• 한국재료학회지
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• 제31권11호
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• pp.619-625
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• 2021

Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) based thin-film solar cells have attracted growing attention because of their earth-abundant and non-toxic elements. However, because of their large open-circuit voltage (V_oc)-deficit, CZTSSe solar cells exhibit poor device performance compared to well-established Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ (CIGS) and CdTe based solar cells. One of the main causes of this large V_oc-deficit is poor absorber properties for example, high band tailing properties, defects, secondary phases, carrier recombination, etc. In particular, the fabrication of absorbers using physical methods results in poor surface morphology, such as pin-holes and voids. To overcome this problem and form large and homogeneous CZTSSe grains, CZTSSe based absorber layers are prepared by a sputtering technique with different RTA conditions. The temperature is varied from 510 ℃ to 540 ℃ during the rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process. Further, CZTSSe thin films are examined with X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, IPCE, Energy dispersive spectroscopy and Scanning electron microscopy techniques. The present work shows that Cu-based secondary phase formation can be suppressed in the CZTSSe absorber layer at an optimum RTA condition.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제21권8호
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• pp.432-438
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• 2011

In this study, chemical bath deposited (CBD) indium sulfide buffer layers were investigated as a possible substitution for the cadmium sulfide buffer layer in CIGS thin film solar cells. The performance of the $In_2S_3$/CIGS solar cell dramatically improved when the films were annealed at $300^{\circ}C$ in inert gas after the buffer layer was grown on the CIGS film. The thickness of the indium sulfide buffer layer was 80 nm, but decreased to 60 nm after annealing. From the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy it was found that the chemical composition of the layer changed to indium oxide and indium sulfide from the as-deposited indium hydroxide and sulfate states. Furthermore, the overall atomic concentration of the oxygen in the buffer layer decreased because deoxidation occurred during annealing. In addition, an In-thin layer was inserted between the indium sulfide buffer and CIGS in order to modify the $In_2S_3$/CIGS interface. The $In_2S_3$/CIGS solar cell with the In interlayer showed improved photovoltaic properties in the $J_{sc}$ and FF values. Furthermore, the $In_2S_3$/CIGS solar cells showed higher quantum efficiency in the short wavelength region. However, the quantum efficiency in the long wavelength region was still poor due to the thick buffer layer.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.138-138
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• 2009

Recently, thin-film solar cells of Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$(CIGS) have reached a high level of performance, which has resulted in a 19.9%-efficient device. These conventional devices were typically fabricated using chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layer between the CIGS absorber layer and ZnO window layer. However, the short wavelength response of CIGS solar cell is limited by narrow CdS band gap of about 2.42 eV. Taking into consideration the environmental aspect, the toxic Cd element should be replaced by a different material. It is why during last decades many efforts have been provided to achieve high efficiency Cd-free CIGS solar cells. In order to alternate CdS buffer layer, ZnS buffer layer is grown by using chemical bath deposition(CBD) technique. The thickness and chemical composition of ZnS buffer layer can be conveniently by varying the CBD processing parameters. The processing parameters were optimized to match band gap of ZnS films to the solar spectrum and exclude the creation of morphology defects. Optimized ZnS buffer layer showed higher optical transmittance than conventional thick-CdS buffer layer at the short wavelength below ~520 nm. Then, chemically deposited ZnS buffer layer was applied to CIGS solar cell as a alternative for the standard CdS/CIGS device configuration. This CIGS solar cells were characterized by current-voltage and quantum efficiency measurement.

• 대한금속재료학회지
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• 제48권12호
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• pp.1064-1069
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• 2010

Thin films have been used in a large variety of technological applications such as solar cells, optical memories, photolithographic masks, protective coatings, and electronic contacts. If thin films experience frequent temperature changes, thermal stresses are generated due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the film and substrate. Thermal stresses may lead to damage or deformation in thin film used in electronic devices and micro-machined structures. Thus, knowledge of the thermomechanical properties of thin films, such as the coefficient of thermal expansion, is an important issue in determining the stability and reliability of the thin film devices. In this study, thermal cycling of Cu and Ag thin films with various microstructures was employed to assess the coefficient of thermal expansion of the films. The result revealed that the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the Cu and Ag thin films increased with an increasing grain size. However, the effect of film thickness on the CTE did not show a remarkable difference.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2014년도 제46회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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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.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2006년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.222-224
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• 2006

A non-vacuum process for $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) thin film solar cells from nanoparticle precursors was described in this work CIGS nanoparticle precursors was prepared by a low temperature colloidal route by reacting the starting materials $(CuI,\;InI_3,\;GaI_3\;and\;Na_2Se)$ in organic solvents, by which fine CIGS nanoparticles of about 20nm in diameter were obtained. The nanoparticle precursors were mixed with organic binder material for the rheology of the mixture to be adjusted for the doctor blade method. After depositing the mixture of CIGS with binder on Mo/glass substrate, the samples were preheated on the hot plate in air to evaporate remaining solvents ud to burn the organic binder material. Subsequently, the resultant (porous) CIGS/Mo/glass simple was selenized in a two-zone Rapid Thermal Process (RTP) furnace in order to get a solar ceil applicable dense CIGS absorber layer. Complete solar cell structure was obtained by depositing. The other layers including CdS buffer layer, ZnO window layer and Al electrodes by conventional methods. The resultant solar cell showed a conversion efficiency of 0.5%.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.666-672
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• 1996

The optical property of CdTe thin film is important for applications such as the compound semiconductor type solar cells. CdTe films are prepared by RF sputtering at various substrate temperature between $25^{\circ}C$ and $300^{\circ}C$, then, annealed in argon gas environment at $400^{\circ}C$. The annealing process of the thin film caused variation in the film structure and the composition of films. The deformation of CdTe thin film was observed by X-ray diffractometry. After annealing, the grain size increased and the portion of the non-crystalline CdTe reduced. Futhermore, the structure of sputtered CdTe film grown at the substrate temperature more than $250^{\circ}C$ was enhanced in the (111) direction of zincblend structure. There was a discrepancy, in the spectroscopic ellipsometer spectrum, between the single crystal CdTe and the sputtered CdTe thin films, especially in the region over 3.2eV. An oxidation layer was found on the CdTe thin film by spectroscopic ellipsometry analysis.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.33-36
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• 2010

$MgF_2$ is a current material used for optical applications in the ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet range. Process variables for manufacturing $MgF_2$ thin film were established in order to clarify the optimum conditions for the growth of the thin film, dependant upon the process conditions, and then by changing a number of the vapor deposition conditions, substrate temperatures, and heat treatment conditions, the structural and optical characteristics were measured. Then, optimum process variables were thus derived. Nevertheless, modern applications still require improvement in the optical and structural quality of the deposited layers. In the present work, in order to understand the composition and microstructure of $MgF_2$, single layers grown on a slide glass substrate using an Electron beam Evaporator (KV-660), were analyzed and compared. The surface substrate temperature, having an effect on the quality of the thin film, was changed from $200^{\circ}C$ to $350^{\circ}C$ at intervals of $50^{\circ}C$. The heat treatment temperature, which also has an effect on the thin film, was changed from $200^{\circ}C$ to $400^{\circ}C$ at intervals of $50^{\circ}C$. The physical properties of the thin film were investigated at various fabrication conditions, such as the substrate temperature, the heat treatment temperature, and the heat treatment time, by X-ray diffraction, and field emission-scanning electron microscopy.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.160-162
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• 2009

We have prepared and characterized particle based CIGS thin films using a thermal evaporator. As the copper rate, selenium rate changed, CIGS particles were obtained at $240^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours from the reaction of $CuCl_2$, $InCl_3$, $GaCl_3$ and Se powder in solvent. The CIGS thin films were deposited on a sodalime glass. The CIGS thin film were identified to have a typical chalcopyrite tetragonal structure by using UV/Vis-spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction(XRD), Auger Electron Spectroscopy(AES), Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM).

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2006년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.130-133
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• 2006

Solar Photovoltaics (SPV) In India has become an important renewable source of energy particularly for rural and remote areas. The vastness of the country and the requirements of electricity in far-flung villages makes SPV very attractive, with inherent technological advantages providing additional boost. This has been recognized very early by Govt. Of India and Ministry of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy (MNES) has been entrusted with promoting SPV usage in the country. Rural electrification through SPV systems is one of the programmes which is expected to provide fillip to PV industry in the country. PV Industry in India is very well established with capability of solar cell fabrication and module fabrication as well as Balance of System design and fabrication. There several R&D groups in the academic institutions who are involved in improving solar cells efficiency, thin film solar cells and PV instrumentation. Thus, India provides a ready market for large scale utilization of solar energy through SPV technology.