• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.665-669
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• 2015

We investigated and compared two methods of in-situ oxidation and chemical etching treatment (CET) to remove the boron rich layer (BRL). The BRL is generally formed during boron doping process. It has to be controlled in order not to degrade carrier lifetime and reduce electrical properties. A boron emitter is formed using $BBr_3$ liquid source at $930^{\circ}C$. After that, in-situ oxidation was followed by injecting oxygen of 1,000 sccm into the furnace during ramp down step and compared with CET using a mixture of acid solution for a short time. Then, we analyzed passivation effect by depositing $Al_2O_3$. The results gave a carrier lifetime of $110.9{\mu}s$, an open-circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$) of 635 mV at in-situ oxidation and a carrier lifetime of $188.5{\mu}s$, an $V_{oc}$ of 650 mV at CET. As a result, CET shows better properties than in-situ oxidation because of removing BRL uniformly.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.139-143
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• 2017

N-type crystalline silicon solar cells have high metal impurity tolerance and higher minority carrier lifetime that increases conversion efficiency. However, junction quality between the boron diffused layer and the n-type substrate is more important for increased efficiency. In this paper, the current status and prospects for boron diffused layers in N-type crystalline silicon solar cell applications are described. Boron diffused layer formation methods (thermal diffusion and co-diffusion using $a-SiO_X:B$), boron rich layer (BRL) and boron silicate glass (BSG) reactions, and analysis of the effects to improve junction characteristics are discussed. In-situ oxidation is performed to remove the boron rich layer. The oxidation process after diffusion shows a lower B-O peak than before the Oxidation process was changed into $SiO_2$ phase by FTIR and BRL. The $a-SiO_X:B$ layer is deposited by PECVD using $SiH_4$, $B_2H_6$, $H_2$, $CO_2$ gases in N-type wafer and annealed by thermal tube furnace for performing the P+ layer. MCLT (minority carrier lifetime) is improved by increasing $SiH_4$ and $B_2H_6$. When $a-SiO_X:B$ is removed, the Si-O peak decreases and the B-H peak declines a little, but MCLT is improved by hydrogen passivated inactive boron atoms. In this paper, we focused on the boron emitter for N-type crystalline solar cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.474-474
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• 2014

Boron-rich Layer (BRL) 는 결정질 실리콘 태양전지를 제작하는 과정 중 보론 확산 공정 시 형성된다. 본 연구에서는, n-type 실리콘 태양전지에서 BRL의 구조적, 광학적, 전기적 특성을 조사하였다. 보론 에미터는 튜브 형식의 열처리 로에서 $950^{\circ}C$의 온도 하에서 BBr3 액상 소스를 이용하여 형성하였다. BRL은 비정질 상을 보였고, $1023atoms/cm^3$이 넘는 보론 농도를 나타내었다. BRL은 보론, 실리콘, 산소로 구성되었고, 산소는 비정질 상 형성의 원인으로 추정되고 있다. BRL은 1.5~2.0의 굴절률을 나타내었고, $0.8m{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$의 접촉 저항을 보였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2613-2620
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• 2023

Excellent thermal neutron absorption performance of boron expands the potential use of boron rich slag to prepare epoxy resin matrix nuclear shielding composites. However, shielding attenuation behaviors and mechanism of the composites against gamma rays are unclear. Based on the radiation protection theory, Phy-X/PSD, XCOM, and ⁶⁰Co gamma ray source were integrated to obtain the shielding parameters of boron rich slag/epoxy resin composites at 0.015-15 MeV, which include mass attenuation coefficient (µ_t), linear attenuation coefficient (µ), half value thickness layer (HVL), electron density (N_eff), effective atomic number (Z_eff), exposure buildup factor (EBF) and exposure absorption buildup factor (EABF).µ_t, µ, HVL, N_eff, Z_eff, EBF and EABF are 0.02-7 cm²/g, 0.04-17 cm^-1, 0.045-20 cm, 5-14, 3 × 10²³-8 × 10²³ electron/g, 0-2000, and 0-3500. Shielding performance is BS4, BS3, BS3, BS1 in descending order, but worse than ordinary concrete. µ and HVL of BS1-BS4 for ⁶⁰Co gamma ray is 0.095-0.110 cm^-1 and 6.3-7.2 cm. Shielding mechanism is main interactions for attenuation gamma ray by BS1-BS4 are elements with higher content or higher atomic number via Photoelectric Absorption at low energy range, and elements with higher content via Compton Scattering and Pair Production in Nuclear Field at middle and higher energy range.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.902-907
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• 2023

To understand the eutectic reaction mechanism and the relocation behavior of the core debris is indispensable for the safety assessment of core disruptive accidents (CDAs) in sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs). This paper addresses reaction products and their distribution of the eutectic melting/solidifying reaction of boron carbide (B₄C) and stainless-steel (SS). The influence of the existence of carbon on the B₄C-SS eutectic reaction was investigated by comparing the iron boride (FeB)-SS reaction by Raman spectroscopy with Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) analysis. The scanning electron microscopy with dispersive X-ray spectrometer was also used to investigate the elemental information of the pure metals such as Cr, Ni, and Fe. In the B₄C-SS samples, a new layer was formed between B₄C/SS interface, and the layer was confirmed that the formed layer corresponded to amorphous carbon (graphite) or FeB or Fe₂B. In contrast, a new layer was not clearly formed between FeB and SS interface in the FeB-SS samples. All samples observed the Cr-rich domain and Fe and Ni-rich domain after the reaction. These domains might be formed during the solidifying process.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.220-224
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• 2002

The oxide scales formed on $Ni_3Al$-7.8%Cr-1.3%Zr-0.8%Mo-0.025%B after oxidation at 900, 1000 and 110$0^{\circ}C$ in air were studied using XRD, SEM, EPMA and TEM. The oxide scales consisted primarily of $NiO,\; NiAl_2O_4,\;{\alpha}-Al_2O_3,\; monoclinic-ZrO_2,\; and \;tetragonal-ZrO_2$. The outer layer of the oxide scale was rich in Ni-oxides, whereas the internal oxide stringers were rich in Al-oxides and $ZrO_2$. Within the above oxide scales, Cr and Mo tended to exist as dissolved ions.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

In this study, Al-Si coated boron steel(1.2 mm) were laser welded by $CO_2$ laser and hot-stamping was applied to the laser joints. Tensile properties and microstructures of the joints were investigated before and after hot-stamping. Tensile and yield strengths of the as welded specimen similar with base metal and fracture occurred base metal of boron steel. Although, in case of heat treated specimen, fracture occurred fusion zone that Al segregated zone near the bond line. These could be explained by the existence of ferrite, in the Al segregated zone near the bond line and base metal of boron steel. Before hot-stamping, hardness of base metal is lower than fusion zone and heat affected zone in spite of exist Al segregation zone($Fe_3$(Al,Si)). So fracture occurred base metal. Although, after hot-stamping, microstructure of base metal and welds zone transformed to martensite and bainite except in Al segregation zone near the bond line that $Fe_3$(Al,Si) transformed to a-ferrite. So fracture occurred Al segregation zone near the bond line.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1001-1006
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• 2005

A new fabrication method is proposed to form the stacked polysilicon gate by nitridation in $N_2$ atmosphere using conventional LP-CVD system. Two step stacked layers with an amorphous layer on top of a polycrystalline layer as well as three step stacked layers with polycrystalline films were fabricated using the proposed method. SIMS profile showed that the proposed method would successfully create the nitrogen-rich layers between the stacked polysilicon layers, thus resulting in effective retardation of dopant diffusion. It was observed that the dopants in stacked films were piled-up at the interface. TEM image also showed clear distinction of stacked layers, their plane grain size and grain mismatch at interface layers. Therefore, the number of stacked polysilicon layers with different crystalline structures, interface position and crystal phase can be easily controlled to improve the device performance and reliability without any negative effects in nano-scale CMOSFETs.

• 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.