• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.375-375
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• 2010

CdTe as an absorber material is widely used in thin film solar cells with the heterostructure due to its almost ideal band gap energy of 1.45 eV, high photovoltaic conversion efficiency, low cost and stable performance. The deposition methods and preparation conditions for the fabrication of CdTe are very important for the achievement of high solar cell conversion efficiency. There are some rearranged reports about the deposition methods available for the preparation of CdTe thin films such as close spaced sublimation (CSS), physical vapor deposition (PVD), vacuum evaporation, vapor transport deposition (VTD), closed space vapor transport, electrodeposition, screen printing, spray pyrolysis, metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and RF sputtering. The RF sputtering method for the preparation of CdTe thin films has important advantages in that the thin films can be prepared at low growth temperatures with large-area deposition suitable for mass-production. The authors reported that the optical and electrical properties of CdTe thin film were closely connected by the thickness-uniformity of the film in the previous study [1], which means that the better optical absorbance and the higher carrier concentration could be obtained in the better condition of thickness-uniformity for CdTe thin film. The thickness-uniformity could be controlled and improved by the some process parameters such as vacuum level and RF power in the sputtering process of CdTe thin films. However, there is a limitation to improve the thickness-uniformity only in the preparation process [1]. So it is necessary to introduce the external or additional method for improving the thickness-uniformity of CdTe thin film because the cell size of thin film solar cell will be enlarged. Therefore, the authors firstly applied the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to improving the thickness-uniformity of CdTe thin films with a G&P POLI-450 CMP polisher [2]. CMP process is the most important process in semiconductor manufacturing processes in order to planarize the surface of the wafer even over 300 mm and to form the copper interconnects with damascene process. Some important CMP characteristics for CdTe were obtained including removal rate (RR), WIWNU%, RMS roughness, and peak-to-valley roughness [2]. With these important results, the CMP process for CdTe thin films was performed to improve the thickness-uniformity of the sputtering-deposited CdTe thin film which had the worst two thickness-uniformities of them. Some optical properties including optical transmittance and absorbance of the CdTe thin films were measured by using a UV-Visible spectrophotometer (Varian Techtron, Cary500scan) in the range of 400 - 800 nm. After CMP process, the thickness-uniformities became better than that of the best condition in the previous sputtering process of CdTe thin films. Consequently, the optical properties were directly affected by the thickness-uniformity of CdTe thin film. The absorbance of CdTe thin films was improved although the thickness of CdTe thin film was not changed.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.68-79
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• 2016

The power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells has remarkably increased from 3.81% to 22.1% in the past 6 years. Perovskite solar cells, which are based on the perovskite crystal structure, are fabricated using organic-inorganic hybrid materials. The advantages of these solar cells are their low cost and simple fabrication procedure. Also, they have a band gap of about 1.6 eV and effectively absorb light in the visible region. For the commercialization of perovskite solar cells in the field of photovoltaics, the issue of their long term stability cannot be overlooked. Although the development of perovskite solar cells is unprecedented, their main drawback is the degradation of the perovskite structure by moisture. This degradation is accelerated by exposure to UV light, temperature, and external bias. This paper reviews the aforesaid reasons for perovskite solar cell degradation. We also discuss the research directions that can lead to the development of perovskite solar cells with high stability.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.89.1-89.1
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• 2010

Since Gratzel and co-workers developed a new type of solar cell based on the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ electrode, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention on account of their high solar energy-to-conversion efficiencies (11%), their easy manufacturing process with low cost production compared to conventional p-n junction solar cells. The mechanism of DSSC is based on the injection of electrons from the photoexcited dye into the conduction band of nanocrystalline $TiO_2$. The oxidized dye is reduced by the hole injection process from either the hole counter or electrolyte. Thus, the electronic structures, such as HOMO, LUMO, and HOMO-LUMO gap, of dye molecule in DSSC are deeply related to the electron transfer by photoexcitation and redox potential. To date, high performance and good stability of DSSC based on Ru-dyes as a photosensitizer had been widely addressed in the literatures. DSSC with Ru-bipyridyl complexes (N3 and N719), and the black ruthenium dye have achieved power conversion efficiencies up to 11.2% and 10.4%, respectively. However, the Ru-dyes are facing the problem of manufacturing costs and environmental issues. In order to obtain even cheaper photosensitizers for DSSC, metal-free organic photosensitizers are strongly desired. Metal-free organic dyes offer superior molar extinction coefficients, low cost, and a diversity of molecular structures, compared to conventional Ru-dyes. Recently, novel photosensitizers such as coumarin, merocyanine, cyanine, indoline, hemicyanine, triphenylamine, dialkylaniline, bis(dimethylfluorenyl)-aminophenyl, phenothiazine, tetrahydroquinoline, and carbazole based dyes have achieved solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies up to 5-9%. On the other hand, organic dye molecules have large ${\pi}$-conjugated planner structures which would bring out strong molecular stacking in their solid-state and poor solubility in their media. It was well known that the molecular stacking of organic dyes could reduce the electron transfer pathway in opto-electronic devices, significantly. In this paper, we have studied on synthesis and characterization of dendritic organic dyes with different number of electron acceptor/anchoring moieties in the end of dendrimer. The photovoltaic performances and the incident photon-to-current (IPCE) of these dyes were measured to evaluate the effects of the dendritic strucuture on the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.117.2-117.2
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• 2011

Since Gratzel and co-workers developed a new type of solar cell based on the nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention on account of their high solar energy-to-conversion efficiencies (11%), their easy manufacturing process with low cost production compared to conventional p-n junction solar cells. The mechanism of DSSC is based on the injection of electrons from the photoexcited dye into the conduction band of nanocrystalline TiO2. The oxidized dye is reduced by the hole injection process from either the hole counter or electrolyte. Thus, the electronic structures, such as HOMO, LUMO, and HOMO-LUMO gap, of dye molecule in DSSC are deeply related to the electron transfer by photoexcitation and redox potential. To date, high performance and good stability of DSSC based on Ru-dyes as a photosensitizer had been widely addressed in the literatures. DSSC with Ru-bipyridyl complexes (N3 and N719), and the black ruthenium dye have achieved power conversion efficiencies up to 11.2% and 10.4%, respectively. However, the Ru-dyes are facing the problem of manufacturing costs and environmental issues. In order to obtain even cheaper photosensitizers for DSSC, metal-free organic photosensitizers are strongly desired. Metal-free organic dyes offer superior molar extinction coefficients, low cost, and a diversity of molecular structures, compared to conventional Ru-dyes. Recently, novel photosensitizers such as coumarin, merocyanine, cyanine, indoline, hemicyanine, triphenylamine, dialkylaniline, bis(dimethylfluorenyl)-aminophenyl, phenothiazine, tetrahydroquinoline, and carbazole based dyes have achieved solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies up to 5-9%. On the other hand, organic dye molecules have large ${\pi}$-conjugated planner structures which would bring out strong molecular stacking in their solid-state and poor solubility in their media. It was well known that the molecular stacking of organic dyes could reduce the electron transfer pathway in opto-electronic devices, significantly. In this paper, we have studied on synthesis and characterization of dendritic organic dyes with different number of electron acceptor/anchoring moieties in the end of dendrimer. The photovoltaic performances and the incident photon-to-current (IPCE) of these dyes were measured to evaluate the effects of the dendritic strucuture on the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.453-458
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• 2019

Synthesis of ZnCo₂O₃ oxide is performed by sol-gel method via nitrate-citrate route. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) study shows monoclinic unit cell having lattice parameters: a = 5.721(1) Å, b = 8.073(2) Å, c = 5.670(1) Å, β = 93.221(8)°, space group P_2/m and Z = 4. Average crystallite sizes determined by Scherrer equation are the range ~14-32 nm, whereas SEM micrographs show nano-micro meter size particles formed in ZnCo₂O₃. Endothermic peak at ~798 K in the Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) trace without weight loss could be due to structural transformation and the endothermic peak ~1143 K with weight loss is due to reversible loss of O₂ in air atmosphere. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis profile shows the presence of elements Zn, Co and O which indicates the purity of the sample. Magnetic measurements in the range of +12 kOe to -12 kOe at 10 K, 77 K, 120 K and at 300 K by PPMS-II Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS) shows hysteresis loops having very low values of the coercivity and retentivity which indicates the weakly ferromagnetic nature of the oxide. Observed X-band EPR isotropic lineshapes at 300 K and 77 K show positive g-shift at g_iso ~2.230 and g_iso ~2.217, respectively which is in agreement with the presence of paramagnetic site Co²⁺(3d⁷) in the oxide. DC conductivity value of 2.875 ×10^-8 S/cm indicates very weakly semiconducting nature of ZnCo₂O₃ at 300 K. DRS absorption bands ~357 nm, ~572 nm, ~619 nm and ~654 nm are due to the d-d transitions ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→²E_g(²G), ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→⁴T_1g(⁴P), ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→⁴A_2g(⁴F), ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→⁴T_2g(⁴F), respectively in octahedral ligand field around Co²⁺ ions. Direct band gap energy, E_g~ 1.5 eV in the oxide is obtained by extrapolating the linear part of the Tauc plot to the energy axis indicates fairly strong semiconducting nature of ZnCo₂O₃.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.105-114
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• 1974

Identification and change of microflora during the fermentation of anchovy Engraulis japonica, under the halophilic circumstance were investigated. The change of salinity and pH in meat and juice which decide the environment for microorganism and decomposition of nitrogenous compound which functions as a nutrient source were also discussed by measuring the content of total-N, amino-N, nonprotein-N, TMA and VBN, The fresh anchovy was mixed with rock salt (20 percent w/w) and stocked for six months. Through the fermentation lag phase of viable cells extended for 20 days that was obviously larger compared with other circumstances, hereafter increased to reach the maximum value of $5\times10^4$ total count per gram at 35 day stock. The stationary phase proceeded for 25 days. 540 strains were isolated and among them 11 genus of bacteria, 3 genus of yeasts, were identified and other 2 yeast strains of unidentified. At the initial stage of fermentation, Pseudomonas, and Helobacterium prevalently grew, at the middle stage, they disappeared rapidly and Pediococcus and yeasts completely dominated, where they are assumed to get directly involved with fermentation of fish, The PH value tended to decrease in the progress of fermentation and at 100 day stock it showed the minimum value of 5.5 to 5.6 in both meat and juice. The highest salinity of meat decreased to 18 percent, while in juice it decreased to 28 percent since 50 days stock. The content of total-N in meat gradually decreased to 2.8 percent, while in juice it increased to 2.3 percent at 100 day stock, However nonprotein-N was 1.8 percent and amino-N was 1.1 Percent. Since 100 days stock, the increasing rate of amino-M is too low it could be judged to entered the final stage of fermentation, In the first 20 days stock, the increase of VBN and TMA can be explained by the growth of putrefactive bacteria such as pseudomonas on the meat before salts penetrate into the fish meat, while reincrement after 100 days stock, is explained by decomposition of free amino acid due to the reactions of bacteria and enzymes.