• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.168-172
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• 2014

Under concentrated illuminations, the solar cells show higher efficiencies mainly due to an increase of the open circuit voltage. In this study, InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells have been grown by a low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Photovoltaic characteristics of the fabricated solar cells are investigated with a class A solar simulator under concentrated illuminations from 1 to 100 suns. Ideally, the open circuit voltage should increase with the current level when maintained at the same temperature. However, the fabricated solar cells show degraded open circuit voltages under high concentrations around 100 suns. This means that the heat sink design is not optimized to keep the cell temperature at $25^{\circ}C$. To demonstrate the thermal degradation, changes of the device performance are investigated with different bonding conditions and heat sink materials.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.190-193
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• 2001

In order to verify the efficiency or availability and stability of photovoltaic(PV) generation systems, huge system apparatuses are needed, in general, in which an actual size of solar panel, a type of converter system and some amount of load facilities should be installed in a particular location. It is also hardly possible to compare a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control scheme with others under the same weather and load conditions in an actual PV generation system. The only and a possible way to bring above-mentioned problem to be solved is to realize a transient simulation scheme for PV generation systems using real weather conditions such as insolation and surface temperature of solar cell. The authors, in this paper, introduces a novel simulation method, which is based on a real-time digital simulator (RTDS), for PV generation systems under the real weather conditions. Firstly, VI characteristic equation of a solar cell is developed as an empirical formula and reconstructed in the RTDS system, then the real data of weather conditions are interfaced to the analogue inputs of the RTDS. The outcomes of the simulation demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed simulation scheme in this paper. The results shows that the cost effective verifying for the efficiency or availability and stability of PV generation systems and the comparison research of various control schemes like MPPT under the same real weather conditions are possible.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 2017

Dinickel-silicide $(Ni_2Si)/glass$ was employed as a counter electrode for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) device. $Ni_2Si$ was formed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at $700^{\circ}C$ for 15 seconds of a 50 nm-Ni/50 nm-Si/glass structure. For comparison, $Ni_2Si$ on quartz was also prepared through conventional electric furnace annealing (CEA) at $800^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. XRD, XPS, and EDS line scanning of TEM were used to confirm the formation of $Ni_2Si$. TEM and CV were employed to confirm the microstructure and catalytic activity. Photovoltaic properties were examined using a solar simulator and potentiostat. XRD, XPS, and EDS line scanning results showed that both CEA and RTA successfully led to tne formation of nano $thick-Ni_2Si$ phase. The catalytic activity of $CEA-Ni_2Si$ and $RTA-Ni_2Si$ with respect to Pt were 68 % and 56 %. Energy conversion efficiencies (ECEs) of DSSCs with $CEA-Ni_2Si$ and $RTA-Ni_2Si$catalysts were 3.66 % and 3.16 %, respectively. Our results imply that nano-thick $Ni_2Si$ may be used to replace Pt as a reduction catalytic layer for a DSSCs. Moreover, we show that nano-thick $Ni_2Si$ can be made available on a low-cost glass substrate via the RTA process.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.68-68
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• 2011

본 연구에서는 PV cell이 직달 일사에 노출되는 경우와 집광된 태양광에 조사되는 경우의 성능을 비교하는 한편 집광기의 형태에 따른 열적 성능을 검토하고자 하였다. PV cell은 본질적으로 반도체의 특성을 가지므로 작동온도의 상승에 따라 성능이 저하된다는 사실이 알려져 있으며, 태양조사의 강도 및 밀도 등 특성에 따라서도 성능의 변화를 예상할 수 있다. 그러나 이러한 성능변화에 관련된 인자들과 그 영향의 크기에 대한 정량적인 기술자료가 부족하므로 설치와 이용에 한계가 있는 것이 현실이다. 인공태양 장치(solar simulator)를 이용하여 0.7에서 1.2 sun 범위의 태양 조사 환경에서 결정질 실리콘계 PV cell과 집광형 PV cell의 성능을 검토하였다. 집광에 사용한 PTC는 집광면적의 폭이 500 mm이며, 집광 조사면적이 최소 10 mm인 경우 이론적 최대 집광비가 50이었다. PTC의 축방향으로는 균일한 태양조사가 있게된다는 것을 가정하여 모델의 길이는 간편한 실험을 위해 150에서 500 mm의 범위에서 제작하였다. 수평으로 놓인 PTC의 상부 초점 위치로부터 집광면이 아래 쪽에 위치할수록 집광 조사 면적이 증가하므로 PV cell의 크기에 따라 PTC 초점의 위치로부터 거리를 결정하였다. 한편, PTC 자체의 성능도 촛점거리와 집광면 폭의 비에 따라 달라질 수 있다는 가정 하에, 포물면의 최저 위치로부터 촛점거리는 각각 300, 400 및 500 mm가 되도록 세가지 형태를 제작하여 사용하였다. 동일한 형태의 PTC에서 PV cell의 동일한 설치 위치에서도 최고 $110^{\circ}C$ 범위의 PV cell의 작동 (표면) 온도에 따른 성능의 차이를 관찰하기 위해 셀의 후면을 냉각시키는 경우와 그렇지 않은 경우를 비교하였다. PV cell의 표면 온도 측정을 위해서, 후면의 온도와 같이 광선 차단 효과의 우려가 없는 경우에는 열전대를 설치하였으며, 셀의 전면 온도 측정을 위해서는 비접촉식 적외선 온도계를 사용하였다. 냉각 방법으로는 공기를 이용한 자연대류와 액체를 사용하는 강제대류의 경우를 고려하였으며, 필요에 따라 적절히 설계된 히트싱크를 설치하여 비교 실험을 진행하였다. 강제대류 냉각의 경우는 항온조를 사용하여 순환하는 냉각수의 유량과 공급온도를 변화시킴으로써 PV cell의 작동온도를 조절하고, 이에 따른 발전 성능의 변화를 관찰하였다. 본 연구에서 도출한 실험 및 분석 결과는 PV cell의 설치 환경과 작동온도의 변화에 따라 그 성능 변화를 예측할 수 있는 기술적 자료를 제공함으로써 에너지 이용의 합리화를 도모하는데 기여할 수 있을 것이다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.453.2-453.2
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• 2014

그래핀을 수직으로 성장한 형태인 탄소나노월(Carbon nanowall; CNW)은 탄소를 바탕으로 하는 다른 나노물질에 비해 표면적이 상당히 넓은 물질로 전극에 활용하여 소자 성능향상을 기대 할 수 있다. 또한 탄소를 기반으로 하는 나노 구조물중에서 가장 높은 표면밀도를 가진다. CNW를 차세대 염료감응형 태양전지(Dye sensitised solar cells; DSSC)의 상대전극으로 사용한다면 기존대비 광변환 효율을 향상시킬 수 있어 새로운 상대전극으로 활용 가능하다. 또한 CNW는 다른 촉매 없이 직접성장이 가능함으로 불순물 제거공정이 필요하지 않고, 공정시간이 짧아 대량생산에 용의하다. 본 연구에서는 마이크로웨이브 PECVD 장비를 사용하고 메탄(CH4)을 반응가스로 사용하여 CNW 하부전극을 제조하였다. CNW 하부전극의 광 변환효율을 관찰하기위해서 합성시간을 변화를 주었다. 제조된 DSSC의 광 변환 효율을 측정하기 위해 Solar simulator 장비를 사용하여 제작된 cells의 효율을 측정하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.294-298
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• 2015

Blocking layers with nano carbon blacks (NCBs) were prepared by adding 0.0 ~ 0.5 wt% NCBs to the $TiO_2$ blocking layer. Then, dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated with a $0.45cm^2$ active area. TEM and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the microstructure and phases of the NCBs, respectively. Optical microscopy and AFM were used to analyze the microstructure of the $TiO_2$ blocking layer with NCBs. UV-VIS-NIS spectroscopy was used to determine the band gap of the $TiO_2$ blocking layer with NCBs. A solar simulator and potentiostat were used to determine the photovoltaic properties and impedance of DSSCs with NCBs. The energy conversion efficiency (ECE) increased from 3.53 to 6.20 % when the NCB content increased from 0.0 to 0.3 wt%. This indicates that the effective surface area and electron mobility increased in the $TiO_2$ blocking layer with NCBs. However, the ECE decreased when the NCB content was increased to over 0.4 wt%. This change occurred because the effective electron transport area decreased with the addition of excessive NCBs to the $TiO_2$ blocking layer. The results of this study suggest that the ECE of DSSCs can be enhanced by adding the appropriate amount of NCBs to the $TiO_2$ blocking layer.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.282-287
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• 2019

The photovoltaic properties of $TiO_2$ used for the electron transport layer in perovskite solar cells(PSCs) are compared according to the particle size. The PSCs are fabricated and prepared by employing 20 nm and 30 nm $TiO_2$ as well as a 1:1 mixture of these particles. To analyze the microstructure and pores of each $TiO_2$ layer, a field emission scanning electron microscope and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) method are used. The absorbance and photovoltaic characteristic of the PSC device are examined over time using ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectroscopy and a solar simulator. The microstructural analysis shows that the $TiO_2$ shape and layer thicknesses are all similar, and the BET analysis results demonstrate that the size of $TiO_2$ and in surface pore size is very small. The results of the photovoltaic characterization show that the mean absorbance is similar, in a range of about 400-800 nm. However, the device employing 30 nm $TiO_2$ demonstrates the highest energy conversion efficiency(ECE) of 15.07 %. Furthermore, it is determined that all the ECEs decrease over time for the devices employing the respective types of $TiO_2$. Such differences in ECE based on particle size are due to differences in fill factor, which changes because of changes in interfacial resistance during electron movement owing to differences in the $TiO_2$ particle size, which is explained by a one-dimensional model of the electron path through various $TiO_2$ particles.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.65-70
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• 2019

As a demand of higher power photovoltaic modules, shingled, multi-busbar, half-cell, and bifacial techniques are developed. Multi-busbar module has advantage for large amount of light havesting. And, half-cell is high power module for reducing resistive losses and higher shade tolerance. Recently, researches on multi-busbar is focused on reliability according to adhesion and intermetallic compound between Sn-Pb solder and Ag electrode. And half-cell module is researched to comparing with full-sized cell module for structure difference. In this study, we investigated the factors affecting to efficiency and adhesion of multi-wires half-cell module according to wire thickness, solder thickness, and flux. The results of solar simulator and peel test was that peel strength and efficiency of soldered cell is not related. But samples with flux including high solid material showed high efficiency. The results of FE-SEM and EDX line scan on cross-section between wire and Ag electrode for different flux showed thickness of solder joint between wire and Ag electrode is increasing through solid material increasing. Flux including high solid material would affect to solder behavior on Ag electrode. Higher solid material occurred lower growth of IMC layer because solder permeate to sider of wire ribbon than Ag electrode. And it increased fill factor for high efficiency. In soldering process, amount of solid material in flux and solder thickness are the factor related with characteristic of soldered photovoltaic cell.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.256-256
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• 2009

This paper presents a proper condition to achieve above 17 % conversion efficiency using PC1D simulator. Crystalline silicon wafer with thickness of $240{\mu}m$ was used as a starting material. Various efficiency influencing parameters such as rear surface recombination velocity and minority carrier diffusion length in the base region, front surface recombination velocity, junction depth and doping concentration in the Emitter layer. Among the investigated variables, we learn that 2nd doping concentration as a key factor to achieve conversion efficiency higher than 17 %.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.60-60
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• 2009

기존의 박막 실리콘 태양전지는 TCO와 p-layer 사이의 Bandgap차이가 p-layer, i-layer, n-layer 사이의 Bandgap 차이보다 커서 TCO를 통과한 태양광이 p-layer에 흡수되기 전에 일정량 손실된다. 이를 해결하기 위하여, p-layer 위에 기존의 p-layer보다 높은 Bandgap을 갖는 p buffer layer가 추가된 박막 실리콘 태양전지 구조를 만들어서 흡수되는 태양광의 손실량을 줄이고, 변환효율을 높이고자 하였다. 실험은 ASA Simulator를 이용하여 진행하였으며, Simulation결과 1.92eV의 Bandgap을 갖는 p buffer layer의 추가로 인하여, 기존 10.64%에서 11.16%로 증가된 변환효율을 얻을 수 있었다. Bandgap뿐만 아니라 다른 요소의 최적화도 이루어진다면, 기존의 박막 실리콘 태양전지보다 훨씬 높은 변환효율을 갖는 박막 실리콘 태양전지를 설계 하는 것이 가능 할 것이다.