• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2016

Silicon nitride ($SiN_x:H$) films made by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are generally used as antireflection layers and passivation layers on solar cells. In this study, we investigated the properties of silicon nitride ($SiN_x:H$) films made by PECVD. The passivation properties of $SiN_x:H$ are focused on by making the antireflection properties identical. To make equivalent optical properties of silicon nitride films, the refractive index and thickness of the films are fixed at 2.0 and 90 nm, respectively. This limit makes it easier to evaluate silicon nitride film as a passivation layer in realistic application situations. Next, the effects of the mixture ratio of the process gases with silane ($SiH_4$) and ammonia ($NH_3$) on the passivation qualities of silicon nitride film are evaluated. The absorption coefficient of each film was evaluated by spectrometric ellipsometry, the minority carrier lifetimes were evaluated by quasi-steady-state photo-conductance (QSSPC) measurement. The optical properties were obtained using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The interface properties were determined by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement and the film components were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy detection (RBS) - elastic recoil detection (ERD). In hydrogen passivation, gas ratios of 1:1 and 1:3 show the best surface passivation property among the samples.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2018

SnS thin films with different substrate temperatures ($150 {\sim}300^{\circ}C$) as process parameters were grown on soda-lime glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering. The effects of substrate temperature on the structural and optical properties of SnS thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectrophotometer (UV-Vis-NIR). All of the SnS thin films prepared at various substrate temperatures were polycrystalline orthorhombic structures with (111) planes preferentially oriented. The diffraction intensity of the (111) plane and the crystallite size were improved with increasing substrate temperature. The three major peaks (189, 222, $289cm^{-1}$) identified in Raman were exactly the same as the Raman spectra of monocrystalline SnS. From the XRD and Raman results, it was confirmed that all of the SnS thin films were formed into a single SnS phase without impurity phases such as $SnS_2$ and $Sn_2S_3$. In the optical transmittance spectrum, the critical wavelength of the absorption edge shifted to the long wavelength region as the substrate temperature increased. The optical bandgap was 1.67 eV at the substrate temperature of $150^{\circ}C$, 1.57 eV at $200^{\circ}C$, 1.50 eV at $250^{\circ}C$, and 1.44 eV at $300^{\circ}C$.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.52.2-52.2
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• 2011

본 연구의 목적은 CIGS 태양전지의 두 가지 TCO층 중 AZO를 제외한 intrinsic ZnO의 전자빔 처리 영향에 대한 특성 분석을 하고자 함이다. 또한 추후 CIGS 태양전지를 제조하여 적용 시 전자빔 처리 전후의 특성이 어떻게 변하는지를 알아보기 위한 사전 실험이다. Intrinsic ZnO는 RF magnetron sputter 를 이용하여 약 100nm의 두께로 증착 하였다. 이때 공정 압력을 변수로 RF power는 80W로 설정 하였으며 Ar 분압은 10mtorr, 5mtorr, 1mtorr로 각각 달리 하며 증착 하였다. 이후 전자빔 처리를 위해 각각의 시편에 Argon flow 7sccm 상태에서 DC power 3kW, RF power 300W의 세기로 전자빔 처리를 실시 하였다. 전자빔 처리에 따른 전기적, 구조적 특성을 분석하기위해 Hall measurement와 SEM, XRD, UV-vis spectroscopy을 사용하였다. 먼저 Hall measurement 측정을 통한 전기적 분석 결과 비저항이 무한대에서 약 $40m{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$로 감소된 결과를 도출 할 수 있었으며, $2{\sim}3.4{\times}10^{18}/cm^3$ 이상의 carrier density 가 측정 되었다. UV-vis spectroscopy를 이용한 투과도 측정결과 모든 시편에서 Band gap이 감소하는 결과를 보였다. SEM, XRD를 이용한 분석결과 결정성 및 grain의 크기가 증가하는 결과를 얻을 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.255-255
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• 2011

Zinc oxide based thin films have been extensively studied in recent several years because they have very interesting properties and zinc oxide is non-poisonous, abundant and cheap material. ZnO films are employed in different applications like transparent conductive layers in solar cells, protective coatings and so on. Wide industrial application of the ZnO films requires of development of cheap, effective and scalable technology. Typically used technologies don't completely satisfy the industrial requirements. In the present work, we studied effect of the deposition parameters on the structure and properties of ZnO films deposited by DC arc plasmatron. The varied parameters were gas flow rates, precursor composition, substrate temperature and post-deposition annealing temperature. Vapor of Zinc acetylacetone was used as source materials, oxygen was used as working gas and argon was used as the cathode protective gas and a transport gas for the vapor. The plasmatron power was varied in the range of 700-1500 watts. Flow rate of the gases and substrate temperature rate were varied in the wide range to optimize the properties of the deposited coatings. After deposition films were annealed in the hydrogen atmosphere in the wide range of temperatures. Structure of coatings was investigated using XRD and SEM. Chemical composition was analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Sheet conductivity was measured by 4-point probe method. Optical properties of the transparent ZnO-based coatings were studied by the spectroscopy. It was shown that deposition by a DC Arc plasmatron can be used for low-cost production of zinc oxide films with good optical and electrical properties. Increasing of the oxygen content in the gas mixture during deposition allow to obtain high-resistive protective and insulation coatings with high adhesion to the metallic surface.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2016

Zinc oxide of hexagonal wurzite, is known as n-type semiconductor. It has a wide band gap energy of 3.37 eV and large exciton binding energy of 60 meV. It can be widely applied to gas sensors, laser diodes, dye-sensitized solar cells and degradation of dye waste. The use of microwave hydrothermal synthesis brings a rapid reaction rate, high yield, and energy saving. Amine additives control the different particle shapes because of the chelate effect and formation of hydroxide ion. In this study, zinc nitrate hexahydrate was used as zinc precursor. In addition, ethanolamine, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, and hexamethylenetetramine are used as shape control agent. The pH value was controlled as 11 by NaOH. The shapes of zinc oxide are star-like, rod, flower-like, and circular cone. In order to analyze physical, chemical, and optical properties of ZnO with diverse amine additives, we used XRD, SEM, EDS, FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and PL spectroscopy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2010

The effect of thermal anneal on the characteristics of structural properties and the enhancement of luminescence and photovoltaic (PV) characteristics of silicon-rich silicon-nitride films were investigated. By using an ultra high vacuum ion beam sputtering deposition, B-doped silicon-rich silicon-nitride (SRSN) thin films, with excess silicon content of 15 at. %, on P-doped (n-type) Si substrate was fabricated, sputtering a highly B doped Si wafer with a BN chip by N plasma. In order to examine the influence of thermal anneal, films were then annealed at different temperature up to $1100^{\circ}C$ under $N_2$ environment. Raman, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy did not show any reliable evidence of amorphous or crystalline Si clusters allowing us concluding that nearly no Si nano-cluster could be formed through the precipitation of excess Si from SRSN matrix during thermal anneal. Instead, results of Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy clearly indicated that defective, amorphous Si-N matrix of films was changed to be well-ordered thanks to high temperature anneal. The measurement of spectral ellipsometry in UV-visible range was carried out and we found that the optical absorption edge of film was shifted to higher energy as the anneal temperature increased as the results of thermal anneal induced formation of $Si_3N_4$-like matrix. These are consistent with the observation that higher visible photoluminescence, which is likely due to the presence of Si-N bonds, from anneals at higher temperature. Based on these films, PV cells were fabricated by the formation of front/back metal electrodes. For all cells, typical I-V characteristic of p-n diode junction was observed. We also tried to measure PV properties using a solar-simulator and confirmed successful operation of PV devices. Carrier transport mechanism depending on anneal temperature and the implication of PV cells based on SRSN films were also discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.357-357
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• 2012

The doping process of the solar cell has been used by furnace or laser. But these equipment are so expensive as well as those need high maintenance costs and production costs. The atmospheric pressure plasma doping process can enable to the cost reduction. Moreover the atmospheric pressure plasma can do the selective doping, this means is that the atmospheric pressure plasma regulates the junction depth and doping concentration. In this study, we analysis the atmospheric pressure plasma doping compared to the conventional furnace doping. the single crystal silicon wafer doped with dopant forms a P-N junction by using the atmospheric pressure plasma. We use a P type wafer and it is doped by controlling the plasma process time and concentration of dopant and plasma intensity. We measure the wafer's doping concentration and depth by using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and we use the Hall measurement because of investigating the carrier concentration and sheet resistance. We also analysis the composed element of the surface structure by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and we confirm the structure of the doped section by using Scanning electron microscope (SEM), we also generally grasp the carrier life time through using microwave detected photoconductive decay (u-PCD). As the result of experiment, we confirm that the electrical character of the atmospheric pressure plasma doping is similar with the electrical character of the conventional furnace doping.

• 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.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1019-1023
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• 2012

In this research, a novel direct-aluminum-heating-induced crystallization method was developed for the purpose of application to solar cells. By applying a constant current of 3 A to an aluminum thin film, a 200-nm-thick amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin film with a size of $1cm{\times}1cm$ can be crystallized into a polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film within a few tens of seconds. The Raman spectrum analysis shows a peak of 520 $cm^{-1}$, which verifies the presence of poly-Si. After removing the aluminum layer, the poly-Si thin film was found to be porous. SIMS analysis showed that the porous poly-Si thin film was heavily p-doped with a doping concentration of $10^{21}cm^{-3}$. Thermal imaging shows that the crystallization from a-Si to poly-Si occurred at a temperature of around 820 K.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.308-308
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• 2013

본 연구에 염료감응형 태양전지(Dye Sensitized Solar Cells; DSSCs)의 광전변환효율을 높이기 위해 작업전극에 새로운 구조의 광투과층 및 산란층을 도입하였다. DSSCs 작업전극의 빛을 투과시키는 투과층에 크기가 10 nm 이하의 nanoparticle $TiO_2$를 적용하고, 투과된 빛이 산란되어 많은 전자가 여기 될 수 있도록 기존의 큰 입자 사이즈였던 산란층을 이용하는 대신 $TiO_2$ nanorod 및 nanotube 형태의 구조를 도입하여 기존의 작업전극과 비교하였다. 산란층에서 방향성을 가지는 rutile 상의 $TiO_2$는 저온에서 안정적인 anatase 상의 $TiO_2$보다 화학적으로 안정하며, 높은 산란율을 가지고, 광에 의해 여기된 전자를 직접적으로 집전전극에 전달해 줌으로서 소자의 효율을 증가시킨다고 보고되고 있다. Rutile 상의 $TiO_2$ 층 제작 시 수열합성법을 이용하면 nanorod 모양의 $TiO_2$층을 형성할 수 있고, 이와 같은 방법으로 성장시킨 산란층에 전기영동법의 식각 효과를 사용하면 nanotube 모양의 $TiO_2$층을 성장시킬 수 있어 산란효과의 극대화 및 전극의 표면적을 넓히는 장점이 있다. 각각의 방법을 이용하여 만든 구조 위에 입자 크기 10 nm의 $TiO_2$를 Dr blade 방법으로 도포하여 double layer (산란층+흡수층)로 구성된 작업 전극을 이용한 DSSCs를 제작한 후 I-V curve와 EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy)를 측정하여 효율 및 전기화학적 특성을 분석하였다.