• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.346.2-346.2
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• 2016

The rear side contact recombination in the crystalline silicon solar cell could be reduced by back surface field. We formed polycrystalline silicon as a back surface field through crystallization of amorphous silicon. A thin silicon oxide applied to the passivation layer. We used quasi-steady-state photoconductance measurement to analyze electrical properties with various annealing condition. And, blister formed on surface of wafer during the annealing process. We observed the blister after varied annealing process with wafer of various surface. Shape and density of blister is influenced by various annealing temperature and process time. As the annealing temperature became higher, the average diameter of blister is decreased and total number of blister is increased. The sample with the $600^{\circ}C$ annealing temperature and 1 min annealing time exhibited the highest implied open circuit voltage and lifetime. We predicted that the various shape and density of blister affects the lifetime and implied open circuit voltage.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.54.2-54.2
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• 2009

결정질 실리콘 태양전지의 알루미늄 후면전극이 패시베이션층의 공극을 통하여 확산됨으로써 국부 후면전계(local back surface field)가 형성되는 후면 점접촉 구조를 제조하였으며, 이에 대한 공정조건 및 특성을 연구하였다. 후면 패시베이션층은 실리콘 기판과 금속전극사이에 삽입됨으로써 표면 재결합속도를 낮추고, 후면 반사도를 높여 광흡수 경로를 증가시킬 수 있다. 고가의 사진식각기술 대신에 저가의 단순한 공정인 레이저 식각기술을 사용하여 후면 패시베이션층에 균일하고 잘 정렬된 공극 패턴을 형성할 수 있었다. 레이저 식각 조건 및 소성조건에 따른 Al 확산 국부 후면전계의 단면 형상을 주사전자현미경(SEM)을 사용하여 관찰하였으며 이에 대한 전기적, 광학적 특성 변화를 조사하였다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.336-340
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• 2015

For rear metallization with Al paste, Al back contacts require good passivation, high reflectance, and a processing temperature window compatible with the front metal. In this paper, the effect of the firing ambient during the metallization process on the formation of Al rear metal was investigated. We chose three different gases as ambient gases during the firing process. Using SEM, we observed the formation of a back surface field in $N_2$, $O_2$, and Air ambients. To determine the effect of the ambient on Voc, the suns-Voc tool was used. In this study, we described the mechanism of burn-out of organic materials in Al paste during the firing process. The oxygen ambient plays an important role in the burn-out process. We calculated the efficiency with obtained the back surface recombination velocities using PC1D simulation. It was found that the presence of oxygen during the firing process influenced the uniform back surface field because the organic materials in the Al paste were efficiently burned out during heating. The optimized temperature with oxygen flow shows an absolute efficiency of 19.1% at PC1D simulation.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.75-83
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• 2021

The tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) structure got more consideration for development of high performance solar cells by the introduction of a tunnel oxide layer between the substrate and poly-Si is best for attaining interface passivation. The quality of passivation of the tunnel oxide layer clearly depends on the bond of SiO in the tunnel oxide layer, which is affected by the subsequent annealing and the tunnel oxide layer was formed in the suboxide region (SiO, Si₂O, Si₂O₃) at the interface with the substrate. In the suboxide region, an oxygen-rich bond is formed as a result of subsequent annealing that also improves the quality of passivation. To control the surface morphology, annealing profile, and acceleration rate, an oxide tunnel junction structure with a passivation characteristic of 700 mV or more (V_oc) on a p-type wafer could achieved. The quality of passivation of samples subjected to RTP annealing at temperatures above 900℃ declined rapidly. To improve the quality of passivation of the tunnel oxide layer, the physical properties and thermal stability of the thin layer must be considered. TOPCon silicon solar cell has a boron diffused front emitter, a tunnel-SiO_x/n⁺-poly-Si/SiN_x:H structure at the rear side, and screen-printed electrodes on both sides. The saturation currents J_o of this structure on polished surface is 1.3 fA/cm² and for textured silicon surfaces is 3.7 fA/cm² before printing the silver contacts. After printing the Ag contacts, the J_o of this structure increases to 50.7 fA/cm² on textured silicon surfaces, which is still manageably less for metal contacts. This structure was applied to TOPCon solar cells, resulting in a median efficiency of 23.91%, and a highest efficiency of 24.58%, independently. The conversion efficiency of interdigitated back-contact solar cells has reached up to 26% by enhancing the optoelectrical properties for both-sides-contacted of the cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.687-687
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• 2013

In rearpoint contact solar cell and the PERC (passivated emitter rear contact) type cell, surfaces were passivated by SiO2 or Al2O3 to increase solar cell efficiency. Therefore, we have investigated the effect of surface passivation for crystalline silicon solarcell using mass-production atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3. The patttern which consists of cylinders with 100um diameter and 5um height was formed by PR patterning on Si (100) substrate and then Al2O3 of about 10nm and 20nm thickness was deposited by ALD. The pattern in 10 nm Al2O3 film was removed by dipping in aceton solution for about 10 min but the pattern in 20 nm Al2O3 film was not. The influences of process temperature and heat treatment were investigated using microwave photoconductance decay (PCD) and Quasi-Steady-State photoconductance (QSSPC). The solar cell process used in this work combines the advantage of using the applicability of a selective deposition associated with a ALD passivation and the use of low-cost screen print for the contacts formation.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2023

p-type Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contacts (TOPCon) solar cell is fabricated with a poly-Si/SiO_x structure. It simultaneously achieves surface passivation and enhances the carriers' selective collection, which is a promising technology for conventional solar cells. The quality of passivation is depended on the quality of the tunnel oxide layer at the interface with the c-Si wafer, which is affected by the bond of SiO formed during the subsequent annealing process. The highest cell efficiency reported to date for the laboratory scale has increased to 26.1%, fabricated by the Institute for Solar Energy Research. The cells used a p-type float zone silicon with an interdigitated back contact (IBC) structure that fabricates poly-Si and SiO_x layer achieves the highest implied open-circuit voltage (iV_oc) is 750 mV, and the highest level of edge passivation is 40%. This review presents an overview of p-type TOPCon technologies, including the ultra-thin silicon oxide layer (SiO_x) and poly-silicon layer (poly-Si), as well as the advancement of the SiO_x and poly-Si layers. Subsequently, the limitations of improving efficiency are discussed in detail. Consequently, it is expected to provide a basis for the simplification of industrial mass production.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2013

In contrast to conventional crystalline cells, back-contact solar cells feature high efficiencies, simpler module assembly, and better aesthetics. The highest commercialized cell and module efficiency was recorded by n-type back-contact solar cells. However, the mainstream PV industry uses a p-type substrate instead of n-type due to the high costs and complexity of the manufacturing processes in the case of the latter. P-type back-contact solar cells such as metal wrap-through and emitter wrap-through, which are inexpensive and compatible with the current PV industry, have consequently been developed. In this paper the characteristics of EWT (emitter wrap-through) solar cells and their status and prospects for development are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.571-576
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• 2008

The simulation program for solar cells, PC1D, was briefly reviewed and the device modeling of a multicrystalline Si solar cell using the program was carried out to understand the internal operating principles. The effects of design parameters on the light absorption and the quantum efficiency were investigated and strategies to reduce carrier recombination, such as back surface field and surface passivation, were also characterized with the numerical simulation. In every step of the process, efficiency improvements for the key performance characteristics of the model device were determined and compared with the properties of the solar cell, whose efficiency (20.3%) has been confirmed as the highest in multicrystalline Si devices. In this simulation work, it was found that the conversion efficiency of the prototype model (13.6%) can be increased up to 20.7% after the optimization of design parameters.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.33-37
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• 2014

We have developed a novel passivation process employing a sacrificial gallium oxide process in order to recover the surface damage in AlGaN/GaN HFETs. Even with a conventional prepassivation process, surface damage during high temperature ohmic annealing cannot be avoided completely. Therefore, it is necessary to recover the damaged surface to avoid the characteristic degradation. In this work, a sacrificial gallium oxide process has been proposed in which the damaged surface after ohmic annealing was oxidized by oxygen plasma treatment and thereafter etched back using HCl. As a result, the leakage current was dramatically reduced and thus the subthreshold slope was significantly improved. In addition, the maximum drain current level was increased from 594 to 634 mA/mm. To verify the effects, the surface conditions were carefully investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.