• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.197-200
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• 2014

We investigated the influence of blistering on $Al_2O_3$/SiON stacks and $Al_2O_3$/SiNx:H stacks passivation layers. $Al_2O_3$ film provides outstanding Si surface passivation quality. $Al_2O_3$ film as the rear passivation layer of a p-type Si solar cell is usually stacked with a capping layer, such as $SiO_2$, SiNx, and SiON films. These capping layers protect the thin $Al_2O_3$ layer from an Al electrode during the annealing process. We compared $Al_2O_3$/SiON stacks and $Al_2O_3$/SiNx:H stacks through surface morphology and minority carrier lifetime after annealing processes at $450^{\circ}C$ and $850^{\circ}C$. As a result, the $Al_2O_3$/SiON stacks were observed to produce less blister phenomenon than $Al_2O_3$/SiNx:H stacks. This can be explained by the differences in the H species content. In the process of depositing SiNx film, the rich H species in $NH_3$ source are diffused to the $Al_2O_3$ film. On the other hand, less hydrogen diffusion occurs in SiON film as it contains less H species than SiNx film. This blister phenomenon leads to an increase insurface defect density. Consequently, the $Al_2O_3$/SiON stacks had a higher minority carrier lifetime than the $Al_2O_3$/SiNx:H stacks.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-38
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• 2012

In this study, we have attempted to characterize the photovoltaic effect in real-time measurement of photoinduced current in a poly-Si-based solar cell using photoconductive atomic force microscopy (PC-AFM). However, the high contact resistance that originates from the metal-semiconductor Schottky contact disturbs the current flow and makes it difficult to measure the photoinduced current. To solve this problem, a thin metallic film has been coated on the surface of the device, which successfully decreases the contact resistance. In the PC-AFM analysis, we used a metal-coated conducting cantilever tip as the top electrode of the solar cell and light from a halogen lamp was irradiated on the PC-AFM scanning region. As the light intensity becomes stronger, the current value increases up to $200{\mu}A$ at 80 W, as more electrons and hole carriers are generated because of the photovoltaic effect. The ratio of the conducting area at different conditions was calculated, and it showed a behavior similar to that generated by a photoinduced current. On analyzing the PC-AFM measurement results, we have verified the correlation between the light intensity and photoinduced current of the poly-Si-based solar cell in nanometer scale.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.103.2-103.2
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• 2011

비정질 실리콘 태양전지의 효율을 증가하기 위하여 많이 사용되는 방법 중 하나는 입사되는 빛의 산란을 증가하여 태양전지의 광흡수를 증가시키는 방법이다. 이를 위하여 양극전극으로 사용되는 TCO층의 일정한 패턴 처리를 통하여 광산란을 증가시키는 방법이 사용되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 나노 임프린트 리소그래피방법을 사용하여 Ag 나노로드를 증착한 기판을 제조하고 이를 비정질 실리콘 태양전지에 적용하였다. 실험결과, 그림과 같이 높이와 너비가 300nm 정도로 일정한 패턴의 Ag 나노로드를 제조하였다. 또한, 그 위에 증착된 Si 박막의 경우, 나노로드 전체를 감싸는 돔 형태로 성장하였다. 이와 같은 나노로드 위에 substrate n-i-p 구조의 비정질 박막 태양전지를 증착하고 그 특성변화를 분석하고자 하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.480.1-480.1
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• 2014

In this study, we suggest the new emitter formation applied solid phase epitaxy (SPE) growth process using rapid thermal process (RTP). Preferentially, we describe the SPE growth of intrinsic a-Si thin film through RTP heat treatment by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD). Phase transition of intrinsic a-Si thin films were taken place under $600^{\circ}C$ for 5 min annealing condition measured by spectroscopic ellipsometer (SE) applied to effective medium approximation (EMA). We confirmed the SPE growth using high resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) analysis. Similarly, phase transition of P doped a-Si thin films were arisen $700^{\circ}C$ for 1 min, however, crystallinity is lower than intrinsic a-Si thin films. It is referable to the interference of the dopant. Based on this, we fabricated 16.7% solar cell to apply emitter layer formed SPE growth of P doped a-Si thin films using RTP. We considered that is a relative short process time compare to make the phosphorus emitter such as diffusion using furnace. Also, it is causing process simplification that can be omitted phosphorus silicate glass (PSG) removal and edge isolation process.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 1988

This work is concerned with the fabrication process and photo-response characteristics of Cd S/(p) Si solar cells. In order to fabricate the cell. low grade Si wafer has been used as an absorber and Cd S which works as a window material has been prepared by vacuum evaporation. Cd S thin film, as evaporated, is polycristal and resistance is very high but these properties are improved by annealing. The properties of the fabricated cells are found to depend largely on the transmittance of Cd S. The effects of Cd S thickness and annealing condition on the fill factor and efficiency of the cell are investigated quantitatively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.04b
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• pp.85-88
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• 2004

Mono-crystalline silicon(mono-Si) is both abundant in our environment and an excellent material for Si device applications. However, single crystalline silicon solar cell has been considered to be expensive for terrestrial applications. For that reason, the last few years have seen very rapid progress in the research and development activities of layer transfer(LT) processes. Thin film Si layers which can be detached from a reusable mono-Si wafers served as a substrate for epitaxial growth. The epitaxial films have a very high efficiency potential. LT technology is a promising approach to reduce fabrication cost with high efficiency at large scale since expensive Si substrate can be recycled. Low quality Si can be used as a substrate. Therefore, we propose one of the major technologies on fabricating thin film Si substrate using a LT. In this paper, we study the LT method using the electrochemical etching(ECE) and solid edge.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.278-280
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• 2007

a-Si:H/${\mu}$c-Si:H 적층형 태양전지의 효율향상을 위해 상부전지와 하부전지간의 접합특성은 매우 중요하다. 본 연구에서는, 접합특성을 향상하기 위하여 아몰퍼스 보다 전도도가 높은 마이크로화된 n층 또는 ZnO:Al을 중간층으로 삽입한 태양전지를 제조하였으며, 그 특성을 전기적, 광학적 방법으로 분석하였다. 전기적 특성에서, 상부전지 n층에 아몰퍼스를 적용한 태양전지의 경우, 상부전지와 하부전지 간의 직렬저항이 $500{\Omega}-cm^2$ 이상으로 높게 측정되었고, 이에 따라 AM 1.5 상태의 I-V 특성에서 비틀림 현상이 발생하여 곡선인자(Fill Factor : FF)가 낮게 측정되었다. 이에 반하여, 상부전지 n층에 마이크로층을 적용하거나, ZnO:Al 중간층을 삽입한 시편의 경우, 상부전지와 하부전지간의 직렬저항이 $1{\Omega}-cm^2$ 이하로 감소하였으며, 이와 같은 계면간의 접합특성 향상으로 I-V특성에서 비틀림 현상이 사라지고, FF가 70% 까지 증가하였다. 또한, 마이크로층과 ZnO:Al 중간층을 동시에 적용한 태양전지의 경우, FF가 75%까지 가장 높게 증가하였다. 광학적 특성의 경우, 같은 두께의 아몰퍼스 n층에 비하여 마이크로 n층이 투과도는 더 높게, 반사도는 낮게 측정되었으며, 이는 하부전지의 단락전류 (Short circuit current : Jsc)를 높여줄 것으로 판단된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.127-127
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• 2009

The most important part of the fabrication solar cells is the anti-reflection coating when excludes the kinds of silicon substrates (crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous), patterns and materials of electrodes. Anti-reflection coatings reduce the reflection of sunlight and at last increase the intensity of radiation to inside of solar cells. So, we can obtain increase of solar cell efficiency about 10% using anti-reflection coating. There are many kinds of anti-reflection film for solar cell, such as SiN, $SiO_2$, a-Si, and so on. And, they have two functions, anti-reflection and passivation. However such materials could not perfectly prevent reflection. So, in this work, we investigated the anti-reflection coating with the columnar structure ZnO thin film. We synthesized columnar structure ZnO film on glass substrates. The ZnO films were synthesized using a RF magnetron sputtering system with a pure (99.95%) ZnO target at room temperature. The anti-reflection coating layer was sputtered by argon and oxygen gases. The angle of target and substrate measures 0, 20, 40, 60 degrees, the working pressure 10 mtorr and the 250 W of RF power during 40 minutes. The confirm the growth mechanism of ZnO on columnar structure, the anti-reflection coating layer was observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The optical trends were observed by UV-vis and Elleso meter.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.99.2-99.2
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• 2010

This paper investigates the dependence of a-Si:H/c-Si passivation and heterojunction solar cell performances on various cleaning processes of silicon wafer and surface morphology. It is observed that passivation quality of a-Si:H thin-films on c-Si wafer highly depends on wafer surface conditions. The MCLT(Minority carrier life time) of wafer incorporating intrinsic (i) a-Si:H as a passivation layer shows sensitive variation with cleaning process and surface morpholgy. By applying improved cleaning processes and surface morphology we can obtain the MCLT of $200{\mu}sec$ after H-termination and above 1.5msec after i a-Si:H thin film deposition, which has implied open circuit voltage of 0.720V.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.263-274
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• 1996

Titanium dioxide ($TiO_{2}$) film has been widely used as anti-reflection coating for solar cells but not as masking oxide for metallisation and diffusion of impurities. In this paper we have investigated the properties of $TiO_{2}$ for possible incorporation into solar cell processing sequence. Thus the use of a spray deposition system to form the $TiO_{2}$ film and the characterisation of this film to ascertain its suitability to solar cell processing. The spray-on $TiO_{2}$ film was found to be resistant to all the chemicals used in conjunction with solar cell processing. The high temperature anealing (in oxygen ambient) of the spray-on $TiO_{2}$ film resulted in an increased refractive index, which indicated the growth of an underlying thin film of $SiO_{2}$ film for the passivation of silicon surface which would reduce the recombination activities of the fabricated device. Most importantly, the successful incorporation of the $TiO{2}$ film will lead to the reduction of the many high temperature processing steps of solar cell to only one.