• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.131-135
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• 2020

Silver nanowire (AgNW) networks have been adopted as a front electrode in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cells due to their low cost and compatibility with the solution process. When an AgNW network is applied to a CIGS thin film solar cell, reflection loss can increase because the CdS layer, with a relatively high refractive index (n ~ 2.5 at 550 nm), is exposed to air. To resolve the issue, we apply solution-processed ZnO nanorods to the AgNW network as an anti-reflective coating. To obtain high performance of the optical and electrical properties of the ZnO nanorod and AgNW network composite, we optimize the process parameters - the spin coating of AgNWs and the concentration of zinc nitrate and hexamethylene tetramine (HMT - to fabricate ZnO nanorods. We verify that 10 mM of zinc nitrate and HMT show the lowest reflectance and 10% cell efficiency increase when applied to CIGS thin film solar cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.382-382
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• 2012

CIGS thin films have received great attention as a promising material for solar cells due to their high absorption coefficient, appropriate bandgap, long-term stability, and low cost production. CIGS thin films are deposited by various methods such as co-evaporation, sputtering, spray pyrolysis and electro-deposition. The deposition technique is one of the most important processes in preparing CIGS thin film solar cells. Among these methods, co-evaporation is one of the best technique for obtaining high quality and stoichiometric CIGS films. However, co-evaporation method is known to be unsuitable for commercialization. The sputtering is known to be very effective and feasible process for mass production. In this study, CIGS thin films have prepared by rf magnetron sputtering using a $Cu(In_{1-x}Ga_x)Se_2$ single quaternary target without post deposition selenization. This process has been examined by the effects of deposition parameters on the structural and compositional properties of the films. In addition, we will explore the influences of substrate temperature and additional annealing treatment after deposition on the characteristics of CIGS thin films. The thickness of CIGS films will be measured by Tencor-P1 profiler. The crystalline properties and surface morphology of the films will be analyzed using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The optical properties of the films will be determined by UV-Visible spectroscopy. Electrical properties of the films will be measured using van der Pauw geometry and Hall effect measurement at room temperature using indium ohmic contacts.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.23-23
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• 2009

CIGS 박막 태양전지는 제조단가가 낮고 박막 태양전지 중에서 변환효율이 가장 높아 발전 가능성이 큰 태양전지로 인식되고 있다. 이미 일본, 독일, 미국을 비롯한 선진국에서는 30-50 MW 급의 양산 라인이 구축되고 있어 2010년 이후에는 본격적인 상용화가 진행될 것으로 보인다. CIGS 광흡수층은 진공증발, 셀렌화, 나노입자, 전기도금등 다양한 방식으로 제조가 가능한데 이 중에서도 동시진공증발공정은 고효율 CIGS 박막 태양전지 제조에 적합하다. 본 연구에서는 동시진공증발법을 이용하여 CIGS 박막을 증착하였으며 소다회유리/Mo/CIGS/CdS/i-ZnO/n-ZnO/Al/AR 구조의 태양전지를 제조하였다. 기판온도 모니터링을 통한 Cu 이차상 조절 기술을 이용하여 결정립이 매우 큰 CIGS 박막을 증착하였으며 Ga/(In+Ga) 조성비의 조절을 통하여 밴드갭 에너지를 최적화하였다. 또한 QCM 장치를 활용하여 용액 속에서 성장되는 CdS 박막의 두께와 특성을 조절하였다. 이러한 공정최적화를 통하여 개방전압 0.65 V, 단락전류밀도 38.8 $mA/cm^2$, 충실도 0.74 그리고 변환효율 18.8% 의 CIGS 박막 태양전지를 얻었다.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.779-782
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• 2012

$CuIn_{1-x}Ga_xSe_2$ (CIGS) thin films are grown on Mo/soda lime glass using a reactive sputtering process in which a Se cracker is used to deliver reactive Se molecules. The Cu and $(In_{0.7}Ga_{0.3})_2Se_3$ targets are simultaneously sputtered under the delivery of reactive Se. The effects of Se flux on film composition are investigated. The Cu/(In+Ga) composition ratio increases as the Se flux increases at a plasma power of less than 30 W for the Cu target. The (112) crystal orientation becomes dominant, and crystal grain size is larger with Se flux. The power conversion efficiency of a solar cell fabricated using an 800-nm CIGS film is 8.5%.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2013

Thin film solar cells have attracted much attention due to their high cell efficiency, comparatively low process cost, and applicability to flexible substrates. In particular, CIGS solar cells have been widely studied and produced because they demonstrated the highest cell efficiency. However, the deposition process of CIGS films generally includes the selenization process conducted at elevated temperature using toxic $H_2Se$ gas. To avoid this selenization process, CIGS thin films were, in this study, deposited by RF sputtering using single composite CIGS target. In addition, the effects of sputtering bias voltage and heat treatment on the microstructural and morphological changes in deposited CIGS films were investigated and discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.142-150
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• 2012

In this Study, Mo back electrode were deposited as the functions of various working pressure, deposition time and plasma per-treatment on sodalime glass (SLG) for application to CIGS thin film solar cell using by DC sputtering method, and were analyzed Mo change to $MoSe_2$ layer through selenization processes. And finally Mo back electrode characteristics were evaluated as application to CIGS device after Al/AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG fabrication. Mo films fabricated as a function of the working pressure from 1.3 to 4.9mTorr are that physical thickness changed to increase from 1.24 to 1.27 ${\mu}m$ and electrical characteristics of sheet resistance changed to increase from 0.195 to 0.242 ${\Omega}/sq$ as according to the higher working pressure. We could find out that Mo film have more dense in lower working pressure because positive Ar ions have higher energy in lower pressure when ions impact to Mo target, and have dominated (100) columnar structure without working pressure. Also Mo films fabricated as a function of the deposition time are that physical thickness changed to increase from 0.15 to 1.24 ${\mu}m$ and electrical characteristics of sheet resistance changed to decrease from 2.75 to 0.195 ${\Omega}/sq$ as according to the increasing of deposition time. This is reasonable because more thick metal film have better electrical characteristics. We investigated Mo change to $MoSe_2$ layer through selenization processes after Se/Mo/SLG fabrication as a function of the selenization time from 5 to 40 minutes. $MoSe_2$ thickness were changed to increase as according to the increasing of selenization time. We could find out that we have to control $MoSe_2$ thickness to get ohmic contact characteristics as controlling of proper selenization time. And we fabricated and evaluated CIGS thin film solar cell device as Al/AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG structures depend on Mo thickness 1.2 ${\mu}m$ and 0.6 ${\mu}m$. The efficiency of CIGS device with 0.6 ${\mu}m$ Mo thickness is batter as 9.46% because Na ion of SLG can move to CIGS layer more faster through thin Mo layer. The adhesion characteristics of Mo back electrode on SLG were improved better as plasma pre-treatment on SLG substrate before Mo deposition. And we could expect better efficiency of CIGS thin film solar cell as controlling of Mo thickness and $MoSe_2$ thickness depend on Na effect and selenization time.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2000.07c
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• pp.1625-1627
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• 2000

Cu(InGa)$Se_2$(CIGS) thin film absorbers with various Cu/(In+Ga) atomic ratios were prepared by a three-stage process using a co-evaporation appartus. The effect of Na on the structural and electrical properties of CIGS films were studied and their effects on the CIGS/Mo thin film solar cells were investigated. Soda-lime glass and Corning glass were used as substrates to compare the effect of Na diffusion into CIGS film. The resistivity of CIGS films was not changed in the Cu-poor lesion due to diffusion of Na from soda-lime glass but was mainly determined by the surface resistivity controlled by excess Na.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.222-224
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• 2006

A non-vacuum process for $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) thin film solar cells from nanoparticle precursors was described in this work CIGS nanoparticle precursors was prepared by a low temperature colloidal route by reacting the starting materials $(CuI,\;InI_3,\;GaI_3\;and\;Na_2Se)$ in organic solvents, by which fine CIGS nanoparticles of about 20nm in diameter were obtained. The nanoparticle precursors were mixed with organic binder material for the rheology of the mixture to be adjusted for the doctor blade method. After depositing the mixture of CIGS with binder on Mo/glass substrate, the samples were preheated on the hot plate in air to evaporate remaining solvents ud to burn the organic binder material. Subsequently, the resultant (porous) CIGS/Mo/glass simple was selenized in a two-zone Rapid Thermal Process (RTP) furnace in order to get a solar ceil applicable dense CIGS absorber layer. Complete solar cell structure was obtained by depositing. The other layers including CdS buffer layer, ZnO window layer and Al electrodes by conventional methods. The resultant solar cell showed a conversion efficiency of 0.5%.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07d
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• pp.1729-1731
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• 1999

The effect of Na on the structural and electrical properties of CIGS films were studied and their effects on the CIGS/Mo thin film solar cells were investigated. Soda-lime glass and Corning glass were used as substrates to compare the effect of Na diffusion into CIGS film. The resistivity of CIGS films was not changed in the Cu-poor region due to diffusion of Na from soda-lime glass but was mainly determined by the surface resitivity controlled by excess Na.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.107-111
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• 2019

We report the fabrication of a CdS/CuInGaSe (CdS/CIGS) structure with carbon nanotubes and its application as a photocathode for photoelectrochemical water splitting. CIGS thin films were fabricated using co-evaporation by RF magnetron sputtering, while CdS was fabricated by chemical bath deposition. Spray coated multi-wall carbon nanotube (CNT) film on CdS/CIGS thin film was investigated as a photocathode. The CNT-coated CdS/CIGS showed superior photocurrent density and exhibited improved photostability.