• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

The Hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNx:H) using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is widely used in photovoltaic industry as an antireflection coating and passivation layer. In the high temperature firing process, the $SiN_x:H$ film should not change the properties for its use as high quality surface layer in crystalline silicon solar cells. Initially PECVD-$SiN_x:H$ film trends were investigated by varying the deposition parameters (temperature, electrode gap, RF power, gas flow rate etc.) to optimize the process parameter conditions. Then by varying gas ratios ($NH_3/SiH_4$), the hydrogenated silicon nitride films were analyzed for its optical, electrical, chemical and surface passivation properties. The $SiN_x:H$ films of refractive indices 1.90~2.20 were obtained. The film deposited with the gas ratio of 3.6 (Refractive index=1.98) showed the best properties in after firing process condition. The single crystalline silicon solar cells fabricated according to optimized gas ratio (R=3.6) condition on large area substrate of size $156{\times}156mm$ (Pseudo square) was found to have the conversion efficiency as high as 17.2%. Optimized hydrogenated silicon nitride surface layer and high efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells fabrication sequence has also been explained in this study.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2037-2042
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• 2013

A TCO-less palladium (Pd) catalytic layer on the glass substrate was assessed as the counter electrode (CE) in a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) to confirm the stability of Pd with the $I^-/I_3{^-}$electrolyte on the DSSC performance. A 90nm-thick Pd film was deposited by a thermal evaporator. Finally, DSSC devices of $0.45cm^2$ with glass/FTO/blocking layer/$TiO_2$/dye/electrolyte(10 mM LiI + 1 mM $I_2$ + 0.1 M $LiClO_4$ in acetonitrile solution)/Pd/glass structure was prepared. We investigated the microstructure and photovoltaic property at 1 and 12 hours after the sample preparation. The optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), cyclic voltammetry measurement (C-V), and current voltage (I-V) were employed to measure the microstructure and photovoltaic property evolution. Microstructure analysis showed that the corrosion by reaction between the Pd layer and the electrolyte occurred as time went by, which led the decrease of the catalytic activity and the efficiency. I-V result revealed that the energy conversion efficiency after 1 and 12 hours was 0.34% and 0.15%, respectively. Our results implied that we might employ the other non-$I^-/I_3{^-}$electrolyte or the other catalytic metal layers to guarantee the long term stability of the DSSC devices.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.481-488
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• 2022

The Cu₂ZnSn(S_xSe_1-x)₄ (CZTSSe) absorbers are promising thin film solar cells (TFSCs) materials, to replace existing Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) and CdTe photovoltaic technology. However, the best reported efficiency for a CZTSSe device, of 13.6 %, is still too low for commercial use. Recently, partially replacing the Zn²⁺ element with a Cd²⁺element has attracting attention as one of the promising strategies for improving the photovoltaic characteristics of the CZTSSe TFSCs. Cd²⁺ elements are known to improve the grain size of the CZTSSe absorber thin films and improve optoelectronic properties by suppressing potential defects, causing short-circuit current (J_sc) loss. In this study, the structural, compositional, and morphological characteristics of CZTSSe and CZCTSSe thin films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The FE-SEM images revealed that the grain size improved with increasing Cd²⁺ alloying in the CZTSSe thin films. Moreover, there was a slight decrease in small grain distribution as well as voids near the CZTSSe/Mo interface after Cd²⁺ alloying. The solar cells prepared using the most promising CZTSSe absorber thin films with Cd²⁺ alloying (8 min. 30 sec.) exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.33 %, J_sc of 34.0 mA/cm², and fill factor (FF) of 62.7 %, respectively.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2016

$Cu_2ZnSnS_4$ (CZTS) thin films were fabricated by successive electrodeposition of layers of precursor elements followed by sulfurization of an electrodeposited Cu-Zn-Sn precursor. In order to improve quality of the CZTS films, we tried to optimize the deposition condition of absorber layers. In particular, I have conducted optimization experiments by changing the Cu-layer deposition time. The CZTS absorber layers were synthesized by different Cu-layer conditions ranging from 10 to 16 minutes. The sulfurization of Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursor thin films has been conducted in a graphite box using rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The structural, morphological, compositional, and optical properties of CZTS thin films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray Flourescenece Spectrometry (XRF). Especially, the CZTS TFSCs exhibits the best power conversion efficiency of 4.62% with $V_{oc}$ of 570 mV, $J_{sc}$ of $18.15mA/cm^2$ and FF of 45%. As the time of deposition of the Cu-layer to increasing, the properties were confirmed to be systematically changed. And we have been discussed in detail below.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2010

Using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as a polymer host, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a plasticizer, potassium iodide and iodine as sources of $I^-/{I_3}^-$ PEO-PEG-KI/$I_2$ polymer gel electrolytes were prepared. Based on the polymer gel electrolytes, solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell(DSSC)s were fabricated. The content of PEG in the electrolyte was changed from 0 to 85%. The electrolyte showed self-supporting form through whole range of the PEG content. As the PEG content increased, the ionic conductivity and ${I_3}^-$ diffusivity increased and the light-to electrical energy conversion efficiency increased under irradiation of 100 $mWcm^{-2}$ simulated sunlight.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.214-220
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• 2018

We report on the fabrication and photoelectrochemical(PEC) properties of a $Cu_2O$ thin film/ZnO nanorod array oxide p-n heterojunction structure with ZnO nanorods embedded in $Cu_2O$ thin film as an efficient photoelectrode for solar-driven water splitting. A vertically oriented n-type ZnO nanorod array was first prepared on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via a seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method and then a p-type $Cu_2O$ thin film was directly electrodeposited onto the vertically oriented ZnO nanorods array to form an oxide semiconductor heterostructure. The crystalline phases and morphologies of the heterojunction materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as well as Raman scattering. The PEC properties of the fabricated $Cu_2O/ZnO$ p-n heterojunction photoelectrode were evaluated by photocurrent conversion efficiency measurements under white light illumination. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior, the $Cu_2O/ZnO$ photoelectrode was found to exhibit a negligible dark current and high photocurrent density, e.g., $0.77mA/cm^2$ at 0.5 V vs $Hg/HgCl_2$ in a $1mM\;Na_2SO_4$ electrolyte, revealing an effective operation of the oxide heterostructure. In particular, a significant PEC performance was observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs $Hg/HgCl_2$, which made the device self-powered. The observed PEC performance was attributed to some synergistic effect of the p-n bilayer heterostructure on the formation of a built-in potential, including the light absorption and separation processes of photoinduced charge carriers.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1349-1354
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• 2011

In this work, we fabricated the CdZnS/CdTe heterojunction and investigated the C-V characteristics to determine the depletion width and the charge density distribution. A parallel experiment on CdS/CdTe heterojunction was also carried out for comparison. The depletion region width, for CdZnS/CdTe heterojunction, was nearly constant, regardless of bias voltage. However, the depletion region was wider than that of CdS/CdTe heterojunction due to high resistivity of CdZnS film. The interface charge density of CdZnS/CdTe heterojunction was increased linearly with the bias voltage and showed lower values than those for CdS/CdTe junction. The open circuit voltage of CdZnS/CdTe heterojunction solar cells increased with zinc mole ratio due to reducing of the electron affinity difference between CdZnS and CdTe films. However, the increase of series resistance due to the high resistivity of Cd1-xZnxS films results in reducing conversion efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.42.2-42.2
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• 2011

$TiO_2$ films were modified by adding a glass frit as a light scattering particle and applied to an anode electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to enhance the adhesion between $TiO_2$ and fluorine doped transparent oxide (FTO). Low melting point glass frits at contents of (3 to 7wt%) were added to the nano crystalline $TiO_2$ films. The light scattering properties, photovoltaic properties and microstructures of the photo electrodes were examined to determine the role of the low glass transition temperature ($T_g$) glass frit. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and scratch test were conducted to support the results. The DSSC with the $TiO_2$ film containing 3wt% low Tg glass frit showed optimal performance (5.1%, energy conversion efficiency) compared to the $TiO_2$-based one. The photocurrent density slightly decreased by adding 3wt% of the frit due to its large size and non conductivity. However, the decrease of current density followed by the decrease of electron transfer due to the large frit in $TiO_2$ electrode was compensated by the scattering effect, high surface area and reduced the electron transfer impedance at the electrolyte-dye-$TiO_2$ interface. The stability of the photo electrodes was improved by the frit, which chemically promoted the sintering of $TiO_2$ at relatively low temperature ($450^{\circ}C$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.471.2-471.2
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• 2014

We demonstrate here that an improvement in precursor film density (green density) leads to a great enhancement in the photovoltaic performance of CuInSe2 (CISe) thin film solar cells fabricated with Cu-In nanoparticle precursor films via chemical solution deposition. A cold-isostatic pressing (CIP) technique was applied to uniformly compress the precursor film over the entire surface (measuring 3~4 cm2) and was found to increase its relative density (particle packing density) by ca. 20%, which resulted in an appreciable improvement in the microstructural features of the sintered CISe film in terms of lower porosity, reduced grain boundaries, and a more uniform surface morphology. The low-bandgap (Eg=1.0 eV) CISe PV devices with the CIP-treated film exhibited greatly enhanced open-circuit voltage (VOC, from 0.265 V to 0.413 V) and fill factor (FF, from 0.34 to 0.55), as compared to the control devices. As a consequence, an almost 3-fold increase in the average power conversion efficiency, 3.0 to 8.2% (with the highest value of 9.02%), was realized without an anti-reflection coating. A diode analysis revealed that the enhanced VOC and FF were essentially attributed to the reduced reverse saturation current density (j0) and diode ideality factor (n). This is associated with the suppressed recombination, likely due to the reduction in recombination sites such as grain/air surfaces (pores), inter-granular interfaces, and defective CISe/CdS junctions in the CIP-treated device. From the temperature dependences of VOC, it was confirmed that the CIP-treated devices suffer less from interface recombination.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.168.1-168.1
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• 2014

We developed poly (3,4-ethylene dioxylene thiophene):poly (styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS)-free organic solar cells (OSCs) using buffer and anode combined Ta doped $In_2O_3$ (ITaO) electrodes. To optimize the ITaO electrodes, we investigated the effect of $Ta_2O_5$ doping power on the electrical, optical, and structural properties of the co-sputtered ITaO films. The optimized ITaO film doped with 20 W $Ta_2O_5$ radio frequency power showed sheet resistance of 17.11 Ohm/square, a transmittance of 93.45%, and a work function of 4.9 eV, all of which are comparable to the value of conventional ITO electrodes. The conventional bulk heterojunction OSC with ITaO anode showed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.348% similar to the OSCs (3.541%) with an ITO anode. In addition, OSCs fabricated on an ITaO electrode successfully operated without an acidic PEDOT:PSS buffer layer and showed a PCE of 2.634%, which was much higher than the comparable no buffer OSC with an ITO anode. Therefore, co-sputtered ITaO electrodes simultaneously acting as a buffer and an anode layer can be considered promising transparent electrodes for cost-efficient and reliable OSCs because they can eliminate the use of an acidic PEDOT:PSS buffer layer.