AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG fabrication. Mo films fabricated as a function of the working pressure from 1.3 to 4.9mTorr are that physical thickness changed to increase from 1.24 to 1.27 ${\mu}m$ and electrical characteristics of sheet resistance changed to increase from 0.195 to 0.242 ${\Omega}/sq$ as according to the higher working pressure. We could find out that Mo film have more dense in lower working pressure because positive Ar ions have higher energy in lower pressure when ions impact to Mo target, and have dominated (100) columnar structure without working pressure. Also Mo films fabricated as a function of the deposition time are that physical thickness changed to increase from 0.15 to 1.24 ${\mu}m$ and electrical characteristics of sheet resistance changed to decrease from 2.75 to 0.195 ${\Omega}/sq$ as according to the increasing of deposition time. This is reasonable because more thick metal film have better electrical characteristics. We investigated Mo change to $MoSe_2$ layer through selenization processes after Se/Mo/SLG fabrication as a function of the selenization time from 5 to 40 minutes. $MoSe_2$ thickness were changed to increase as according to the increasing of selenization time. We could find out that we have to control $MoSe_2$ thickness to get ohmic contact characteristics as controlling of proper selenization time. And we fabricated and evaluated CIGS thin film solar cell device as Al/AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG structures depend on Mo thickness 1.2 ${\mu}m$ and 0.6 ${\mu}m$. The efficiency of CIGS device with 0.6 ${\mu}m$ Mo thickness is batter as 9.46% because Na ion of SLG can move to CIGS layer more faster through thin Mo layer. The adhesion characteristics of Mo back electrode on SLG were improved better as plasma pre-treatment on SLG substrate before Mo deposition. And we could expect better efficiency of CIGS thin film solar cell as controlling of Mo thickness and $MoSe_2$ thickness depend on Na effect and selenization time.

• Solar Energy
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.3-11
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• 1997

Because grain boundaries in polycrystalline silicon act as potential barriers and recombination centers for the photo-generated charge carriers, these defects degrade conversion effiency of solar cell. To reduce these effects of grain boundaries, we investigated various influencing factors such as thermal treatment, various grid pattern, selective wet etching for grain boundaries, buried contact metallization along grain boundaries, grid on metallic thin film. Pretreatment above $900^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ atmosphere, gettering by $POCl_3$ and Al treatment for back surface field contributed to obtain a high quality poly-Si. To prevent carrier losses at the grain boundaries, we carried out surface treatment using Schimmel etchant. This etchant delineated grain boundaries of $10{\mu}m$ depth as well as surface texturing effect. A metal AI diffusion into grain boundaries on rear side reduced back surface recombination effects at grain boundaries. A combination of fine grid with finger spacing of 0.4mm and buried electrode along grain boundaries improved short circuit current density of solar cell. A ultra-thin Chromium layer of 20nm with transmittance of 80% reduced series resistance. This paper focused on the grain boundary effect for terrestrial applications of solar cells with low cost, large area, and high efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.430-430
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• 2008

Using multi plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system (Multi-PECVD), p-a-Si:H deposition layer as a $p^+$ region which was annealed by laser (Q-switched fiber laser, $\lambda$ = 1064 nm) on an n-type single crystalline Si (100) plane circle wafer was prepared as new doping method for single crystalline interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells. As lots of earlier studies implemented, most cases dealt with the excimer (excited dimer) laserannealing or crystallization of boron with the ultraviolet wavelength range and $10^{-9}$ sec pulse duration. In this study, the Q-switched fiber laser which has higher power, longer wavelength of infrared range ($\lambda$ = 1064 nm) and longer pulse duration of $10^{-8}$ sec than excimer laser was introduced for uniformly deposited p-a-Si:H layer to be annealed and to make sheet resistance expectable as an important process for IBC solar cell $p^+$ layer on a polished n-type Si circle wafer. A $525{\mu}m$ thick n-type Si semiconductor circle wafer of (100) plane which was dipped in a buffered hydrofluoric acid solution for 30 seconds was mounted on the Multi-PECVD system for p-a-Si:H deposition layer with the ratio of $SiH_4:H_2:B_2H_6$ = 30:120:30, at $200^{\circ}C$, 50 W power, 0.2 Torr pressure for 20 minutes. 15 mm $\times$ 15 mm size laser cut samples were annealed by fiber laser with different sets of power levels and frequencies. By comparing the results of lifetime measurement and sheet resistance relation, the laser condition set of 50 mm/s of mark speed, 160 kHz of period, 21 % of power level with continuous wave mode of scanner lens showed the features of small difference of lifetime and lowering sheet resistance than before the fiber laser treatment with not much surface damages. Diode level device was made to confirm these experimental results by measuring C-V, I-V characteristics. Uniform and expectable boron doped layer can play an important role to predict the efficiency during the fabricating process of IBC solar cells.

• Journal of Korean Vacuum Science & Technology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.120-125
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• 2002

The aim of the present work is to optimized the annealing parameter in both front and back screen printed contacts realization on p-type multicrystalline silicon and with phosphorus diffused. The RTA treatments were carried out at various temperatures from 600 to 850$\^{C}$ and annealing time ranging from 3 min to 5 min in air, O$_2$and N$_2$ ambiance. The contacts parameters are obtained according to Transmission Line Model measurements. A good RTA cycle is obtained with a temperature plateau of 700$\^{C}$-750$\^{C}$ and annealing ambiance of air. Several processing parameters required for good cell efficiency are discussed with an emphasis placed on the critical role of the glass frit in the aluminum paste. A anamolus behaviour of Aluminum n-doping on p-type Si wafer, contact at high temperature have also been studied.