• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.50-53
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• 2019

In this study, polycrystalline silicon thin film useful for the solar cells was fabricated by AIC(Aluminum Induced Crystallization) process. A diffusing barrier for this process is prepared with $Al_2O_3$. For the maximization of the grain size of the polycrystalline silicon, a selective blasting of the $Al_2O_3$ diffusing barrier was conducted before annealing treatment. The heat treatment for the activation of the amorphous-Si (a-Si) layer was carried out with Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) process. Crystallization of the a-Si layer was analyzed with XRD. It was confirmed that a-Si was crystallized at $500^{\circ}C$ and the silicon crystal is observed to be formed and the grain size of the polycrystalline silicon was observed to be $15.9{\mu}m$.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.335-338
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• 2007

Cost effectiveness is an important parameter for producing DSSCs as compared to the widely used conventional silicon based solar cells. A fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate coated with a catalytic amount of platinum is used as counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cell. Carbonaceous materials are quite attractive to replace platinum due to their high electronic conductivity, corrosion resistance towards $I_{2}$, good catalytic effect and low cost. In this paper, the unit DSSCs with Pt and CNT as a counter electrode were connected in series-parallel externally, then the current-voltage curves were investigated to find out the connection characteristics of the DSSC with CNT counter electrode. The connection characteristics of the DSSC with CNT counter electrode is superior to that of the DSSC with Pt counter electrode. And a parallel connection of the DSSC with CNT counter electrode has higher efficiency than a series connection of that.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.309-313
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• 2009

This study was conducted to improve the power of PV module using a surface cooling system. One of the unique characteristics of PV module is power drop as a module surface temperature increases due to the characteristics of crystalline silicon used in a solar cell. To overcome the output power reduction by temperature effect, module surface cooling using water circulation was performed. By cooling effect, module surface temperature drops maximally $20.3^{\circ}C$ predicting more than 10% power enhancement. Maximum deviation of voltage and current between a control and cooled module differed by 5.1V and 0.9A respectively. The maximum power enhancement by cooling system was 12.4% compared with a control module. In addition, cooling system can wash the module surface by water circulation so that extra power up of PV module can be achieved by removing particles on the surface which interfere solar radiation on the cells. Cooling system, besides, can reduce the maintenance cost and prevent accidents as a safety precaution while cleaning works. This system can be applied to the existing photovoltaic power generation facilities without any difficulties as well.

• Solar Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2000

To get more insight into the buffering effects of the p-${\mu}c$-Si:H Inserted at the p-a-SiC:H/i-a-Si:H interface, we present a systematic numerical simulation using Gummel-Schafetter method. The reduced recombination loss at the p/i interface due to a constant bandgap buffer is analysed in terms of the variation of the p/i Interface region with a short lifetime and the characterisitics of the buffer such as mobility bandgap, acceptor concentration, and D-state density. The numerical modeling on the constant bandgap buffer demonstrates clearly that the buffering effects of the thin p-${\mu}c$-Si:H originate from the shrinkage of highly defective region with a short lifetime in the vicinity of the p/i interface.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.71-75
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• 2019

Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources. It can respond to expanding energy demand. A solar cell module is designed to have a durability that can be developed over a long period of 25 years to be installed outdoors and perform like a stable power supply. We need Standard Test Condition (STC)-based power output data before and after testing to measure the power output of existing modules. The modules are shown to reduce power output by comparing data before and after outdoor experiments regardless of whether they are indoor or outdoor. It is easy to compare the power output quantities through the module simulator in the indoor. However, it takes a lot of testing time and costs to compare the power output on outdoor in the case of a high number of modules and distance from the module simulator. It can save time and costs if we can check the power output using the data in outdoor. We have used the long-term outdoor test to find the elements out that corresponds to the reductions in power output quantities. We have conducted research that matched the actual and the tests.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.2075-2082
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• 2006

This paper presents modeling and optimization techniques for hish efficiency solar cell process on single-crystalline float zone (FZ) wafers. Among a sequence of multiple steps of fabrication, the followings are the most sensitive steps for the contact formation: 1) Emitter formation by diffusion; 2) Anti-reflection-coating (ARC) with silicon nitride using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD); 3) Screen-printing for front and back metalization; and 4) Contact formation by firing. In order to increase the performance of solar cells in terms of efficiency, the contact formation process is modeled and optimized using neural networks and genetic algorithms, respectively. This paper utilizes the design of experiments (DOE) in contact formation to reduce process time and fabrication costs. The experiments were designed by using central composite design which consists of 24 factorial design augmented by 8 axial points with three center points. After contact formation process, the efficiency of the fabricated solar cell is modeled using neural networks. Established efficiency model is then used for the analysis of the process characteristics and process optimization for more efficient solar cell fabrication.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.241-241
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• 2008

Macrofore formation in silicon and other semiconductors using electrochemical etching processes has been, in the last years, a subject of great attention of both theory and practice. Its first reason of concern is new areas of macropore silicone applications arising from microelectromechanical systems processing (MEMS), membrane techniques, solar cells, sensors, photonic crystals, and new technologies like a silicon-on-nothing (SON) technology. Its formation mechanism with a rich variety of controllable microstructures and their many potential applications have been studied extensively recently. Porous silicon is formed by anodic etching of crystalline silicon in hydrofluoric acid. During the etching process holes are required to enable the dissolution of the silicon anode. For p-type silicon, holes are the majority charge carriers, therefore porous silicon can be formed under the action of a positive bias on the silicon anode. For n-type silicon, holes to dissolve silicon is supplied by illuminating n-type silicon with above-band-gap light which allows sufficient generation of holes. To make a desired three-dimensional nano- or micro-structures, pre-structuring the masked surface in KOH solution to form a periodic array of etch pits before electrochemical etching. Due to enhanced electric field, the holes are efficiently collected at the pore tips for etching. The depletion of holes in the space charge region prevents silicon dissolution at the sidewalls, enabling anisotropic etching for the trenches. This is correct theoretical explanation for n-type Si etching. However, there are a few experimental repors in p-type silicon, while a number of theoretical models have been worked out to explain experimental dependence observed. To perform ordered macrofore formaion for p-type silicon, various kinds of mask patterns to make initial KOH etch pits were used. In order to understand the roles played by the kinds of etching solution in the formation of pillar arrays, we have undertaken a systematic study of the solvent effects in mixtures of HF, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), iso-propanol, and mixtures of HF with water on the macrofore structure formation on monocrystalline p-type silicon with a resistivity varying between 10 ~ 0.01 $\Omega$ cm. The etching solution including the iso-propanol produced a best three dimensional pillar structures. The experimental results are discussed on the base of Lehmann's comprehensive model based on SCR width.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.17-24
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• 2021

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can be fabricated through solution process economically with variable bandgap that is controlled by composition of precursor solution. Tandem cells in which PSCs combined with silicon solar cells have potential to reach high power conversion efficiency over 30%, however, lack of long-term stability of PSCs is an obstacle to commercialization. Degradation of PSCs is mainly attributed to the mass transport of halide and metal electrode materials. In order to ensure the long-term stability, the mass transport should be inhibited. In this study, we confirmed degradation behaviors due to the mass transport in PSCs and designed buffer layers with LiF and/or SnO₂ to improve the long-term stability by suppressing the mass transport. Under high-temperature storage test at 85℃, PSCs without the buffer layers were degraded by forming PbI₂, AgI, and the delta phase of the perovskite material, while PSCs with the buffer layers showed improved stability with keeping the original phase of the perovskite. When the LiF buffer and encapsulation were applied to PSCs, superior long-term stability on 85℃-85% RH dump heat test was achieved; efficiency drop was not observed after 200 h. It was also confirmed that 90.6% of the initial efficiency was maintained after 200 hours of maximum power tracking test under AM 1.5G-1SUN illumination. Here, we have demonstrated that the buffer layer is essential to achieve long-term stability of PSCs.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1135-1140
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• 2012

Two-step metallization processes have been proposed to achieve high-efficiency silicon solar cells, where the front-side grids are formed by silver plating after the formation of a nickel seed layer with a mask. Because the conventional mask patterning process is performed by an expensive selective printing method using either UV resist or phase change ink, however, the combination of a simple coating and laser-selective ablation processes is proposed in this study as an alternative means. As a masking material, the solar cell wafer was coated with either inexpensive wax having a low melting temperature or a fluorocarbon solution, and then, an electrode image was patterned by selectively removing the masking material using the laser. It was found that the fluorocarbon coating was not only superior to the wax coating in terms of pattern uniformity but it also increased the efficiency of the solar cell by 0.16%, as confirmed by statistical f and t tests.

• Solar Energy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 1997

The solar cell electrical output parameters such as the open circuit voltage($V_{oc}$) and short circuit current density($V_{sc}$) are intrinsic characteristics depending on junction depth, doping concentration, metal contacts barriers and cell structure. As a role of thumb for solar cell design, the metal contact barriers for phosphorus doped emitter should have lower work function in order to provide lower series resistance. The fabrication of PESC(passivated emitter solar cell) structure usually involves the use of titanium as a metal contact barrier. Chromium, which work function is similar to titanium but conductance is higher than titanium is being investigated as the new metal contact barrier. Although titanium has lower work function difference than chromium, the electric performances of chromium as contact barrier are higher than titanium. This better performance is attributed to the lower resistivity from chromium. This paper, therefore, compares the attributes of metal barrier contacts using titanium and chromium.