• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.387-392
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• 2017

A high-performing all-transparent photodetector was created by configuring a $MoO_x$/NiO/ZnO/ITO structure on a glass substrate. The ITO bottom layer was applied as a back contact. To achieve the transparent p/n junction, p-type NiO was coated on the n-type ZnO layer. Reactive sputtering was used to spontaneously form the ZnO or NiO layer. In order to improve the transparent photodetector performance, the functional $MoO_x$ window layer was used. Optically, the $MoO_x$ window provided a refractive index layer (n=1.39) lower than that of NiO (n=2), increasing the absorption of the incident light wavelengths (${\lambda}s$). Moreover, the $MoO_x$ window can provide a lower sheet resistance to improve the carrier collection for the photoresponses. The $MoO_x$/NiO/ZnO/ITO device showed significantly better photoresponses of 877.05 (at ${\lambda}$=460nm), 87.30 (${\lambda}$=520 nm), and 30.38 (${\lambda}$=620 nm), compared to 197.28 (${\lambda}$=460 nm), 51.74 (${\lambda}$=520 nm) and 25.30 (${\lambda}$=620 nm) of the NiO/ZnO/ITO device. We demonstrated the high-performing transparent photodetector by using the multifunctional $MoO_x$ window layer.

• 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.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.281-284
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• 2007

Recently, we have developed p-i-n a-Si:H single junction thin film solar cells with RF (13.56MHz) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system, and also successfully fabricated the mini modules ($>300cm^2$), using the laser patterning technique to form an integrated series connection. The efficiency of a mini module was 7.4% ($Area=305cm^2$, Isc=0.25A, Voc=14.74V, FF=62%). To fabricate large area modules, it is important to optimise the integrated series connection, without damaging the cell. We have newly installed the laser patterning equipment that consists of two different lasers, $SHG-YVO_4$ (${\lambda}=0.532{\mu}m$) and YAG (${\lambda}=1.064{\mu}m$). The mini-modules are formed through several scribed lines such as pattern-l (front TCO), pattern-2 (PV layers) and pattern-3 (BR/back contact). However, in the case of pattern-3, a high-energy part of laser shot damaged the textured surface of the front TCO, so that the resistance between the each cells decreases due to an incomplete isolation. In this study, the re-deposition of SnOx from the front TCO, Zn (BR layer) and Al (back contact) on the sidewalls of pattern-3 scribed lines was observed. Moreover, re-crystallization of a-Si:H layers due to thermal damage by laser patterning was evaluated. These cause an increase of a leakage current, result in a low efficiency of module. To optimize a-Si:H single junction thin film modules, a laser beam profile was changed, and its effect on isolation of scribed lines is discussed in this paper.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.203-211
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• 2007

This study was conducted in cut rose cultivation field in Goyang to evaluate pesticide exposure of farmers and the relationship between the exposure and work environment/method for cut rose farmers. Dermal exposure was assessed with patch (thin chromatography layer paper), cotton glove by body parts during mixing and spraying works in which pyrethroid, organophosphate, carbamate pesticide were used in 4 cut rose greenhouses located in Goyang province, checking characteristics of environment/working method at the same time. Body parts assessed were as follows ; glove : hand, patch : head, neck(front/back), chest, back, shoulder(right/left), upperarm(right/left), forearm(right/left), thigh(right/left), shin(right/left). Pesticides were analyzed using gas chromatography(NPD/FID) after extracting with ethyl acetate. Exposure amount differed according to pesticide type. But after standardizing with total net weight of pesticide sprayed, there were no significant difference among pesticides. There were significant difference in exposure amount among body parts(especially exposure amount of thigh, shin were more than the others), which means exposure happen not by pesticide dispersion in air but by contact with cut rose(leaf, branch) indirectly. Walking forward during spraying made farmers more exposed than waling backward, these results means contacts with leaves/branches made exposure happen in cut rose greenhouse also. As a result, pesticide exposure in cut rose greenhouse was related with contact of leaf/branch which pesticide remained in, which made exposure pattern (especially exposure amount) differ by body parts

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.75-83
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• 2021

The tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) structure got more consideration for development of high performance solar cells by the introduction of a tunnel oxide layer between the substrate and poly-Si is best for attaining interface passivation. The quality of passivation of the tunnel oxide layer clearly depends on the bond of SiO in the tunnel oxide layer, which is affected by the subsequent annealing and the tunnel oxide layer was formed in the suboxide region (SiO, Si₂O, Si₂O₃) at the interface with the substrate. In the suboxide region, an oxygen-rich bond is formed as a result of subsequent annealing that also improves the quality of passivation. To control the surface morphology, annealing profile, and acceleration rate, an oxide tunnel junction structure with a passivation characteristic of 700 mV or more (V_oc) on a p-type wafer could achieved. The quality of passivation of samples subjected to RTP annealing at temperatures above 900℃ declined rapidly. To improve the quality of passivation of the tunnel oxide layer, the physical properties and thermal stability of the thin layer must be considered. TOPCon silicon solar cell has a boron diffused front emitter, a tunnel-SiO_x/n⁺-poly-Si/SiN_x:H structure at the rear side, and screen-printed electrodes on both sides. The saturation currents J_o of this structure on polished surface is 1.3 fA/cm² and for textured silicon surfaces is 3.7 fA/cm² before printing the silver contacts. After printing the Ag contacts, the J_o of this structure increases to 50.7 fA/cm² on textured silicon surfaces, which is still manageably less for metal contacts. This structure was applied to TOPCon solar cells, resulting in a median efficiency of 23.91%, and a highest efficiency of 24.58%, independently. The conversion efficiency of interdigitated back-contact solar cells has reached up to 26% by enhancing the optoelectrical properties for both-sides-contacted of the cells.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

We developed a method of growing thin Si film at $600^{\circ}C$ by hot wire CVD using a very thin large-grained poly-Si seed layer for thin-film Si solar cells. The seed layer was prepared by crystallizing an amorphous Si film by vapor-induced crystallization using $AlCl_3$ vapor. The average grain size of the p-type epitaxial Si layer was about $20{\mu}m$ and crystallographic defects in the epitaxial layer were mainly low-angle grain boundaries and coincident-site lattice boundaries, which are special boundaries with less electrical activity. Moreover, with a decreasing in-situ boron doping time, the mis-orientation angle between grain boundaries and in-grain defects in epitaxial Si decreased. Due to fewer defects, the epitaxial Si film was high quality evidenced from Raman and TEM analysis. The highest mobility of $360cm^2/V{\cdot}s$ was achieved by decreasing the in-situ boron doping time. The performance of our preliminary thin-film solar cells with a single-side HIT structure and $CoSi_2$ back contact was poor. However, the result showed that the epitaxial Si film has considerable potential for improved performance with a reduced boron doping concentration.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.85-90
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• 2015

Two-step processes for preparing $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ absorber layers consist of precursor layer formation and subsequent annealing in a Se-containing atmosphere. Among the various deposition methods for precursor layer, the nonvacuum (wet) processes have been spotlighted as alternatives to vacuum-based methods due to their potential to realize low-cost, scalable PV devices. However, due to its porous nature, the precursor layer deposited on Mo substrate by nonvacuum methods often suffers from thick $MoSe_2$ formation during selenization under a high Se vapor pressure. On the contrary, selenization under a low Se pressure to avoid $MoSe_2$ formation typically leads to low crystal quality of absorber films. Although TiN has been reported as a diffusion barrier against Se, the additional sputtering to deposit TiN layer may induce the complexity of fabrication process and nullify the advantages of nonvacuum deposition of absorber film. In this work, Mo oxide layers via thermal oxidation of Mo substrate have been explored as an alternative diffusion barrier. The morphology and phase evolution was examined as a function of oxidation temperature. The resulting Mo/Mo oxides double layers were employed as a back contact electrode for $CuInSe_2$ solar cells and were found to effectively suppress the formation of $MoSe_2$ layer.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.95-100
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• 2022

Solar cell is a device that converts photon energy into electrical energy. Therefore, absorption of solar spectrum light is one of the most important characteristics to design the solar cell structures. Various methods have emerged to reduce optical losses, such as textured surfaces, back contact solar cells, anti-reflection layers. Here, the anti-reflection coating (ARC) layer is typically utilized whose refractive index value is between air (~1) and silicon (~4) such as SiN_x layer (~1.9). This research is to print a material called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to form a double anti-reflection layer. Light with wavelength in the range of 0.3 to 1.2 micrometers does not share a wavelength with solar cells. It is confirmed that the refractive index of PDMS (~1.4) is an ARC layer which decreases the reflectance of light absorption region on typical p-type solar cells with SiN_x layer surface. Optimized PDMS printing with analyzing optical property for cell structure can be the effective way against outer effects by encapsulation.

• 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.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.196-200
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• 2005

In this work, we investigated simple Aㅣ/TCO/a-Si:H(n)/c-Si(p)/Al hetero-junction solar cells prepared by low temperature processes, unlike conventional thermal diffused c-Si solar cells. a-Si:H/c-Si hetero-junction solar cells are processed by low temperature deposition of n-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on textured and flat p-type silicon substrate. A detailed investigation was carried out to acquire optimization and compatibility of amorphous layer, TCO (ZnO:Al) layer depositions by changing the plasma process parameters. As front TCO and back contact, ZnO:Al and AI were deposited by rf magnetron sputtering and e-beam evaporation, respectively. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency under AMI.5 and the quantum efficiency on $1cm^2$ sample have been reported. An efficiency of $12.5\%$ is achieved on hetero-structure solar cells based on p-type crystalline silicon.