• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.814-818
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• 2016

DSSCs (dye-sensitized solar cells) based on $TiO_2/SiO_2$ multi layer AR (anti-reflection) coating on the outer glass FTO (fluorine-doped tin oxide) substrate are investigated. We have coated an AR layer on the surface of a DSSCs device by using an IAD (ion beam-assisted deposition) system and investigated the effects of the AR layer by measuring photovoltaic performance. Compared to the pure FTO substrate, the multi layer AR coating increased the total transmittance from 67.4 to 72.9% at 530 nm of wavelength. The main enhancement of solar conversion efficiency is attributed to the reduction of light reflection at the FTO substrate surface. This leads to the increase of Jsc and the efficiency improvement of DSSCs.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1351_1352
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• 2009

We deposited $SnO_2$:F thin films by atomospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition(APCVD) on corning glass. $SnO_2$:F films were used as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) electrode for Si thin film solar cells. We have investigated structural, electrical and optical properties of $SnO_2$:F thin films and fabricated thin film Si solar cells by plasma enhanced CVD(PECVD) on $SnO_2$:F thin films The cells were characterized by I-V measurement using AM1.5 spectra. Conversion efficiency of our cells were between 5.61% and 6.45%.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.81-84
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• 2010

In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the back transfer of photo-generated electrons from FTO glass to triiodide ions in an electrolyte is an important loss mechanism, which leads to low cell efficiency. Recently, this back electron transfer was greatly suppressed by the introduction of a compact $TiO_2$ blocking layer, which was prepared by the treatment of $TiCl_4$ solution. In the present work, more detailed $TiCl_4$ treated surface conditions on FTO substrate were investigated and DSSC performances were correlated with the surface morphology as well as dark current behavior.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.4013-4018
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• 2014

A 0.45 $cm^2$ DSSC device with a glass/FTO/blocking layer/$TiO_2$/N719(dye)/electrolyte/50 nm-Pt/50 nm-Au/FTO/glass was prepared to examine the stability of the Au/Pt bilayered counter electrode (CE) with electrolyte and the energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). For comparison, a 100 nm-thick Pt only CE DSSC was also prepared using the same method. The photovoltaic properties, such as the short circuit current density ($J_{sc}$), open circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$), fill factor (FF), and ECE, were checked using a solar simulator and potentiostat with time after assembling the DSSC. The microstructure of the Au/Pt bilayer was examined by optical microscopy after 0~25 minutes. The ECE of the Pt only CE-employed DSSC was 4.60 %, which did not show time dependence. On the other hand, for the Au/Pt CE DSSC, the ECEs after 0, 5 and 15 minutes were 5.28 %, 3.64 % and 2.09 %, respectively. The corrosion areas of the Au/Pt CE determined by optical microscopy after 0, 5, and 25 minutes were 0, 21.92 and 34.06 %. These results confirmed that the ECE and catalytic activity of Au/Pt CE decreased drastically with time. Therefore, a Au/Pt CE-employed DSSC may be superior to the Pt only CE-employed one immediately after integration of the device, but it would degrade drastically with time.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.190-196
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• 2007

Dye sensitized solar cells(DSSC) are the most promising future energy resource due to their high energy efficiency, low production cost, and simple manufacturing process. But one problem in DSSC is short life time compared to silicon solar cells. This problem occurred from photocatalytic degradation of dye material by nanometer sized $TiO_2$ particles. To prevent dye degradation as well as to increase its life time, the transparent coating film is needed for UV blocking. In this study, we synthesized nanometer sized $TiO_2$ particles in sols by increasing its internal pressure up to 200 bar in autoclave at $120^{\circ}C$ for 10 hrs. The synthesized $TiO_2$ sols were all formed with brookite phase and their particle size was several nm to 30 nm. Synthesized $TiO_2$ sols were coated on the backside of fluorine doped tin oxide(FTO) glass by ink jet printing method. With increasing coating thickness by repeated ink jet coating, the absorbance of UV region (under 400 nm) also increases reasonably. Decomposition test of titania powders dispersed in 0.1 mM amaranth solution covered with $TiO_2$ coating glass shows more stable dye properties under UV irradiation, compared to that with as-received FTO glass.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.313-316
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• 2009

A zinc borosilicate glass having a low softening temperature of $490^{\circ}C$ has been investigated as a protective layer for Ag patterns against chemical reactions with a $I^-/I_3^-$ electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A thick glass layer was prepared by the typical screen printing and firing processes to obtain a final thickness of ${\sim}5{\mu}m$. The chemical leaching performance of the glass layer in the electrolyte revealed that the reactive Ag pattern can be significantly protected by utilizing the low softening protective layer. The electrical resistance of the FTO-coated glass substrate was effectively maintained at a low value of ${\sim}27{\Omega}$ as long as the glass layer was well densified at a sufficiently high temperature of ${\sim}520^{\circ}C$. The transmittance of the layer was near 60%, depending on the firing temperature of the glass layer.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2037-2042
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• 2013

A TCO-less palladium (Pd) catalytic layer on the glass substrate was assessed as the counter electrode (CE) in a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) to confirm the stability of Pd with the $I^-/I_3{^-}$electrolyte on the DSSC performance. A 90nm-thick Pd film was deposited by a thermal evaporator. Finally, DSSC devices of $0.45cm^2$ with glass/FTO/blocking layer/$TiO_2$/dye/electrolyte(10 mM LiI + 1 mM $I_2$ + 0.1 M $LiClO_4$ in acetonitrile solution)/Pd/glass structure was prepared. We investigated the microstructure and photovoltaic property at 1 and 12 hours after the sample preparation. The optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), cyclic voltammetry measurement (C-V), and current voltage (I-V) were employed to measure the microstructure and photovoltaic property evolution. Microstructure analysis showed that the corrosion by reaction between the Pd layer and the electrolyte occurred as time went by, which led the decrease of the catalytic activity and the efficiency. I-V result revealed that the energy conversion efficiency after 1 and 12 hours was 0.34% and 0.15%, respectively. Our results implied that we might employ the other non-$I^-/I_3{^-}$electrolyte or the other catalytic metal layers to guarantee the long term stability of the DSSC devices.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.50-54
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• 2013

In this work, the effects of blocking layer and optimally fabricated electrolyte were investigated with respect to impedance and conversion efficiency of the cells.A layer of $TiO_2$ less than ~200nm in thickness, as a blocking layer, was deposited by rf sputtering onto the F:$SnO_2$ (FTO) glass to be isolated from the electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Also, optimum condition of electrolytes preparation for DSCs was investigated. 3-methoxyppropionitrie and redox pairs with LiI and $I_2$ were used as solvents for fabrication of electrolyte. The electrochemical impedances of DSCs using this photo-anode were $R_1$: 13.8, $R_2$: 15.1, $R_3$: 11.9 and $R_h$: $8.3{\Omega}$, respectively. The $R_2$ impedance related by electron transportation from porous $TiO_2$ to FTO showed lower than that of normal DSCs. The photo-conversion efficiency of prepared DSCs was 6.4% and approximately 1.3% higher than general one.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2004

Down-conversion of Eu$^{3+}$ doped LiGdF$_4$ (LGF) for increasing the cell efficiency on dye-sensitized Ti $O_2$ solar cells has been studied. The dye sensitized solar cell (DSC) consisting of mesoporous Ti $O_2$ electrode deposited on transparent substrate, an electrolyte containing I$^{[-10]}$ /I$_3$$^{[-10]}$ redox couple, and Pt counter electrode is a promising alternative to the inorganic solar cell. The structure of DSC is basically a sandwich type, viz., FTO glass/Ru-red dye-absorbed Ti $O_2$/iodine electrolyte/sputtered Pt/FTO glass. The cell without down converter had open circuit potential of approximately 0.66 Volt, the short circuit photocurrent density of 1.632 mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, and fill factor of about 50 ％ at the excitation wavelength of 550 nm. In addition, 5.6 mW/$\textrm{cm}^2$ incident light intensity beam was used as a light source. From this result, the calculated monochromatic efficiency at the wavelength of 550 nm of this cell was about 9.62 ％. The incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of N3 used as a dye in this work is about 80 ％ at around 590 nm and 610 nm, which is the emission spectrum of Eu$^{3+}$ doped LGF, results in efficiency increasing of DSC.C.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.571-575
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• 2005

In order to improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), $TiO_2$ electrode screen-printed on transparent conducting oxide (TCO) substrate was sintered in variation with different temperature$(350\;to\;550^{\circ}C)$. $TiO_2$ electrode on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass was assembled with Pt counter electrode on FTO glass. I-V properties of DSSCs were measured under solar simulator. Also, effect of sintering temperature on surface morphology of $TiO_2$ films was investigated to understand correlation between its surface morphology and sintering temperature. Such surface morphology was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Below sintering temperature of $500^{\circ}C$, efficiency of DSSCs was relatively lower due to lower open circuit voltage. Oppositely, above sintering temperature of $500^{\circ}C$, efficiency of DSSCs was relatively higher due to higher open circuit voltage. In both cases, lower fill factor (FF) was observed. However, at sintering temperature of $500^{\circ}C$, both efficiency and fill factor of DSSCs were mutually complementary, enhancing highest fill factor and efficiency. Such results can be explained in comparison of surface morphology with schematic diagram of energy states on the $TiO_2$ electrode surface. Consequently, it was considered that optimum sintering temperature of a-terpinol included $TiO_2$ paste is at $500^{\circ}C$.