• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.464.1-464.1
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• 2014

Among numerous material candidates, Cu(InxGa1-x)(SySe2-y) (CIGS) thin films have emerged as promising material candidates for thin film solar cell applications due to the high energy conversion efficiency and relatively low fabrication cost. The CIGS thin film solar cells consist of several materials, including Mo back contacts, ZnO-based window layers, and CdS buffer layers. All these materials have different crystal structures and contain quite distinct chemical elements, and hence the device characterization requires careful analyses. Most of all, identification of the major trap states resulting in the carrier recombination processes is a key step toward realization of high efficiency CIGS solar cells. We have carried out electrical investigations of CIGS thin film solar cells to specify the major trap states and their roles in photovoltaic performance. In particular, we have used the temperature-dependent transport characterizations and admittance spectroscopy. In this presentation, we will introduce some exemplary studies of DC and AC electrical characteristics of the CIGS solar cells.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.116-120
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• 2011

In this paper, we studied the optimization of the screen pringting method for crystalline silicon solar cell fabrication. The 156 * 156 mm2 p-type silicon wafers with $200{\mu}m$ thickness and $0.5-3{\Omega}cm$ resistivity were used after texturing, doping, and passivation. Screen printing method is a common way to make the c-Si solar cell with low-cost and high-efficiency. We studied the optimized condition for screen printing with crystalline silicon solar cell as changing the printing direction (finger line or bus bar), finger width, and mesh angle. As a result, the screen printing with finger line direction showed higher finger height and better conversion efficiency, compared with one with bus bar direction. The experiments with various finger widths and mesh angles were also carried out. The characteristics of solar cells was obtained by measuring light current-voltage, optical microscope and electroluminescence.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.76-84
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• 2019

Silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) have dominated the photovoltaic market up till now but their conversion performance is practically limited to around 26% compared with the theoretical efficiency limit of 29.4%. A silicon based multi-junction devices are expected to overcome this limitation. In this report, we briefly review the state-of-art characteristic of wide-gap materials which has played a role as top sub-cells in silicon based multi-junction solar cells. In addition, we indicate significantly practical challenges and key issues of these multi-junction combination. Finally, we focus to some characteristics of III-V/c-Si tandem configuration which are reaching highly record performance in multi-junction silicon solar cells.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.297-302
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• 2022

This study compares the characteristics of a compact TiO₂ (c-TiO₂) powdery film, which is used as the electron transport layer (ETL) of perovskite solar cells, based on the manufacturing method. Additionally, its efficiency is measured by applying it to a carbon electrode solar cell. Spin-coating and spray methods are compared, and spray-based c-TiO₂ exhibits superior optical properties. Furthermore, surface analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) exhibits the excellent surface properties of spray-based TiO₂. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) is 14.31% when applied to planar perovskite solar cells based on metal electrodes. Finally, carbon nanotube (CNT) film electrode-based solar cells exhibits a 76% PCE compared with that of metal electrode-based solar cells, providing the possibility of commercialization.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.441-441
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• 2009

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been widely investigated as a next-generation solar cell because of their simple fabrication process and low coats. The cells use a porous nanocrystalline TiO2 matrix coated with a sensitizer dye that acts as the light-harvesting element. The photo-exited dye injects electrons into the $TiO_2$ particles, and the oxide dye reacts with I- in the electrolyte in regenerative cycle that is completed by the reduction of $I_3^-$ at a platinum-coated counter electrode. Since $TiO_2$ porous film plays a key role in the enhancement of photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSC, many scientists focus their researches on it. Especially, a high light-to-electricity conversion efficiency results from particle size and crystallographic phase, film porosity, surface structure, charge and surface area to volume ratio of porous $TiO_2$ electrodes, on which the dye can be sufficiently adsorbed. Effective treatment of the photoanode is important to improve DSSC performance. In this paper, to obtain properties of surface and dispersion as nitric acid treated $TiO_2$ photoelectrode was investigate. The photovoltaic characteristics of DSSCs based the electrode fabricated by nitric acid pre-treatment $TiO_2$ materials gave better performances on both of short circuit current density and open circuit voltage. We compare dispersion of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles before and after nitric acid treatment and measured Ti oxidized state from XPS. Low charge transfer resistance was obtained in nitric acid treated sample than that of untreated sample. The dye-sensitized solar cell based on the nitric acid treatment had open-circuit voltage of 0.71 V, a short-circuit current of 15.2 mAcm-2 and an energy conversion efficiency of 6.6 % under light intensity of $100\;mWcm^{-2}$. About 14 % increases in efficiency obtained when the $TiO_2$ electrode was treated by nitric acid.

• Clean Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.292-296
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• 2010

We fabricated quantum dot sensitized solar cells(QDSSC) using PbS as a sensitizer and measured the solar energy conversion efficiency. After growing ZnO nanowires on the substrate by low temperature ammonia solution reaction, PbS QDs were deposited on ZnO nanowires by SILAR(Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction) method. The morphology and crystallinity of PbS/ZnO nanowires were studied by SEM and XRD. In this study, the maximum conversion efficiency of QDSSC using PbS was 0.075% at one sun, which was lower than that of QDSSC using other sensitizers. The reasons it showed relatively low efficiency are i) the probability of type-I band gap arrangement between ZnO and PbS, ii) disturbance of electron migration by the various-sized PbS band gap, iii) stability dip by the chemical reaction of PbS QDs with electrolyte. To solve these problems, researches about controlling the size distribution of PbS and new type electrolyte would be needed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2018

This paper presents an integrated photochemical reaction system (i.e., an artificial leaf) that uses earth-abundant catalysts for artificial photosynthesis with a carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) fixation process. The performance of the system was investigated in terms of the energy capture and conversion capabilities. A wireless configuration was achieved by directly doping cobalt oxide as an oxygen-evolving catalyst for water splitting reaction on the illuminated surface of photovoltaic (PV) cell, as well as molybdenum disulfide ($MoS_2$) as an efficient catalyst for $CO_2$ reduction on the back substrate surfaces of the PV cell. The system produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO) as sustainable fuels (i.e., synthesis gas) at around 4.5% efficiency, which implies more than 75% catalytic efficiency at the cathode. The process of solar-driven $CO_2$ conversion and water-splitting reaction is contained in one system, which is one step closer to the successful realization of artificial photosynthesis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2013

Atomic layer deposition (ALD), utilizing self-limiting surface reactions, could offer promising perspectives for future efficient energy conversion devices. The capabilities of ALD for surface/interface modification and construction of novel architectures with sub-nanometer precision and exceptional conformality over high aspect ratio make it more valuable than any other deposition methods in nanoscale science and technology. In the context, a variety of researches on fabrication of active materials for energy conversion applications by ALD are emerging. Among those materials, one-dimensional nanotubular titanium dioxide, providing not only high specific surface area but also efficient carrier transport pathway, is a class of the most intensively explored materials for energy conversion systems, such as photovoltaic cells and photo/electrochemical devices. The monodisperse, stoichiometric, anatase, TiO2 nanotubes with smooth surface morphology and controlled wall thickness were fabricated via low-temperature template-directed ALD followed by subsequent annealing. The ALD-grown, anatase, TiO2 nanotubes in alumina template show unusual crystal growth behavior which allows to form remarkably large grains along axial direction over certain wall thickness. We also fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) introducing our anatase TiO2 nanotubes as photoanodes, and studied the effect of blocking layer, TiO2 thin films formed by ALD, on overall device efficiency. The photon convertsion efficiency ~7% were measured for our TiO2 nanotubebased DSCs with blocking layers, which is ~1% higher than ones without blocking layer. We also performed open circuit voltage decay measurement to estimate recombination rate in our cells, which is 3 times longer than conventional nanoparticulate photoanodes. The high efficiency of our ALD-grown, anatase, TiO2 nanotube-based DSCs may be attributed to both enhanced charge transport property of our TiO2 nanotubes photoanode and the suppression of recombination at the interface between transparent conducting electrode and iodine electrolytes by blocking layer.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.701-706
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• 2013

We have focused on the conversion efficiency of CIGS thin film solar cell prepared by co-evaporation method as well as the optimization of process condition. The total thickness of back electrode was fixed at 1 ${\mu}m$ and the structural, electric and optical properties of CIGS thin film were investigated by varying the thickness of Mo:Na bottom layer from 0 to 500 nm. From the experimental results, the content of Na was appeared as 0.28 atomic percent when the thickness of Mo:Na layer was 300 nm with compactly densified plate-shape surface morphology. From the XRD measurements, (112) plane was the strongest preferential orientation together with secondary (220) and (204) planes affecting to the crystallization. The lowest roughness and resistivity were 2.67 nm and 3.9 ${\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, respectively. In addition, very high carrier density and hole mobility were recorded. From the optimization of Mo:Na layer, we have achieved the conversion efficiency of 9.59 percent.

• Solar Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.101-113
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• 1999

Thermodynamic performance of a simple Rankine cycle, regenerative Rankine cycle, and Kalina cycle for Ocean thermal Energy Conversion(OTEC) is evaluated under the same condition with various working fluids. The evaporator and condenser are modeled by a UA and LMTD method while the turbine and pump are modeled by considering isentropic efficiencies. As for the working fluids, R22, R134a, R32, propylene, ammonia are used for the Rankine cycles while ammonia/water and R32/R134a mixtures are used for Kalina cycle. Calculated results show that newly developed fluids such non-ozone depleting refrigerants as R134a and R32 perform as well as R22 and ammonia. The regenerative Rankine cycle showed a 1.2 to 2.8% increase in energy efficiency as compared to the simple Rankine cycle while the Kalina cycle with ammonia/water mixture showed a 1.8% increase in energy efficiency. The efficiency of the Kalina cycle with R32/R134a mixtures is the same as that of a simple Rankine cycle using R22. Therefore, the regenerative Rankine cycle turns out to be best choice for OTEC applications.