• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.149-153
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• 2006

An attempting to produce a p-type diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) using $Ti_{1-x}Co_xO_{2-\delta}-based$ thin films was made by suitable control of the deposition parameters including deposition temperature, deposition pressure, and doping level using a pulsed laser deposition method. T$Ti_{0.97}Co_{0.03}O_{2-\delta}-based$ (TCO) films deposited at $500^{\circ}C$ at a pressure of $5\times10^{-6}$ Torr showed an anomalous Hall effect with p-type characteristics. On the other hand, films deposited at $700^{\circ}C$ at $5\times10^{-6}$ Torr showed n-type behaviors by a decreased solubility of cobalt. The charge carrier concentration in the p-type TCO films was approximately $7.9\times10^{22}/cm^3$ at 300 K and the anomalous Hall effect in the p-type TCO films was controlled by a side-jump scattering mechanism. The magnetoresistance (MR), measured at 5 K in p-type TCO films showed a positive behavior in an applied magnetic field and the MR ratio was approximately 3.5 %. The successful preparation of p-type DMS using the TCO films has the potential for use in magnetic tunneling junction devices.

• Solar Energy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 1988

In the glass/TCO/p-i-n a-Si/Al type of amorphous silicon solar cell, the effects on solar cell efficiency and metastability for the various kinds of TCO analyzed by SAM and ESCA, which was used to measure the diffusion profiles of In and Sn and the Fermi energy shifts in the TCO/p interface respectively. Indium which diffused into a-Si p-layer did not have any significant effects on the Fermi level shift of p-layer when the content of $B_2H_6/SiH_4$ in p-layer was at 1 gas%. The cell fabricated on $SnO_2$ turned out to have the best cell photovoltaic characteristics. ITO fabricated by electron beam deposition system, which was shown to have the greatest rate of diffusion of Indium in ITO/p interface produced the worst metastability among the cells tested.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.341-346
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• 2011

In this study, we inserted a Zn buffer layer into a AZO/p-type a-si:H layer interface in order to lower the contact resistance of the interface. For the Zn layer, the deposition was conducted at 5 nm, 7 nm and 10 nm using the rf-magnetron sputtering method. The results were compared to that of the AZO film to discuss the possibility of the Zn layer being used as a transparent conductive oxide thin film for application in the silicon heterojunction solar cell. We used the rf-magnetron sputtering method to fabricate Al 2 wt.% of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) film as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). We analyzed the electro-optical properties of the ZnO as well as the interface properties of the AZO/p-type a-Si:H layer. After inserting a buffer layer into the AZO/p-type a-Si:H layers to enhance the interface properties, we measured the contact resistance of the layers using a CTLM (circular transmission line model) pattern, the depth profile of the layers using AES (auger electron spectroscopy), and the changes in the properties of the AZO thin film through heat treatment. We investigated the effects of the interface properties of the AZO/p-type a-Si:H layer on the characteristics of silicon heterojunction solar cells and the way to improve the interface properties. When depositing AZO thin film on a-Si layer, oxygen atoms are diffused from the AZO thin film towards the a-Si layer. Thus, the characteristics of the solar cells deteriorate due to the created oxide film. While a diffusion of Zn occurs toward the a-Si in the case of AZO used as TCO, the diffusion of In occurs toward a-Si in the case of ITO used as TCO.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.426.1-426.1
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• 2016

We report high work function Aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) films as insertion layer as a function of O2 flow rate between transparent conducting oxides (TCO) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (a-SiOx:H) layer to improve open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) for high efficiency thin film solar cell. However, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells exhibit poor fill factors due to a Schottky barrier like impedance at the interface between a-SiOx:H windows and TCO. The impedance is caused by an increasing mismatch between the work function of TCO and that of p-type a-SiOx:H. In this study, we report on the silicon thin film solar cell by using as insertion layer of O2 reactive AZO films between TCO and p-type a-SiOx:H. Significant efficiency enhancement was demonstrated by using high work-function layers (4.95 eV at O2=2 sccm) for engineering the work function at the key interfaces to raise FF as well as Voc. Therefore, we can be obtained the conversion efficiency of 7 % at 13mA/cm2 of the current density (Jsc) and 63.35 % of FF.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.13 no.spc2
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• pp.336-340
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• 2012

Wide band gap p-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (a-SiO:H) buffer layer has been used at the interface of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p-type layer of a p-i-n type a-Si:H solar cell. Introduction of 5 nm thick buffer layer improves in blue response of the cell along with 0.5% enhancement of photovoltaic conversion efficiency (η). The cells with buffer layer show higher open circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), short circuit current density (Jsc) and improved blue response with respect to the cell without buffer layer.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2018

In this study, double-layered TCO (transparent conductive oxide) films were produced by depositing two distinct TCO materials: $SnO_2$ works as an n-type layer and ITO (indium-doped tin oxide) serves as a transparent conductor. Both transparent conductive oxide-films were sequentially deposited by sputtering. The electrical and optical properties of single-layered TCO films ($SnO_2$) and double-layered TCO ($ITO/SnO_2$) films were investigated. A TCO-embedding photodetector was realized through the formation of an $ITO/SnO_2/p-Si/Al$ layered structure. The remarkably high rectifying ratio of 400.64 was achieved with the double-layered TCO device, compared to 1.72 with the single-layered TCO device. This result was attributed to the enhanced electrical properties of the double-layered TCO device. With respect to the photoresponses, the photocurrent of the double-layered TCO photodetector was significantly improved: 1,500% of that of the single-layered TCO device. This study suggests that, due to the electrical and optical benefits, double-layered TCO films are effective for enhancing the photoresponses of TCO photodetectors. This provides a useful approach for the design of photoelectric devices, including solar cells and photosensors.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.31-36
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• 2006

Superstrate pin amorphous silicon thin-film(a-Si:H) solar cells are prepared on $SnO_2:F$ and ZnO:Al transparent conducting oxides(TCO) in order to see the effect of TCO/p-layers on a-Si:H solar cell operation. The solar cells prepared on textured ZnO:Al have higher open circuit voltage VOC than cells prepared on $SnO_2:F$. Presence of thin microcrystalline p-type silicon layer(${\mu}c-Si:H$) between ZnO:Al and p a-SiC:H plays a major role by causing improvement in fill factor as well as $V_{OC}$ of a-Si:H solar cells prepared on ZnO:Al TCO. Without any treatment of pi interface, we could obtain high $V_{OC}$ of 994mV while keeping fill factor(72.7%) and short circuit current density $J_{SC}$ at the same level as for the cells on $SnO_2:F$ TCO. This high $V_{OC}$ value can be attributed to modification in the current transport in this region due to creation of a potential barrier.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.158-161
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• 2006

Superstrate pin amorphous silicon thin-film (a-Si:H) solar cells are prepared on $SnO_2:F$ and ZnO:Al transparent conducting oxides (TCO) In order to see the effect of TCO/P-layers on a-Si:H solar cell operation. The solar cells prepared on textured ZnO:Al have higher open circuit voltage $V_{oc}$ than cells prepared on $SnO_2:F$. Presence of thin microcrystalline p-type silicon layer $({\mu}c-Si:H)$ between ZnO:Al and p a-SiC:H plays a major role by causing improvement in fill factor as well as $V_{oc}$, of a-Si:H solar cells prepared on ZnO:Al TCO. Without any treatment of pi interface, we could obtain high $V_{oc}$, of 994mv while keeping fill factor (72.7%) and short circuit current density $J_{sc}$ at the same level as for the cells on $SnO_2:F$ TCO. This high $V_{oc}$ value can be attributed to modification in the current transport in this region due to creation of a potential barrier.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 2023

Nickel oxide is a nonstoichiometric transparent conductive oxide with p-type conductivity, a wide-band energy gap of 3.4~4.0 eV, and excellent chemical stability, making it a very important candidate as a material for bipolar devices. P-type conductivity in Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCO) is controlled by the oxygen vacancy concentration. During the TCO film deposition process, additional oxygen diffusing into the NiO structure causes the formation of Ni 3p ions and Ni vacancies. This eventually affects the hole concentration of the p-type oxide thin film. In this work, the surface morphology and the electrical characteristics were confirmed in accordance with the annealing atmosphere of the nickel oxide thin film.