• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.96-105
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• 2021

Even though above 22% efficiencies have been reported in Cd-free Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) solar cell with Zn-containing buffers, the efficiencies with Zn-containing buffers, in general, are well below 20%. One of the reasons is Zn diffusion from the Zn-containing buffer layer to CIGS film during buffer growth. To avoid the degradation, it is necessary to prevent the diffusion of Zn atoms from Zn-containing buffer to CIGS film. For the purpose, we characterized an In₂Se₃ film as a possible diffusion barrier layer because In₂Se₃ has no Zn component. It was found that an In₂Se₃ layer grown at 300℃ was very effective in preventing Zn diffusion from a Zn-containing buffer. Also, the In₂Se₃ had a large potential barrier in the valence band at the In₂Se₃/CIGS interface. Therefore, In₂Se₃ passivation has the potential to achieve a super-high efficiency in CIGS solar cells that employ Cd-free ALD processed buffers containing Zn.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.07a
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• pp.282-285
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• 2003

Single crystal $CuAlSe_2$ layers were grown on thoroughly etched semi-insulating GaAs(100) substrate at $410\;^{\circ}C$ with hot wall epitaxy (HWE) system by evaporating $CuAlSe_2$ source at $680\;^{\circ}C$. The crystalline structure of the single crystal thin films was investigated by the photoluminescence and double crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXD). The carrier density and mobility of single crystal $CuAlSe_2$ thin films measured with Hall effect by van der Pauw method are $9.24{\times}10^{16}\;cm^{-3}\;and\;295\;cm^2/V{\cdot}s$ at 293 K, respectively. The temperature dependence of the energy band gap of the $CuAlSe_2$ obtained from the absorption spectra was well described by the Varshni's relation, $E_g(T)\;=\;2.8382\;eV\;-\;(8.68\;{\times}\;10^{-4}eV/K)T^2/(T\;+\;155\;K)$. The crystal field and the spin-orbit splitting energies for the valence band of the $CuAlSe_2$ have been estimated to be 0.2026 eV and 0.2165 eV at 10 K, respectively, by means of the photocurrent spectra and the Hopfield quasicubic model. These results indicate that the splitting of the $\Delta$so definitely exists in the ${\Gamma}_5$ states of the valence band of the $CuAlSe_2$. The three photocurrent peaks observed at 10 K are ascribed to the $A_1-$, $B_1-$, and $C_1$-exciton peaks for n = 1.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.101.1-101.1
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• 2010

$Cu(InGa)Se_2$ (CIGS) 태양전지는 박막형 태양전지 중 가장 높은 에너지 변환 효율이 보고 되고 있다. CIGS 태양전지를 제조하는 방법은 3 단계 동시 증착법, 금속 전구체의 셀렌화 공정법, 전기 증착법 등이 있다. 이 중 금속 전구체의 셀렌화 공정법은 다른 제조 방법에 비해 대면적 생산에 유리하고, 비교적 공정 과정이 간단하다는 장점이 있다. 하지만 금속 전구체의 미세구조 및 제조 방법, 셀렌화 공정의 최적화에 대한 연구가 부족하다. 본 실험에서는 후면전극으로 사용되는 Mo 층이 증착된 소다회 유리(soda-lime glass)를 기판으로 사용하였다. Cu-In(4:6), Cu-Ga(6:4) 타겟을 DC 스퍼터링 시스템을 이용하여 금속 전구체를 증착하였다. 이 후 미국 Delawere 대학교의 IEC 연구소와 한국전자통신연구원 (ETRI)에서 금속 전구체의 셀렌화 공정을 진행하였다. 셀렌화 공정 전후의 금속 전구체의 결정 크기와 미세구조의 변화를 관찰하기 위하여 주사전자현미경 (SEM)과 X선 회절 분석기 (XRD)를 사용하였다. 센렌화 공정이 진행된 금속 전구체 위에 버퍼층으로 사용되는 CdS와 전면전극으로 사영되는 ZnO, ITO 층을 합성한 후 에너지 변환 효율을 측정하였다. 최고 효율은 9.7%로 관찰되었다.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.54-60
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• 2015

ZnSnO thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) process using diethyl zinc ($Zn(C_2H_5)_2$) and tetrakis (dimethylamino) tin ($Sn(C_2H_6N)_4$) as metal precursors and water vapor as a reactant. ALD process has several advantages over other deposition methods such as precise thickness control, good conformality, and good uniformity for large area. The composition of ZnSnO thin films was controlled by varying the ratio of ZnO and $SnO_2$ ALD cycles. The ALD ZnSnO film was an amorphous state. The band gap of ZnSnO thin films increased as the Sn content increased. The CIGS solar cell using ZnSnO buffer layer showed about 18% energy conversion efficiency. With such a high efficiency with the ALD ZnSnO buffer and no light soaking effect, AlD ZnSnO buffer mighty be a good candidate to replace Zn(S,O) buffer in CIGSsolar cells.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

In this paper, to develop linear source for evaporating $600{\times}1,200mm$ size of large area CIGS absorber layer, we simulated linear thermal source and obtained ${\pm}5%$ thickness uniformity with various nozzle sizes and regular nozzle distance. Flux density was confirmed linear source length. Using this linear source, we tested thickness uniformity of Copper, Indium single layer which was obtained Cu ${\pm}5%$ and In ${\pm}5%$ thickness uniformity. And then CIGS absorber layers were evaporated with In-line single-stage co-evaporation. Large area CIGS absorber layers were confirmed composition uniformity of $$Cu{\leq_-}5%$$, $$In{\leq_-}7%$$, $$Ga{\leq_-}4%$$, $$Se{\leq_-}3%$$ with 600 mm width by XRF. Uniform shape of CIGS absorber layers was confirmed by SEM. XRD showed peaks which indicate chalcopyrite structure of CIGS absorber layers. Thus, developed linear source is suitable for evaporating CIGS absorber layer.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.180-183
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• 2014

The surface of semiconductor solar cells, such as a-Si or CIGS (CuInGaSe) solar cells is not flat but textured in the microscopic domain. With textured surfaces, the optical reflectivity of a solar cell is different from that of flat surfaces in the wavelength region. In this paper, the effects of a textured surface on a CIGS solar cell are presented by RCWA (Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis) method. The effect of incoherent light is also considered by RCWA with a Fourier analysis while conventional optical simulation uses the input light on the solar cell as coherent light. Using experimental results, the author showed that the RCWA method with a Fourier analysis is a proper method to simulate the optical properties of CIGS solar cells.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.11-18
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• 2014

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.46-55
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• 2017

• 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 $3{\times}10^{-2}\;Torr$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.370-370
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• 2011

I-III-IV2족의 Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) 박막 태양전지는 3단계(three-stage) 동시증발공정을 통하여 약 19.9%의 최고의 효율을 보유하고 있다. 3단계 공정에 있어 IV2족 Se의 증발 속도 또는 증착압력은 우선 배향성 제어 및 표면 미세구조 영향 등에 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 CIGS 박막 합성을 위한 3단계 공정에서 각 단계별 Se 분압의 변화를 주어, 각 공정 단계에서 Se 분압의 변화가 CIGS 박막의 미세구조 및 셀 효율에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 3단계 공정에서 Cu, In, Ga 분압은 고정시키고, Se 분압의 크기 순서대로 1, 2, 3으로 변화시켜 CIGS 박막을 제조하였다. 이 박막의 미세구조, 특히, 우선 배향성, 표면의 기공, 결정성을 제어 하기 위하여 3단계 공정에서 1st stage 이후 Se 분압을 증가시키는 방법($3{\rightarrow}1$, $2{\rightarrow}1$)과 1st stage 이 후 Se 분압을 감소시키는 방법($1{\rightarrow}3$, $1{\rightarrow}2$)을 적용하여 비교하였다. 그 결과 3단계에서 1st stage 이후 Se 분압을 증가시킴으로써 (220)/(204)의 우선 배향성을 촉진시키며, 결정성을 개선하였고, 1st stage 이후 Se 분압을 감소시킴으로써 CIGS 박막 표면의 기공을 제거하고, 결정성을 향상시켰다. 이렇게 1st stage이 후 Se 분압을 증가시킴으로써 (220)/(204)의 우선 배향성의 촉진과 결정성 개선은 단락 전류(Jsc)를 증가시켰으며, 1st stage 이후 Se 분압을 감소시킴으로써 CIGS 박막 표면의 기공을 제거와 결정성 개선은 개방전압(Voc)의 증가효과를 가져왔다.