• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2010년도 제39회 하계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.297-297
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• 2010

Precise control of the position and density of doping elements at the nanoscale is becoming a central issue for realizing state-of-the-art silicon-based optoelectronic devices. As dimensions are scaled down to take benefits from the quantum confinement effect, however, the presence of interfaces and the nature of materials adjacent to silicon turn out to be important and govern the physical properties. Utilization of visible light is a promising method to overcome the efficiency limit of the crystalline Si solar cells. Si quantum dots (QDs) have been proposed as an emission source of visible light, which is based on the quantum confinement effect. Light emission in the visible wavelength has been reported by controlling the size and density of Si QDs embedded within various types of insulating matrix. For the realization of all-Si QD solar cells with homojunctions, it is prerequisite not only to optimize the impurity doping for both p- and n-type Si QDs, but also to construct p-n homojunctions between them. In this study, XPS and SIMS were used for the development of p-type and n-type Si quantum dot solar cells. The stoichiometry of SiOx layers were controlled by in-situ XPS analysis and the concentration of B and P by SIMS for the activated doping in Si nano structures. Especially, it has been experimentally evidenced that boron atoms in silicon nanostructures confined in SiO2 matrix can segregate into the Si/$SiO_2$ interfaces and the Si bulk forming a distinct bimodal spatial distribution. By performing quantitative analysis and theoretical modelling, it has been found that boron incorporated into the four-fold Si crystal lattice can have electrical activity. Based on these findings, p-type Si quantum dot solar cell with the energy-conversion efficiency of 10.2% was realized from a [B-doped $SiO_{1.2}$(2 nm)/$SiO_2(2\;nm)]^{25}$ superlattice film with a B doping level of $4.0{\times}10^{20}\;atoms/cm^2$.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 1999년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.593-596
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• 1999

This paper presents a process optimization of antireflectiun (AR) coating on crystalline Si solar cells. Theoretical and experimental investigations were performed on a doble-layer AR(DLAR) coating of MgF$_2$/CeO$_2$, We investigated CeO$_2$ films as an All layer because they hale a proper refractive index of 2.46 and demonstrate the same lattice constant as Si substrate. RF sputter grown CeO$_2$ film showed strong dependence on a deposition temperature. The CeO$_2$ film deposited at 400 $^{\circ}C$ exhibited a strong (111) preferred orientation and the lowest surface roughness of 6.87 $\AA$. Refractive index of MgF$_2$ film was measured as 1.386 for the most of growth temperature. An optimized DLAR coating showed a reflectance as low as 2.04 % in the wavelengths ranged from 0.4 7m to 1.1 7m. We achieved the efficiencies of solar cells greater than 15% with 3.12 % improvement with DLAR coatings . Further details on MgF$_2$, CeO$_2$ films, and cell fabrication Parameters are presented in this paper.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국태양에너지학회 2009년도 추계학술발표대회 논문집
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• pp.309-313
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• 2009

This study was conducted to improve the power of PV module using a surface cooling system. One of the unique characteristics of PV module is power drop as a module surface temperature increases due to the characteristics of crystalline silicon used in a solar cell. To overcome the output power reduction by temperature effect, module surface cooling using water circulation was performed. By cooling effect, module surface temperature drops maximally $20.3^{\circ}C$ predicting more than 10% power enhancement. Maximum deviation of voltage and current between a control and cooled module differed by 5.1V and 0.9A respectively. The maximum power enhancement by cooling system was 12.4% compared with a control module. In addition, cooling system can wash the module surface by water circulation so that extra power up of PV module can be achieved by removing particles on the surface which interfere solar radiation on the cells. Cooling system, besides, can reduce the maintenance cost and prevent accidents as a safety precaution while cleaning works. This system can be applied to the existing photovoltaic power generation facilities without any difficulties as well.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.217-221
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• 2015

Developing a metallization that has low cost and high efficiency is essential in solar-cell industries, to replace expensive silver-based metallization. Ni/Cu two-step metallization is one way to reduce the cost of solar cells, because the price of copper is about 100 times less than that of silver. Alkaline electroless plating was used for depositing nickel seed layers on the front electrode area. Prior to the nickel deposition process, 2% HF solution was used to remove native oxide, which disturbs uniform nickel plating. In the subsequent step, a nickel sintering process was carried out in $N_2$ gas atmosphere; however, copper was plated by light-induced plating (LIP). Plated nickel has different properties under different bath conditions because nickel electroless plating is a completely chemical process. In this paper, plating bath conditions such as pH and temperature were varied, and the metal layer's structure was analyzed to investigate the adhesion of Ni/Cu metallization. Average adhesion values in the range of 0.2-0.49 N/mm were achieved for samples with no nickel sintering process.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.71-75
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• 2019

Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources. It can respond to expanding energy demand. A solar cell module is designed to have a durability that can be developed over a long period of 25 years to be installed outdoors and perform like a stable power supply. We need Standard Test Condition (STC)-based power output data before and after testing to measure the power output of existing modules. The modules are shown to reduce power output by comparing data before and after outdoor experiments regardless of whether they are indoor or outdoor. It is easy to compare the power output quantities through the module simulator in the indoor. However, it takes a lot of testing time and costs to compare the power output on outdoor in the case of a high number of modules and distance from the module simulator. It can save time and costs if we can check the power output using the data in outdoor. We have used the long-term outdoor test to find the elements out that corresponds to the reductions in power output quantities. We have conducted research that matched the actual and the tests.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2016년도 제50회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.279.1-279.1
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• 2016

박막 트랜지스터 (thin film transistor, TFT)는 고밀도, 대면적화로 높은 전자의 이동도가 요구되면서, 비정질 실리콘 (a-Si)에서 다결정 실리콘 (poly-Si) TFT 로 연구되었다. 이에 따라 비정질 실리콘에서 결정질 실리콘으로의 상변화에 대한 결정화 연구가 활발히 진행되었다. 또한, 박막 태양전지 분야에서도 유리기판 위에 비정질 층을 증착한 후에 열처리를 통해 상변화하는 고상 결정화 (solid-phase crystallization, SPC) 기술을 적용하여, CSG (thin-film crystalline silicon on glass) 태양전지를 보고하였다. 이러한 비정질 실리콘 층의 결정화 기술을 결정질 실리콘 태양전지 에미터 형성 공정에 적용하고자 한다. 이 때, 플라즈마화학증착 (Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, PECVD) 장비로 증착된 비정질 실리콘 층의 열처리를 통한 결정화 정도가 중요한 요소이다. 따라서, 비정질 실리콘 층의 결정화에 영향을 주는 인자에 대해 연구하였다. 비정질 실리콘 증착 조건(H2 가스 비율, 도펀트 유무), 실리콘 기판의 결정방향, 열처리 온도에 따른 결정화 정도를 엘립소미터(elipsometer), 투과전자현미경 (transmission electron microscope, TEM), 적외선 분광기 (Fourier Transform Infrared, FT-IR) 측정을 통하여 비교 하였다. 이를 기반으로 결정화 온도에 따른 비정질 실리콘의 결정화를 위한 활성화 에너지를 계산하였다. 비정질 실리콘 증착 조건 보다 기판의 결정방향이 결정화 정도에 크게 영향을 미치는 것으로 확인하였다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제29권11호
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• pp.720-726
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• 2019

Recently, research on cost reduction and efficiency improvement of crystalline silicon(c-Si) photovoltaic(PV) module has been conducted. In order to reduce costs, the thickness of solar cell wafers is becoming thinner. If the thickness of the wafer is reduced, cracking of wafer may occur in high temperature processes during the c-Si PV module manufacturing process. To solve this problem, a low temperature process has been proposed. Conductive paste(CP) is used for low temperature processing; it contains Sn57.6Bi0.4Ag component and can be electrically combined with solar cells and ribbons at a melting point of $150^{\circ}C$. Use of CP in the PV module manufacturing process can minimize cracks of solar cells. When CP is applied to solar cells, the output varies with the amount of CP, and so the optimum amount of CP must be found. In this paper, in order to find the optimal CP application amount, we manufactured several c-Si PV modules with different CP amounts. The amount control of CP is fixed at air pressure (500 kPa) and nozzle diameter 22G(outer diameter 0.72Ø, inner 0.42Ø) of dispenser; only speed is controlled. The c-Si PV module output is measured to analyze the difference according to the amount of CP and analyzed by optical microscope and Alpha-step. As the result, the optimum amount of CP is 0.452 ~ 0.544 g on solar cells.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제24권8호
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• pp.434-442
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• 2014

Serious environmental problems have been caused by the greenhouse effect due to carbon dioxide($CO_2$) or nitrogen oxides($NO_x$) generated by the use of fossil fuels, including oil and liquefied natural gas. Many countries, including our own, the United States, those of the European Union and other developed countries around the world; have shown growing interest in clean energy, and have been concentrating on the development of new energy-saving materials and devices. Typical non-fossil-fuel sources include solar cells, wind power, tidal power, nuclear power, and fuel cells. In particular, organic solar cells(OSCs) have relatively low power-conversion efficiency(PCE) in comparison with inorganic(silicon) based solar cells, compound semiconductor solar cells and the CIGS [$Cu(In_{1-x}Ga_x)Se_2$] thin film solar cells. Recently, organic cell efficiencies greater than 10 % have been obtained by means of the development of new organic semiconducting materials, which feature improvements in crystalline properties, as well as in the quantum-dot nano-structure of the active layers. In this paper, a brief overview of solar cells in general is presented. In particular, the current development status of the next-generation OSCs including their operation principle, device-manufacturing processes, and improvements in the PCE are described.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2009년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.127-127
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• 2009

The most important part of the fabrication solar cells is the anti-reflection coating when excludes the kinds of silicon substrates (crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous), patterns and materials of electrodes. Anti-reflection coatings reduce the reflection of sunlight and at last increase the intensity of radiation to inside of solar cells. So, we can obtain increase of solar cell efficiency about 10% using anti-reflection coating. There are many kinds of anti-reflection film for solar cell, such as SiN, $SiO_2$, a-Si, and so on. And, they have two functions, anti-reflection and passivation. However such materials could not perfectly prevent reflection. So, in this work, we investigated the anti-reflection coating with the columnar structure ZnO thin film. We synthesized columnar structure ZnO film on glass substrates. The ZnO films were synthesized using a RF magnetron sputtering system with a pure (99.95%) ZnO target at room temperature. The anti-reflection coating layer was sputtered by argon and oxygen gases. The angle of target and substrate measures 0, 20, 40, 60 degrees, the working pressure 10 mtorr and the 250 W of RF power during 40 minutes. The confirm the growth mechanism of ZnO on columnar structure, the anti-reflection coating layer was observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The optical trends were observed by UV-vis and Elleso meter.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.35-40
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• 2013

In this study, the influence on the surface passivation properties of crystalline silicon according to silicon wafer thickness, and the correlation with a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cell performances were investigated. The wafers passivated by p(n)-doped a-Si:H layers show poor passivation properties because of the doping elements, such as boron(B) and phosphorous(P), which result in a low minority carrier lifetime (MCLT). A decrease in open circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$) was observed when the wafer thickness was thinned from $170{\mu}m$ to $50{\mu}m$. On the other hand, wafers incorporating intrinsic (i) a-Si:H as a passivation layer showed high quality passivation of a-Si:H/c-Si. The implied $V_{oc}$ of the ITO/p a-Si:H/i a-Si:H/n c-Si wafer/i a-Si:H/n a-Si:H/ITO stacked layers was 0.715 V for $50{\mu}m$ c-Si substrate, and 0.704 V for $170{\mu}m$ c-Si. The $V_{oc}$ in the heterojunction solar cells increased with decreases in the substrate thickness. The high quality passivation property on the c-Si led to an increasing of $V_{oc}$ in the thinner wafer. Short circuit current decreased as the substrate became thinner because of the low optical absorption for long wavelength light. In this paper, we show that high quality passivation of c-Si plays a role in heterojunction solar cells and is important in the development of thinner wafer technology.