• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.32 no.spc3
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• pp.194-198
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• 2012

Crystalline silicon solar cell remains the major player in the photovoltaic marketplace with 80% of the market, despite the development of various thin film technologies. Silicon's excellent efficiency, stability, material abundance and low toxicity have helped to maintain its position of dominance. However, the cost of silicon materials remains a major barrier to reducing the cost of silicon photovoltaics. Using the crystalline silicon wafer with thinner thickness is the promising way for cost and material reduction in the solar cell production. However, the thinner the silicon wafer is, the worse bow phenomenon is induced. The bow phenomenon is observed when two or more layers of materials with different temperature expansion coefficiencies are in contact, in this case silicon and aluminum. In this paper, the solar cells were fabricated with different thicknesses of Al layer in order to reduce the bow phenomenon. With less amount of paste applications, we observed that the bow could be reduced by up to 40% of the largest value with 120 micron thickness of the wafer even though the conversion efficiency decrease by 0.5% occurred. Since the bowed wafers lead to unacceptable yield losses during the module construction, the reduction of bow is indispensable on thin crystalline silicon solar cell. In this work, we have studied on the counterbalance between the bow and conversion efficiency and also suggest the formation of enough back surface field (BSF) with thinner Al layer application.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.147-151
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• 2014

A boron doping process using a boron tri-bromide ($BBr_3$) as a boron source was applied to form a $p^+$ emitter layer on an n-type mono-crystalline CZ substrate. Nitrogen ($N_2$) gas as an additive of the diffusion process was varied in order to study the variations in sheet resistance and the uniformity of doped layer. The flow rate of $N_2$ gas flow was changed in the range 3 slm~10 slm. The sheet resistance uniformity however was found to be variable with the variation of the $N_2$ flow rate. The optimal flow rate for $N_2$ gas was found to be 4 slm, resulting in a sheet resistance value of $50{\Omega}/sq$ and having a uniformity of less than 10%. The process temperature was also varied in order to study its influence on the sheet resistance and minority carrier lifetimes. A higher lifetime value of $1727.72{\mu}s$ was achieved for the emitter having $51.74{\Omega}/sq$ sheet resistances. The thickness of the boron rich layer (BRL) was found to increase with the increase in the process temperature and a decrease in the sheet resistance was observed with the increase in the process temperature. Furthermore, a passivated emitter solar cell (PESC) type solar cell structure comprised of a boron doped emitter and phosphorus doped back surface field (BSF) having Ni/Cu contacts yielding 15.32% efficiency is fabricated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.702-705
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• 2011

Poly-Si wafers with resistivity of 1 [${\Omega}$-cm[ and thickness of 50 [${\mu}m$] were used as a starting material. Various efficiency influencing parameters such as rear surface recombination velocity and minority carrier diffusion length in the base region, front surface recombination velocity, junction depth and doping concentration in the Emitter layer, BSF thickness and doping concentration were investigated. Optimized cell parameters were given as rear surface recombination of 1000 [cm/sec], minority carrier diffusion length in the base region 50 [${\mu}m$], front surface recombination velocity 100 [cm/sec], sheet resistivity of emitter layer 100 [${\Omega}/{\Box}$], BSF thickness 0.5 [${\mu}m$], doping concentration $5{\times}10^{19}\;cm^{-3}$. Among the investigated variables, we learn that a diffusion length of base layer acts as a key factor to achieve conversion efficiency higher than 19.8 %. Further details of simulation parameters and their effects to cell characteristics are discussed in this paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.211-211
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• 2012

The electrical loss of the photo-generated carriers is dominated by the recombination at the metal- semiconductor interface. In order to enhance the performance of the solar cells, many studies have been performed on the surface treatment with passivation layer like SiN, SiO2, Al2O3, and a-Si:H. In this work, Al2O3 thin films were investigated to reduce recombination at surface. The Al2O3 thin films have two advantages, such as good passivation properties and back surface field (BSF) effect at rear surface. It is usually deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. However, ALD process is a very expensive process and it has rather low deposition rate. In this study, the ICP-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering method was used to deposit Al2O3 thin films. For optimization of the properties of the Al2O3 thin film, various fabrication conditions were controlled, such as ICP RF power, substrate bias voltage and deposition temperature, and argon to oxygen ratio. Chemical states and atomic concentration ratio were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In order to investigate the electrical properties, Al/(Al2O3 or SiO2,/Al2O3)/Si (MIS) devices were fabricated and characterized using the C-V measurement technique (HP 4284A). The detailed characteristics of the Al2O3 passivation thin films manufactured by ICP-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering technique will be shown and discussed.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.91.1-91.1
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• 2010

There are some methods for increasing efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. Among them, It is important to reduce the recombination loss of surface for high efficiency. In order to reduce recombination loss is a way to use the BSF(Back Surface Field). The BSF on the back of the p-type wafer forms a p+layer. so, it is prevented to act electrons of the p-area for the rear recombination. As a result, the leakage current is reduced and the rear-contact has a good Ohmic contact. therefore, open-circuit-voltage and Fill factor(FF) of solar cells are increased. This paper investigates the formation of rear contact process comparing Aluminum-paste(Al-paste) with Aluminum-Metal(99.9%). It is shown that the Aluminum-Metal provides high conductivity and low contact resistance of $21.35m{\Omega}cm$ using the Vacuum evaporation process but, it is difficult to apply the standard industrial process because high Vacuum is needed and it costs a tremendous amount more than Al-paste. On the other hand, using the Al-paste process by screen printing is simple for formation of metal contact and it is possible to produce the standard industrial process. however, it is lower than Aluminum-Metal(99.9) of conductivity because of including mass glass frit. In this study, contact resistances were measured by 4-point prove. each of contact resistances is $21.35m{\Omega}cm$ of Aluminum-Metal and $0.69m{\Omega}cm$ of Al-paste. and then rear contact have been analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.571-574
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• 2010

Surface recombination loss should be reduced for high efficiency of solar cells. To reduce this loss, the BSF (back surface field) is used. The BSF on the back of the p-type wafer forms a p+layer, which prevents the activity of electrons of the p-area for the rear recombination. As a result, the leakage current is reduced and the rear-contact has a good Ohmic contact. Therefore, the open-circuit-voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) of solar cells are increased. This paper investigates the formation of the rear contact process by comparing aluminum-paste (Al-paste) with pure aluminum-metal(99.9%). Under the vacuum evaporation process, pure aluminum-metal(99.9%) provides high conductivity and low contact resistance of $4.2\;m{\Omega}cm$, but It is difficult to apply the standard industrial process to it because high vacuum is needed, and it's more expensive than the commercial equipment. On the other hand, using the Al-paste process by screen printing is simple for the formation of metal contact, and it is possible to produce the standard industrial process. However, Al-paste used in screen printing is lower than the conductivity of pure aluminum-metal(99.9) because of its mass glass frit. In this study, contact resistances were measured by a 4-point probe. The contact resistance of pure aluminum-metal was $4.2\;m{\Omega}cm$ and that of Al-paste was $35.69\;m{\Omega}cm$. Then the rear contact was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.697-702
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• 2019

In this study, using a wet chemical process, we evaluate the effectiveness of different solution concentrations in removing layers from a solar cell, which is necessary for recovery of high-purity silicon. A 4-step wet etching process is applied to a 6-inch back surface field(BSF) solar cell. The metal electrode is removed in the first and second steps of the process, and the anti-reflection coating(ARC) is removed in the third step. In the fourth step, high purity silicon is recovered by simultaneously removing the emitter and the BSF layer from the solar cell. It is confirmed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy(ICP-MS) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy(SIMS) analyses that the effectiveness of layer removal increases with increasing chemical concentrations. The purity of silicon recovered through the process, using the optimal concentration for each process, is analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy(ICP-AES). In addition, the silicon wafer is recovered through optimum etching conditions for silicon recovery, and the solar cell is remanufactured using this recovered silicon wafer. The efficiency of the remanufactured solar cell is very similar to that of a commercial wafer-based solar cell, and sufficient for use in the PV industry.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2011

To develop high efficiency crystalline solar cells, the rear surface passivation is very important. In this paper, $Al_2O_3$ films deposited by thermal ALD(atomic layer deposition) method were studied for rear surface passivation of crystalline solar cells and their passivation properties were evaluated. After the deposition of $Al_2O_3$ films on p-type Si wafers, the lifetime was increased very much due to the reduction of interface state density and the field effects of the negative fixed charge in the films. Also, optimum annealing condition and effects of SiNx capping layer were investigated. The best lifetime was obtained when the films were annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ for 15min. And the lifetime degradation of the $Al_2O_3$ films with SiNx capping layers was improved compared to those without the capping layers.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.73.1-73.1
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• 2010

태양광 시장은 세계적인 금융 위기 속에서도 점점 그 규모가 확대되고 있다. 시장의 규모가 확대되고 있음에도 불구하고 금융 위기를 겪으면서 생산자 중심의 시장에서 수요자 중심의 시장으로 바뀌게 되었다. 이에 따라 더 적은 비용으로 높은 출력의 제품만이 경쟁력을 가지게 됨으로써 효율이 더욱 이슈화되었다. 여러 태양전지 중 가장 점유율이 높은 결정질 태양전지는 일반적인 양산 공정만으로 효율을 높이는데 한계가 있으므로 selective emitter, back contact, light induced plating 등의 새로운 공정을 도입하여 효율을 높이려는 경향이 나타나고 있다. 본 연구에서는, ALD 장치를 사용하여 결정질 태양전지의 후면을 passivation 함으로써 효율을 높이는 방법을 모색하였다. 부동화 층으로는 $Al_2O_3$를 사용하였으며 셀을 제조하여 평가하였다. 실험방법은 p-type의 웨이퍼를 이용하여 습식으로 texturing 후 $POCl_3$ 용액으로 p-n junction을 형성하였고 anti-reflection 막인 SiNx는 PECVD를 사용하여 R.I 2.05, 80nm 두께로 증착하였다. 그런 다음 후면의 n+ layer를 제거하기 위하여 SiNx에 영향을 미치지 않는 용액을 사용하여 후면을 식각하였다. BSF 층은 screen printer로 Al paste를 printing하여 형성하였고 Al etching용액으로 여분의 Al제거한 후 ALD 장치를 이용하여 $Al_2O_3$를 증착하였다. 마지막으로 전극을 형성한 후 laser로 isolation하여 효율을 평가하였다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.72.2-72.2
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• 2010

Nowadays, the crystalline Si Solar cell are expected for economical renewable energy source. The cost of the crystalline Si solar cell are decreasing by improvement of its efficiency and decrease of the cost of the raw Si wafers for Solar cells. This Si wafer based crystalline Si solar cell is the verified technology from several decade of its history. Now, I will introduce one method that can be upgrade the efficiency by using simple and economical method. The name of this method is Rear Side Etching(RSE). The purpose of rear side etching is the elimination of n+ layer of rear side and increase of the flatness. The effects of rear side etching are the improvement of Voc and increase of efficiency by reducement series resistance and forming of uniform BSF. The experimental procedure for rear side etching is very simple. After anti-reflection coating on solar cell wafer, Solar cell wafer is etched by the etching chemical that react with only rear side not front side. This special chemical is no harmful to anti-reflection coating layer. It can only etched rear side of solar cell wafer. We can use etching image by optical microscope, minority carrier life time by WCT 120, SiNx thickness and refractive index by ellipsometer, cell efficiency for the RSE effect measurement. The key point of rear side etching is development of etching process condition that react with only rear side. If we can control this factor, we can achieve increase of solar cell efficiency very economically without new device.