• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.665-670
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• 2020

Buffer layer in CIGS thin-film solar cells improves energy conversion efficiency through band alignment between the absorption layer and the window layer. ZnS is a non-toxic II-VI compound semiconductor with direct-transition band gaps and n-conductivity as well as with excellent lattice matching for CIGS absorbent layers. In this study, the structural and optical properties of ZnS thin films, deposited by RF magnetron sputtering method and subsequently performed by the rapid thermal annealing treatment, were investigated for the buffer layer. The zincblende cubic structures along (111), (220), and (311) were shown in all specimens. The rapid thermal annealed specimens at the relatively low temperatures were polycrystalline structure with the wurtzite hexagonal structures along (002). Rapid thermal annealing at high temperatures changed the polycrystalline structure to the single crystal of the zincblende cubic structures. Through the chemical analysis, the zincblende cubic structure was obtained in the specimen with the ratio of Zn/S near stoichiometry. ZnS thin film showed the shifted absorption edge towards the lower wavelength as annealing temperature increased, and the mean optical transmittance in the visible light range increased to 80.40% under 500℃ conditions.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.438-443
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• 2021

This paper uses a multiplex deposition sputter system and aims to improve transmittance and reduce production costs by depositing a CdS thin film on an ITO glass substrate. When manufacturing CdS thin films, we wanted to find excellent conditions when manufacturing solar cells by changing heat treatment time. It was observed that thickness and sheet resistance were not significantly different depending on heat treatment time changes. The specific resistance was measured from a minimum of 6.68 to a maximum of 6.98. When the heat treatment time was more than 20 minutes, the transmittance was measured to be more than 75%. When the heat treatment time was 10 minutes, the bandgap was 3.665 eV and more than 20 minutes was 3.713 eV, which was measured as the same result. The XRD analysis showed that the structure of CdS was hexagonal and only CdS thin films were deposited without any other impurities. The result of calculating the FWHM was a maximum of 0.142 when the heat treatment time was 20 minutes, and a minimum of 0.133 when the heat treatment time was 40 minutes, so there was no significant difference in the FWHM when the heat treatment time was changed. The particle size was measured at 11.65 Å when the heat treatment time was 40 minutes, and at 10.93 Å when the heat treatment time was 20 minutes.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.434-435
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• 2008

An in-situ monitoring technique for deposition process of CdS buffer layer was developed in this work. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used to measure the frequency change during the CdS deposition process and the relation ship between frequency change and film thickness and optical transmittance was investigated. The film thickness shows a linear relationship with frequency change, demonstrating that frequency change measured by QCM can be used a in-situ monitoring tool for CdS deposition process.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1993.07b
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• pp.1277-1279
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• 1993

As a highly information-oriented society developes, various kinds of amorphous semiconductor devices, such as solar cells, electrographic printers, image sensors, and flat-panel televisions, have been developed as man/machine interfaces. This paper proposed the laser CVD techniques to deposit hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film on glass or dielectric substrate at low temperatures. Varying the deposition conditions, we examined optical and electrical charateristics of a-Si:H film deposited by Laser CVD.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.281-284
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• 2007

Recently, we have developed p-i-n a-Si:H single junction thin film solar cells with RF (13.56MHz) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system, and also successfully fabricated the mini modules ($>300cm^2$), using the laser patterning technique to form an integrated series connection. The efficiency of a mini module was 7.4% ($Area=305cm^2$, Isc=0.25A, Voc=14.74V, FF=62%). To fabricate large area modules, it is important to optimise the integrated series connection, without damaging the cell. We have newly installed the laser patterning equipment that consists of two different lasers, $SHG-YVO_4$ (${\lambda}=0.532{\mu}m$) and YAG (${\lambda}=1.064{\mu}m$). The mini-modules are formed through several scribed lines such as pattern-l (front TCO), pattern-2 (PV layers) and pattern-3 (BR/back contact). However, in the case of pattern-3, a high-energy part of laser shot damaged the textured surface of the front TCO, so that the resistance between the each cells decreases due to an incomplete isolation. In this study, the re-deposition of SnOx from the front TCO, Zn (BR layer) and Al (back contact) on the sidewalls of pattern-3 scribed lines was observed. Moreover, re-crystallization of a-Si:H layers due to thermal damage by laser patterning was evaluated. These cause an increase of a leakage current, result in a low efficiency of module. To optimize a-Si:H single junction thin film modules, a laser beam profile was changed, and its effect on isolation of scribed lines is discussed in this paper.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.57.2-57.2
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• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have recently been developed as a cost-effective photovoltaic system due to their low-cost materials and facile processing. The production of DSSC involves chemical and thermal processes but no vacuum is involved. Therefore, DSSC can be fabricated without using expensive equipment. The use of dyes and nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ is one of the most promising approaches to realize both high performance and low cost. The efficiency of the DSSC changes consequently in the particle size, morphology, crystallization and surface state of the $TiO_2$. Nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ materials have been widely used as a photo catalyst and an electron collector in DSSC. Front electrode in DSSC are required to have an extremely high porosity and surface area such that the dyes can be sufficiently adsorbed and be electronically interconnected, resulting in the efficient generation of photocurrent within cells. In this study, DSSC were fabricated by an screen printing for the $TiO_2$ thin film. $TiO_2$ nanoparticles characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and scanning auger microscopy (SAM) and zeta potential and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS).In addition, DSSC module was modeled and simulated using the SILVACO TCAD software program. Improve the efficiency of DSSC, the effect of $TiO_2$ thin film thickness and $TiO_2$ nanoparticle size was investigated by SILVACO TCAD software program.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.638-642
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• 2013

Chalcopyrite $CuInSe_2$(CIS) is considered to be an effective light-absorbing material for thin film photovoltaic solar cells. CIS thin films have been electrodeposited onto Mo coated and ITO glass substrates in potentiostatic mode at room temperature. The deposition mechanism of CIS thin films has been studied using the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. A cyclic voltammetric study was performed in unitary Cu, In, and Se systems, binary Cu-Se and In-Se systems, and a ternary Cu-In-Se system. The reduction peaks of the ITO substrate were examined in separate $Cu^{2+}$, $In^{3+}$, and $Se^{4+}$ solutions. Electrodeposition experiments were conducted with varying deposition potentials and electrolyte bath conditions. The morphological and compositional properties of the CIS thin films were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The surface morphology of as-deposited CIS films exhibits spherical and large-sized clusters. The deposition potential has a significant effect on the film morphology and/or grain size, such that the structure tended to grow according to the increase of the deposition potential. A CIS layer deposited at -0.6 V nearly approached the stoichiometric ratio of $CuIn_{0.8}Se_{1.8}$. The growth potential plays an important role in controlling the stoichiometry of CIS films.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2002

In this study, the nanosized ZnS thin films that can be used for fabrication of blue light-emitting diodes, electro-optic modulators, and n-window layers of solar cells were grown by the solution growth technique (SGT), and their surface morphology and film thickness and grain size dependence on the growth conditions were examined. Based on these results, the quantum size effects of ZnS were systematically investigated. Governing factors related to the growth condition were the concentration of precursor solution, growth temperature, concentration of aq. ammonia, and growth duration. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the ZnS thin film obtained in this study had the cubic structure ($\beta$-ZnS). With decreasing growth temperature and decreasing concentration of precursor solution, the surface morphology of film was found to be improved. Also, the film thickness depends largely on the ammonia concentration. In particular, this is the first time that the surface morphology dependence of ZnS film grown by SGT on the ammonia concentration is reported. The energy band gaps of samples were determined from the optical transmittance values, and were shown to vary from 3.69 eV to 3.91 eV. These values were substantially higher than 3.65 eV of bulk ZnS. It was also shown that the quantum size effect of SGT grown ZnS is larger than that of the ZnS films grown by most other growth techniques.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.760-765
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• 2011

Znic sulfide (ZnS) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The substrate temperature varied from room temperature (RT) to $500^{\circ}C$. The structural and optical properties of ZnS films were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) and UV-visible transmission spectra. The XRD analyses reveal that ZnS films have cubic structures with (111) preferential orientation, whereas the diffraction patterns sharpen with the increase in substrate temperatures. The FESEM images indicate that ZnS films deposited at $400^{\circ}C$ have nano-sized grains with a grain size of ~ 67 nm. Then films exhibit relatively high transmittance of 80% in the visible region, with an energy band gap of 3.71 eV. One obvious result is that the energy band gap of the film increases with increasing the substrate temperatures.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2011.07a
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• pp.1430-1431
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• 2011

To develope the transparent conducting oxide(TCO) films is one of the essential technologies to improve various properties of electro-optical devices such as dye-sensitized solar cells(DSCs). ITiO thin film is considered one of the candidates as TCO electrodes of DSCs because it shows many advantages such as the high transparency in long wavelength range above 700nm and excellent properties of electrical necking between nanoporous TiO2 and ITiO transparent electrode. This paper presents the effect of sputtering processes on the structural, electrical and optical properties of ITiO thin film deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering. The effect of doping concentration of Ti on the chemical compounds and C axis-orientation properties of were mainly studied experimentally. The morphology and electrical properties were greatly influenced by deposition processes, especially by the doping concentration of Ti. The $3.8{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ of minimum volume resistivity were obtained under the experimental conditions of gas pressure 7mTorr, substrate temperature $300^{\circ}C$, and 2.5% of Ti doping concentration.