• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.82-84
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• 2013

We fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with $TiO_2$ nanowire (NW)/nanoparticle (NP) composite and solidified nanogel as the photoelectrode and electrolyte, respectively. $TiO_2$ NWs were generated via pore-infiltration of titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) into a track-etched polycarbonate membrane with a pore diameter of 100 nm, followed by calcination at $500^{\circ}C$. Energy conversion efficiency of $TiO_2$ NW/NP-based DSSCs was always higher than that of NP-based cells. We attributed this to improved light scattering and electron transport by $TiO_2$ NWs, as verified by intensity modulation photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) and intensity modulation photovoltage spectroscopy (IMVS) analyses. Quasi-solid-state DSSCs with NW/NP composites exhibited 5.0% efficiency at 100 $mW/cm^2$, which was much greater than that of NP-based cells (3.2%).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.392-399
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• 2019

A highly transparent interfacial layer (HTIL) to enhance the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was prepared via a polymer-assisted (PA) approach. Poly(vinyl chloride)-graft-poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (PVC-g-POEM) was synthesized via atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and was used as a sacrificial template. The PVC-g-POEM graft copolymer induced partial coordination of a hydrophilic titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) sol-gel solution with the POEM domain, resulting in microphase separation, and in turn, the generation of mesopores upon calcination. These phenomena were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV-visible light transmittance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The DSSCs incorporating HTIL60/20 (consisting of a top layer with a pore size of 60 nm and a bottom layer with a pore size of 20 nm) exhibited the best overall conversion efficiency (6.36%) among the tested samples, which was 25.9% higher than that of a conventional blocking layer (BL). DSSC was further characterized using the Nyquist plot and incident-photon to electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) spectra.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.380-384
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• 2013

In this paper, we have developed a low temperature process to make two type of paste by using $TiO_2$ nanoparticles(P25). The interconnections between substrate and $TiO_2$ films or link between particles of free-binder paste(FP1, FP2, FP3) is very poor. Therefore, the Titanium(IV) isopropoxide was added to the TP paste to improve the interconnection. Electron transport time (${\tau}_t$) and recombination time (${\tau}_r$) are analyzed by IMPS (intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy) and IMVS(Intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy). In the results, ${\tau}_t$ of TP paste based DSSCs (about $4.3{\times}10^{-3}$) is faster than other samples. ${\tau}_r$ is longer from $2.7{\times}10^{-2}$ s of FP2 to $3.0{\times}10^{-2}$ s of TP. A solar conversion efficiency (DSSCs) of TP is 3.54% for an incident solar energy of 100 mW $cm^{-2}$(meanwhile, 2.70% for DSSCs with FP2). The conversion efficiency is increased by 1.3 times.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.78-82
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• 2022

Inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells have demonstrated considerable improvements, reaching 25.5% of certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) in 2020 from 3.8% in 2009 comparable to silicon photovoltacis. However, there remains important concern on the stability of perovskite solar cells under environmental conditions that should be solved prior to commercialization. In order to overcome the problem, we have introduced a small amount of octylammonium iodide with longer alkyl chain than volatile methylammonium iodide into MAPbI₃ perovskites. The presence of octylammonium into perovskites were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy. Moreover, octylammonium-modified perovskite solar cells showed a PCE of 16.6% and enhanced moisture stability with an increased contact angle of 72.2° from 57.0°. This work demonstrated the importance of perovskite compositional engineering for improving efficiency and stability.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.31-38
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• 2013

The chemical composition of the black Cr solar selective coatings electrodeposited were investigated for property analysis by using a XPS(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) before and after annealing in air at $300^{\circ}C{\sim}500^{\circ}C$ for 120 hours. Black Cr selective coating exposed by solar radiation for 5 months was compared with annealed sample. In addition, The Cu solar selective coatings were prepared by thermal oxidation method for low temperature application. The samples obtained were characterized by using the optical reflectance measurements by using a spectrometer. Optical properties of oxidized Cu solar coatings were solar absorptance $({\alpha}){\simeq}0.62$ and thermal emittance $({\epsilon}){\simeq}0.41(100^{\circ}C)$. In the as-prepared Cr black selective coating, the surface of the coating was found to have Cr hydroxide and Cr. The Cr hydroxide of the major component was converted to $Cr_2O_3$ or $CrO_3$ form after annealing at $500^{\circ}C$ with the desorption of water molecules. The black Cr selective coating was degraded significantly at temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. The main optical degradation modes of this coating were diffusion of Cu substrate materials.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.12
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• pp.2425-2430
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• 2009

Dye-sensitized solar cell(DSC) is composed of a dye-adsorbed nanoporous $TiO_2$ layer on fluorine-doped tin oxide(FTO) glass substrate, electrolyte, and platinium doped counter electrode. Among these, a dye-absorbed nanoporous $TiO_2$ layer plays an important role in the performance of the DSC because the injected electrons from excited dye molecules move through this layer. And the condition of $TiO_2$ layer such as the morphology and thickness affects on the electron movement. Therefore, the performances and the efficiency of DSC change as the thickness of $TiO_2$ layer is different. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy(EIS) is the powerful analysis method to study the kinetics of electrochemical and photoelectrochemical processes occurring in the DSC especially the injected electron movements. So we analyzed the DSCs with different $TiO_2$ thicknesses by using EIS to understand the influence of the $TiO_2$ thickness to the performance of the DSC clearly. Finally, we got the EIS analysis on the DSC with different $TiO_2$ thickness from the internal resistance of the DSC, the electron life time and the amount of dye molecules.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.53-53
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• 2011

This paper describes results for surface and bulk characterization of the most promising thin film solar cell material for high performance devices, (Ag,Cu) (In,Ga) Se2 (ACIGS). This material in particular exhibits a range of exotic behaviors. The surface and general materials science of the material also has direct implications for the operation of solar cells based upon it. Some of the techniques and results described will include scanning probe (AFM, STM, KPFM) measurements of epitaxial films of different surface orientations, photoelectron spectroscopy and inverse photoemission, Auger electron spectroscopy, and more. Bulk measurements are included as support for the surface measurements such as cathodoluminescence imaging around grain boundaries and showing surface recombination effects, and transmission electron microscopy to verify the surface growth behaviors to be equilibrium rather than kinetic phenomena. The results show that the polar close packed surface of CIGS is the lowest energy surface by far. This surface is expected to be reconstructed to eliminate the surface charge. However, the AgInSe2 compound has yielded excellent atomic-resolution images of the surface with no evidence of surface reconstruction. Similar imaging of CuInSe2 has proven more difficult and no atomic resolution images have been obtained, although current imaging tunneling spectroscopy images show electronic structure variations on the atomic scale. A discussion of the reasons why this may be the case is given. The surface composition and grain boundary compositions match the bulk chemistry exactly in as-grow films. However, the deposition of the heterojunction forming the device alters this chemistry, leading to a strongly n-type surface. This also directly explains unpinning of the Fermi level and the operation of the resulting devices when heterojunctions are formed with the CIGS. These results are linked to device performance through simulation of the characteristic operating behaviors of the cells using models developed in my laboratory.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.239.2-239.2
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• 2016

Numerous studies and approaches have been performed for solar cells to improve their photoelectric conversion efficiencies. Among them, the study for electrode containing transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layers is one of issues as well as for the cell structure based on band theory. In this study, we focused on an interfacial layer between p-type silicon and indium tin oxide (ITO) well-known as TCO materials. According to current-voltage characteristics for the sample with the interfacial layers, the improvement of band alignment between p-type silicon and ITO was observed, and their ohmic properties were enhanced in the proper condition of deposition. To investigate cause of this improvement, spectroscopic ellipsometry and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy were utilized. Using these techniques, band alignment and defect in the band gap were examined. The major materials of the interfacial layer are vanadium oxide and tungsten oxide, which are notable as a hole transfer layer in the organic solar cells. Finally, the interfacial layer was applied to silicon solar cells to see the actual behavior of carriers in the solar cells. In the case of vanadium oxide, we found 10% of improvement of photoelectric conversion efficiencies, compared to solar cells without interfacial layers.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.3093-3098
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• 2010

The core-shell $SnO_2$@AO (A=Ni, Cu, Zn and Mg) films were prepared and the effects of coatings on photovoltaic properties were investigated. Studies on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and transmission electron microscopy showed the formation of divalent oxides on the surface of $SnO_2$ nanoparticles. It was commonly observed that all the dye-sensitized core-shell films exhibited higher photovoltage than the bare $SnO_2$ film. Transient photovoltage measurements confirmed that the improved photovoltages were related to the decreased time constants for electron recombination.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.48-56
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• 2011

Black cobalt solar selective coatings were prepared by thermal oxidation of electroplated cobalt metal on copper and nickel substrates. The optical properties and structure of the black cobalt selective coating for solar energy utilizations were characterized by glow discharge spectrometry (GDS), ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) spectrometer, atom force microscopy(AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). The optical properties of optimum black cobalt selective coating prepared on copper substrate were a solar absorptance of 0.82 and a thermal emittance of 0.01. From the GDS depth profile analysis of these coatings, the concentration of cobalt particles near the interface was higher than at the surface, but oxygen concentration at the surface was higher than at the interface. These results suggest that the selective absorption was dominated by this chemical composition variation in the coating. The surface of this film exhibited morphology with root-mean-square(rms) roughness of about 144.3nm. XPS measurements data showed that several phases of Co coexist($Co_3O_4$,CoO) in the film.