• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2012.03a
• /
• pp.400-403
• /
• 2012

$Cu_2ZnSnSe_4$(CZTSe) is emerged as a promising material for thin-film solar cells because of non-toxic, inexpensive and earth abundant more than $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ materials. For fabricating compound semiconductor thin-film solar cells, CdS is widely used for a buffer layer which fabricated by a chemical bath deposition method (CBD). Through the experiment, we controlled deposition temperature and mol ratio of solution conditions to find the proper grain 크기 and exact composition. The optimum CdS layers were characterized in terms of surface morphology by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The optimized CdS layer process was applied on CZTSe thin-films. The thickness of buffer layer related with device performance of solar cells which controlled by deposition time. Local surface potential of CdS/CZTSe thin-films was investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). From these results, we can deduce local electric properties with different thickness of buffer layer on CZTSe thin-films. Therefore, we investigated the effect of CdS buffer layer thickness on the CZTSe thin-films for decreasing device losses. From this study, we can suggest buffer layer thickness which contributes to efficiencies and device performance of CZTSe thin-film solar cells.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.267-275
• /
• 2015

In this paper, ZnO films were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and CdS films were deposited using chemical bath deposition (CBD) to form ZnO/CdS heterojunction. More accurate mapping of band arrangement of the ZnO/CdS heterojunction has been performed by analyzing its electrical and optical characteristics in depth by various methods including transmittance, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). The optical bandgap energies ($E_g$) of ZnO and CdS were 3.27 eV and 2.34 eV, respectively. UPS was capable of extracting the ionization potential energies (IPEs) of the materials, which turned out to be 8.69 eV and 7.30 eV, respectively. The electron affinity (EA) values of ZnO and CdS calculated from IPE and $E_g$ were 5.42 eV and 4.96 eV, respectively. Energy-band structures of the heterojunction could be accurately drawn from these parameters taking the conduction band offset (CBO) into account, which will substantially help acquisition of the full band structures of the thin films in the CIGS solar-cell device and contribute to the optimal device designs.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2011.10a
• /
• pp.35.1-35.1
• /
• 2011

New photovoltaic (PV) materials and manufacturing approaches are needed for meeting the demand for lower-cost solar cells. The prototypal thin-film photovoltaic absorbers (CdTe and $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$) can achieve solar conversion efficiencies of up to 20% and are now commercially available, but the presence of toxic (Cd,Se) and expensive elemental components (In, Te) is a real issue as the demand for photovoltaics rapidly increases. To overcome these limitations, there has been substantial interest in developing viable alternative materials, such as $Cu_2ZnSnS_4$ (CZTS) is an emerging solar absorber that is structurally similar to CIGS, but contains only earth abundant, non-toxic elements and has a near optimal direct band gap energy of 1.4~1.6 ev and a large absorption coefficient of ${\sim}10^4\;cm^{-1}$. The CZTS absorber layers are grown and investigated by various fabrication methods, such as thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation with a post sulfurization, sputtering, non-vacuum sol-gel, pulsed laser, spray-pyrolysis method and electrodeposition technique. In the present work, we report an alternative method for large area deposition of CZTS thin films that is potentially high throughput and inexpensive when used to produce monolithically integrated solar panel modules. Specifically, we have developed an aqueous chemical approach based on chemical bath deposition (CBD) with a subsequent sulfurization heat treatment. Samples produced by our method were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, absorbance and photoluminescence. The results show that this inexpensive and relatively benign process produces thin films of CZTS exhibiting uniform composition, kesterite crystal structure, and good optical properties. A preliminary solar cell device was fabricated to demonstrate rectifying and photovoltaic behavior.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2012.05a
• /
• pp.99.1-99.1
• /
• 2012

The thin-film photovoltaic absorbers (CdTe and $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$) can achieve solar conversion efficiencies of up to 20% and are now commercially available, but the presence of toxic (Cd,Se) and expensive elemental components (In, Te) is a real issue as the demand for photovoltaics rapidly increases. To overcome these limitations, there has been substantial interest in developing viable alternative materials, such as $Cu_2ZnSnS_4$ (CZTS) is an emerging solar absorber that is structurally similar to CIGS, but contains only earth abundant, non-toxic elements and has a near optimal direct band gap energy of 1.4 - 1.6 eV and a large absorption coefficient of ~104 $cm^{-1}$. The CZTS absorber layers are grown and investigated by various fabrication methods, such as thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation with a post sulfurization, sputtering, non-vacuum sol-gel, pulsed laser, spray-pyrolysis method and electrodeposition technique. In the present work, we report an alternative aqueous chemical approach based on chemical bath deposition (CBD) method for large area deposition of CZTS thin films. Samples produced by our method were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, absorbance and photoluminescence. The results show that this inexpensive and relatively benign process produces thin films of CZTS exhibiting uniform composition, kesterite crystal structure, and some factors like triethanolamine, ammonia, temperature which strongly affect on the morphology of CZTS film.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2011.08a
• /
• pp.218-218
• /
• 2011

The CIGS Solar Cells have the highest conversion efficiency in the film-type solar cells. They consist of p-type CuInSe2 film and n-type ZnO film. The CdS films are used as buffer layer in the CIGS solar cells since remarkable difference in the lattice constant and energy band gap of two films. The CdS films are toxic and make harmful circumstances. The CdS films deposition process need wet process. In this works, we design and make the hitter and lamp reflection part in the sputtering system for the ZnS films deposition as buffer layer, not using wet process. Film thickness, SEM, and AFM are measured for the uniformity valuation of the ZnS films. We conclude the optimum deposition temperature for the films uniformity less than 1.6%. The ZnS films deposited by the sputtering system are more dense and uniform than the CdS films deposited by the Chemical Bath Deposition Method(CBD) for the CIGS Solar Cells.

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

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.38-44
• /
• 2015

This review article summarizes the recent progress of quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cells based on mesoporous $TiO_2$ thin films. From the intrinsic characteristics of nanoscale inorganic QDs with various compositions, it was possible to construct a variety of 3rd-generation thin film solar cells by solution process. Depending on preparation methods, colloidal QD sensitizers are pre-prepared for later deposition onto the surface of $TiO_2$ or in-situ deposition of QDs from chemical bath is done for direct growth of QD sensitizers over substrates. Recently, colloidal QD sensitizers have shown an overall power conversion efficiency of ~7% by a very precise control of composition while a representative CdS/CdSe from chemical bath deposition have done ~5% with polysulfide electrolytes. In the near future, it is necessary to carry out systematic investigations for developing new hole-conducting materials and controlling interfaces within the cell, thus leading to an enhancement of both open-circuit voltage and fill factor while keeping the current high value of photocurrents from QDs towards more efficient and stable QD-sensitized solar cells.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.218-224
• /
• 2010

Direct copper electroplating on Mg alloy AZ31B was carried out in a traditional pyrophosphate copper bath containing potassium fluoride. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization methods were used to study the effects of added potassium fluoride on electrochemical behavior. The chemical state of magnesium alloy in the electroplating bath was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Adhesion of the copper electroplated layer was also tested. Due to the added potassium fluoride, a magnesium fluoride film was formed in the pyrophosphate copper bath. This fluoride film inhibits dissolution of Mg alloy and enables to electroplate copper directly on it. A dense copper layer was formed on the Mg alloy. Moreover, this copper layer has a good adhesion with Mg alloy substrate.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.88-93
• /
• 2007

Nano-sized Sn particles were coated with Ni-P layer using an electroless deposition method and their anodic performance was tested for lithium secondary batteries. Uniform coating layers were obtained, of which the thickness was controlled by varying the $Ni^{2+}$ concentration in the plating bath. It was found that the Ni-P layer plays two important roles in improving the anodic performance of Sn powder electrode. First, it prevents the inter-particle aggregation between Sn particles during the charge/discharge process. Second, it provides an electrical conduction pathway to the Sn particles, which allows an electrode fabrication without an addition of conductive carbon. A pseudo-optimized sample showed a good cyclability and high capacity ($>400mAh\;g^{-1}$) even without conductive carbon loading.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
• /
• 2006.09a
• /
• pp.287-288
• /
• 2006

Two approaches for the fabrication of tailored powder composites with specially distributed pore-grain structure and chemical composition are investigated. Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) followed by microwave sintering is employed to obtain functionally graded materials (FGM) by in-situ controlling the deposition bath suspension composition. $Al_2O_3/ZrO_2$ and zeolite FGM are successfully synthesized using this technique. In order to fabricate an aligned porous structure, unidirectional freezing followed by freeze drying and sintering is employed. By controlling the temperature gradient during freezing of powder slurry, a unidirectional ice-ceramic structure is obtained. The frozen specimen is then subjected to freeze drying to sublimate the ice. The obtained capillary-porous ceramic specimen is consolidated by sintering. The sintering of the graded structure is modeled by the continuum theory of sintering.