• ETRI Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.265-271
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• 2016

We analyzed the interface characteristics of Zn-based thin-film buffer layers formed by a sulfur thermal cracker on a $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) light-absorber layer. The analyzed Zn-based thin-film buffer layers are processed by a proposed method comprising two processes - Zn-sputtering and cracker-sulfurization. The processed buffer layers are then suitable to be used in the fabrication of highly efficient CIGS solar cells. Among the various Zn-based film thicknesses, an 8 nm-thick Zn-based film shows the highest power conversion efficiency for a solar cell. The band alignment of the buffer/CIGS was investigated by measuring the band-gap energies and valence band levels across the depth direction. The conduction band difference between the near surface and interface in the buffer layer enables an efficient electron transport across the junction. We found the origin of the energy band structure by observing the chemical states. The fabricated buffer/CIGS layers have a structurally and chemically distinct interface with little elemental inter-diffusion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.383-386
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• 2002

Polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se$_2$(CIGS) thin-films were grown by co-evaporation on a soda lime glass substrate. In this paper the effects of the Se evaporation temperature on the properties of CuIn0.75Ga0.25Se2 (CIGS) thin films. Structure, surface morphology and optical properties of CIGS thin films deposited at various Se evaporation temperatures have been investigated using a number of analysis techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that CIGS films exhibit a strong <112> preferred orientation. As expected, at higher Se evaporation temperatures the films displayed a lower degree of crystallinity. The <112> peak was also enhanced and other CIGS peaks appeared simultaneously. These results were supported by experimental work using scanning electron microscopy When the Se evaporation temperature was increased, the average grain size also decreased together with a reduction Cu content. The Se evaporation temperature also had a significant inf1uence on the transmission spectra. Increasing the Se evaporation temperature, the cell efficiency was improved dramatically to 11.75% with Voc = 556 mV, Jsc = 32.17 mA/cm2 and FF = 0.66. The Se evaporation temperature is an important parameter in thin film deposition regardless of the deposition technique being used to deposit thin films

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2008.02a
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• pp.250-250
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.25-26
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• 2012

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2015

High efficiency $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ solar cells are generally prepared above $500^{\circ}C$. Lowering the process temperature can allow wider selection of substrate material and process window. In this paper, the three-stage co-evaporation process widely used to grow CIGS thin film at high temperature was modified to reduce the maximum substrate temperature. Below $400^{\circ}C$ the CIGS films show poor crystal growth and lower solar cell performance, in spite of external Na doping by NaF. As a new approach, Cu source instead of Cu with Se in the second stage was applied on the $(In,Ga)_2Se_3$ precursor at $400^{\circ}C$ and achieved a better crystal growth. The distribution of Ga in the films produce by new method were investigated and solar cells were fabricated using these films.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.61.1-61.1
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• 2010

$CuIn_{1-x}-GaxSe_2$ based materials with direct bandgap and high absorption coefficient are promising materials for high efficiency hetero-junction solar cells. CIGS champion cell efficiency(19.9%, AM1.5G) is very close to polycrystalline silicon(20.3%, AM1.5G). A reduction in the price of CIGS module is required for competing with well matured silicon technology. Price reduction can be achieved by decreasing the manufacturing cost and by increasing module efficiency. Manufacturing cost is mostly dominated by capital cost. Device properties of CIGS are strongly dependent on doping, defect chemistry and structure which in turn are dependent on growth conditions. The complex chemistry of CIGS is not fully understood to optimize and scale processes. Control of the absorber grain size, structural quality, texture, composition profile in the growth direction is important to achieving reliable device performance. In the present work, CIS nanoparticles were prepared by a simple wet chemical synthesis method and their structural and optical properties were investigated. XRD patterns of as-grown nanopowders indicate CIS(Cubic), $CuSe_2$(orthorhombic) and excess selenium. Further, as-grown and annealed nanopowders were characterized by HRTEM and ICP-OES. Grain growth of the nanopowders was followed as a function of temperature using HT-XRD with overpressure of selenium. It was found that significant grain growth occurred between $300-400^{\circ}C$ accompanied by formation of ${\beta}-Cu_{2-x}Se$ at high temperature($500^{\circ}C$) consistent with Cu-Se phase diagram. The result suggests that grain growth follows VLS mechanism which would be very useful for low temperature, high quality and economic processing of CIGS based solar cells.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2013

CIGS (Cu-In-Ga-Se) films were deposited on the Mo coated soda lime glass (Mo/SLG) by RF magnetron sputtering using a single sintered target with different chemical compositions. Heat treatment of the CIGS films were carried out under three different conditions, 1step ($350^{\circ}C$ for 2 hour and $550^{\circ}C$ for 2 hour) and 2step ($350^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour and $550^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour). In the case of CIGS films post-annealed on 2step method, grain size remarkably increased compared to other methods, indicating that chemical composition [Cu/(Ga+In) = 1] of CIGS films was same as CIGS target. After heat treatment by 2step method, band gap energy of the CIGS film deposited at RF 80 W showed 1.4 eV which is broadly similar to identical band gap energy (1.2 eV) of CIGS film prepared by evaporation method. Therefore, 2step heat treatment method could be expected to low temperature process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.304-308
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• 2013

For the application to the window layer of $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$(CIGS) solar cell, zinc oxide(ZnO) thin film was deposited at various temperatures by in-line pulsed DC sputtering. From the structural, optical, and electrical investigation and analysis, it was possible to obtain the lower thickness, the lower resistivity, and the higher transmittance at a higher process temperature. The energy band gap of ZnO was calculated using the transmittance data and was analyzed in terms of the dependency on temperature. From the X-ray diffraction(XRD) results, it was possible to conclude that a dominant peak was found about $34.2{\sim}34.6^{\circ}$(111) and crystallinity was obtained at a temperature above $150^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.361-361
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• 2011

Cu(InGa)(SeS2) (CIGS) thin film solar cells have recently reached an efficiency of 20%. Recent studies suggest a double graded band gap structure of the CIGS absorber layer to be a key issue in the production of high efficiency thin film solar cell using by sputtering process method. In this study, Cu(InGa)(SeS2) absorbers were manufactured by selenization and surfulization, we have deposited CIG precusor by sputtering and Se layer by evaporation before selenization. The objective of this study is to find out surfulization effects to improve Voc and to compare with non-surfulization Cu(InGa)Se2 absorbers. Even if we didn't analysis Ga depth profile of Cu(InGa)(SeS2) absorbers, we confirmed increasing of Eg and Voc through surlization process. In non-surfulization Cu(InGa)Se2 absorbers, Eg and Voc are 0.96eV and 0.48V. Whereas Eg and Voc of Cu(InGa)(SeS2) absorbers are 1.16eV and 0.57V. And the efficiency of 9.58% was achieved on 0.57cm2 sized SLG substrate. In this study, we will be discussed to improve Eg and Voc through surfulization and the other method without H2S. gas.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.196-201
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• 2015

This paper presents the impact of partial shading on $CuIn_xGa_{(1-x)}Se_2(CIGS)$ photovoltaic(PV) modules with bypass diodes. When the CIGS PV modules were partially shaded, the modules were under conditions of partial reverse bias. We investigated the characterization of the bypass diode and solar cell properties of the CIGS PV modules when these was partially shaded, comparing the results with those for a crystalline silicon module. In crystalline silicon modules, the bypass diode was operated at a partial shade modules of 1.67 % shading. This protected the crystalline silicon module from hot spot damage. In CIGS thin film modules, on the other hand, the bypass diode was not operated before 20 % shading. This caused damage because of hotspots, which occurred as wormlike defects in the CIGS thin film module. Moreover, the bypass diode adapted to the CIGS thin film module was operated fully at 60% shading, while the CIGS thin film module was not operated under these conditions. It is known that the bypass diode adapted to the CIGS thin film module operated more slowly than that of the crystalline silicon module; this bypass diode also failed to protect the module from damage. This was because of the reverse saturation current of the CIGS thin film, $1.99{\times}10^{-5}A/cm^2$, which was higher than that of crystalline silicon, $8.11{\times}10^{-7}A/cm^2$.