• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1987.11a
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• pp.200-202
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• 1987

Sintered CdS films on glass substrate with low electrical resistivity and high optical transmittance have been prepared by coating and sintering method. All-polycrystalline CdS/CdTe solar cells with different microstructure and properties of CdTe layer were fabricated by coating a number of CdTe slurries, which consisted of Cd and Te powders, an appropriate amount of propylene glycol and 2 or 7.5 w/o $CdC1_2$, on the sintered CdS films and by sintering the glass-CdS-(Cd+Te) composites at various temperature. To explore the dependence of the solar efficiency on the preparation conditions of the CdTe layer, Cd powder with an average particle size of $0.3{\mu}m$ or $5{\mu}m$ was prepared. The use of Cd with finer particles forms more dense or uniform microstructure of the nuclear of CdTe during the heating. Therefore the use of Cd with finer particles improves the efficiency of the sintered CdS/CdTe solar cell by improving the microstructure of sintered CdTe layer. But the difference of solar efficiency by varing a particle size of Cd is decreased with increasing amount of $CdC1_2$ in the (Cd+Te) layer. All-polycrystalline CdS/CdTe solar cells with an efficiency of 10.2% under solar irradiation have been fabricated using a Cd with finer particles.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics A
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• v.32A no.9
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• pp.121-127
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• 1995

We have analyzed the double insulating layer consisting of anodic oxide and ZnS through TEM experiments. The use of double insulating layer for HgCdTe surface passivation is one of the promising passivation method which has been recently studied deeply and the double insulating layer is formed by the evaporation of ZnS on the top of anodic oxide layer grown in H$_{2}$O$_{2}$ electrolyte. The structure of anodic oxide layer on HgCdTe is amorphous but the structure of oxide layer after the evaporation of ZnS has been changed to micro-crystalline. The interface layer of 150.angs. thickness has been found between ZnS and anodic oxide layer and is estimated to be ZnO layer. The results of analysis on the chemical components of ZnS, the interface layer and anodic oxide layer have showed that Zn has diffused into the anodic oxide layer deeply while Hg has been significantly decreased from HgCdTe bulk to the top of oxide layer. The formation of ZnO interface layer and the change of structure of anodic oxide layer after the evaporation of ZnS are estimated to be defects or to induce the defects which might possibly affect the increase of the positive fixed charges shown in C-V measurements of HgCdTe MIS.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.36-45
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• 2021

To remove the Cu secondary phase remaining on the surface of a CIGSSe absorber layer manufactured by the two-step process, KCN etching was applied before depositing the CdS buffer layer. In addition, it was possible to increase the conversion efficiency by air annealing after forming the CdS buffer layer. In this study, various pre-treatment/post-treatment conditions wereapplied to the S-containing CIGSSe absorber layerbefore and after formation of the CdS buffer layer to experimentally confirm whether similareffects as those of Se-terminated CIGSe were exhibited. Contrary to expectations, it was noted that CdS air annealing had negative effects.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.659-664
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• 2010

The ZnS/CdS thin films were made using 99.99% ZnS and CdS(Aldrich) powders in $7{\times}10^{-6}torr$. The ZnS layer was coated over the CdS layer on an AlOx membrane within a vacuum, at the average speed of $1{\AA}/sec$. After studying the ZnS/CdS and CdS thin films(both with the dimensions of 2.52nm), using fluorescence spectroscopy and comparing the respective results together, we found that although both of the resulting spectra peaked at 390nm, the ZnS/CdS thin films showed a narrower peak, and a higher intensity of photoluminescence than the CdS thin films. The particles of ZnS/CdS thin films also proved to be more homogeneous in size. In addition, the ZnS layer acted as a protective layer. Also, after studying the spectra of ZnS/CdS thin films taken 30 days after their preparation, we found no signs of aging. These results were verified through the scanning electron microscopy(SEM), EDX analysis, thin film X-ray diffraction, and luminescence spectroscopy.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.502-506
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• 2012

In order to find the structural characteristics of the thin films of group II-VI semiconductor compounds compared with those of powder materials, films were made of 4 powders of ZnS, CdS, CdSe, and CdTe(Aldrich), each with 99.99 % purity. For the ZnS/CdS multi-layers, the ZnS layer was coated over the CdS layer on an $AlO_x$ membrane, which served as a protective layer within a vacuum at the average speed of 1 ${\AA}$/sec. After studying the structures of the group II-VI semiconductor thin films by using X-ray spectroscopy, we found that the ZnS, ZnS/CdS, CdS, and CdSe films were hexagonal and exhibited some degree of preferred orientation. Also, the particles of the thin films of II-VI semiconductor compounds proved to be more homogeneous in size compared to those of the powder materials. These results were further verified through scanning electron microscopy(SEM), EDX analysis, and powder and thin film X-ray diffraction.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.106.1-106.1
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• 2011

The Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cells have been achieved until almost 20% efficiency by NREL. These solar cells include chemically deposited CdS as buffer layer between CIGS absorber layer and ZnO window layer. Although CIGS solar cells with CdS buffer layer show excellent performance, the short wavelength response of CIGS solar cell is limited by narrow CdS band gap of about 2.42 eV. Taking into consideration the environmental aspect, the toxic Cd element should be replaced by a different material. Among Cd-free candidate materials, the CIGS thin film solar cells with ZnS buffer layer seem to be promising with 17.2%(module by showa shell K.K.), 18.6%(small area by NREL). However, ZnS/CIGS solar cells still show lower performance than CdS/CIGS solar cells. There are several reported reasons to reduce the efficiency of ZnS/CIGS solar cells. Nakada reported ZnS thin film had many defects such as stacking faults, pin-holes, so that crytallinity of ZnS thin film is poor, compared to CdS thin film. Additionally, it was known that the hetero-interface between ZnS and CIGS layer made unfavorable band alignment. The unfavorable band alignment hinders electron transport at the heteo-interface. In this study, we focused on growing defect-free ZnS thin film and for favorable band alignment of ZnS/CIGS, bandgap of ZnS and CIGS, valece band structure of ZnS/CIGS were modified. Finally, we verified the photovoltaic properties of ZnS/CIGS solar cells.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.138-138
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• 2009

Recently, thin-film solar cells of Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$(CIGS) have reached a high level of performance, which has resulted in a 19.9%-efficient device. These conventional devices were typically fabricated using chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layer between the CIGS absorber layer and ZnO window layer. However, the short wavelength response of CIGS solar cell is limited by narrow CdS band gap of about 2.42 eV. Taking into consideration the environmental aspect, the toxic Cd element should be replaced by a different material. It is why during last decades many efforts have been provided to achieve high efficiency Cd-free CIGS solar cells. In order to alternate CdS buffer layer, ZnS buffer layer is grown by using chemical bath deposition(CBD) technique. The thickness and chemical composition of ZnS buffer layer can be conveniently by varying the CBD processing parameters. The processing parameters were optimized to match band gap of ZnS films to the solar spectrum and exclude the creation of morphology defects. Optimized ZnS buffer layer showed higher optical transmittance than conventional thick-CdS buffer layer at the short wavelength below ~520 nm. Then, chemically deposited ZnS buffer layer was applied to CIGS solar cell as a alternative for the standard CdS/CIGS device configuration. This CIGS solar cells were characterized by current-voltage and quantum efficiency measurement.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.377-382
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• 2012

CdS thin films have been widely used as a buffer layer of CIGS semiconductor solar cells to reduce the lattice mismatch between transparent electrode and absorber layer. In order to prepare the CdS films with high transparency and low resistivity, they were deposited by varying Cd concentration with the constant S concentration in the solution using chemical bath deposition method. They were analyzed in terms of structural, optical and electrical properties of CdS films according to the $[S^{2-}]/[Cd^{2+}]$ ratio. In the case of Cd concentration higher than S concectration, CdS thin films were formed mainly by cluster- by-cluster formation due to the homogeneous reaction between Cd and S in the solution. Therefore the grain size increased and the transmittance decreased. On the other hand, in the case of Cd concentration lower than S concentration, CdS films were formed by heterogeneous reaction on the substrate rather than in the solution. The CdS films have the grains with the uniform circular shape of a few hundreds ${\AA}$. As the Cd concentration increased in the solution, the $[S^{2-}]/[Cd^{2+}]$ ratio decreased and the resistivity decreased by the increase in the carrier concentration due to the formation S vacancy by the excess Cd.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.2895-2900
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• 2014

We fabricated quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using cadmium sulfide (CdS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) as sensitizers. A spin coated $TiO_2$ nanoparticle (NP) film on tin-doped indium oxide glass and sputtered Au on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass were used as photo-anode and counter electrode, respectively. CdS QDs were deposited onto the mesoporous $TiO_2$ layer by a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. Pre-synthesized CdTe QDs were deposited onto a layer of CdS QDs using a direct adsorption technique. CdS/CdTe QDSSCs had high light harvesting ability compared with CdS or CdTe QDSSCs. QDSSCs incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), sprayed onto the substrate before deposition of the next layer or mixed with $TiO_2$ NPs, mostly exhibited enhanced photo cell efficiency compared with the pristine cell. In particular, a maximum rate increase of 24% was obtained with the solar cell containing a $TiO_2$ layer mixed with SWNTs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.3043-3047
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• 2012

To investigate the scattering layer effect of a $TiO_2$ multilayer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we designed a new DSSC system, assembled with a CdS-$TiO_2$ scattering layer electrode. A high-magnification SEM image exhibited hollyhock-like particles with a width of 1.5-2.0 ${\mu}m$ that were aggregated into 10-nm clumps in a hexagonal petal shape. The efficiency was higher in the DSSC assembled with a CdS-$TiO_2$ scattering layer than in the DSSC assembled with $TiO_2$-only layers, due to the decreased resistance in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The short-circuit current density ($J_{sc}$) was increased by approximately 7.26% and the open-circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$) by 2.44% over the 1.0 wt % CdS-$TiO_2$ composite scattering layer and the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) in the maximum peak was also enhanced by about 5.0%, compared to the DSSC assembled without the CdS-$TiO_2$scattering layer.