• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.115-119
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• 2014

$Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) thin films have been used as a light absorbing layer in high-efficiency solar cells. In order to improve the quality of the CIGS thin film, often selenization step is applied. Especially when the thin film was formed by non-vacuum powder process, selenization can help to induce grain growth of powder and densification of the thin film. However, selenization is not trivial. It requires either the use of toxic gas, $H_2Se$, or expensive equipment which raises the overall manufacturing cost. Herein, we would like to deliver a new, simple method for selenization. In this method, instead of using a costly two-zone furnace, use of a regular tube furnace is required and selenium is supplied by a mixture of selenium and ceramic powder such as alumina. By adjusting the ratio of selenium vs. alumina powder, selenium vaporization can be carefully controlled. Under the optimized condition, steady supply of selenium vapor was possible which was evidently shown by large grain growth of CIGS within a thin powder layer.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제31권11호
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• pp.619-625
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• 2021

Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) based thin-film solar cells have attracted growing attention because of their earth-abundant and non-toxic elements. However, because of their large open-circuit voltage (V_oc)-deficit, CZTSSe solar cells exhibit poor device performance compared to well-established Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ (CIGS) and CdTe based solar cells. One of the main causes of this large V_oc-deficit is poor absorber properties for example, high band tailing properties, defects, secondary phases, carrier recombination, etc. In particular, the fabrication of absorbers using physical methods results in poor surface morphology, such as pin-holes and voids. To overcome this problem and form large and homogeneous CZTSSe grains, CZTSSe based absorber layers are prepared by a sputtering technique with different RTA conditions. The temperature is varied from 510 ℃ to 540 ℃ during the rapid thermal annealing (RTA) process. Further, CZTSSe thin films are examined with X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, IPCE, Energy dispersive spectroscopy and Scanning electron microscopy techniques. The present work shows that Cu-based secondary phase formation can be suppressed in the CZTSSe absorber layer at an optimum RTA condition.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2014년도 제46회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.398.1-398.1
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• 2014

The $Cu_2ZnSnSe_4$ (CZTSe) thin films solar cell is one of the next generation candidates for photovoltaic materials as the absorber of thin film solar cells because it has optimal bandgap (Eg=1.0eV) and high absorption coefficient of $10^4cm^{-1}$ in the visible length region. More importantly, CZTSe consists of abundant and non-toxic elements, so researches on CZTSe thin film solar cells have been increasing significantly in recent years. CZTSe thin film has very similar structure and properties with the CIGS thin film by substituting In with Zn and Ga with Sn. In this study, As-deposited CZTSe thin films have been deposited onto soda lime glass (SLG) substrates at different deposition condition using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique without post-annealing process. The effects of deposition conditions (deposition time, deposition temperature) onto the structural, compositional and optical properties of CZTSe thin films have been investigated, without experiencing selenization process. The XRD pattern shows that quaternary CZTSe films with a stannite single phase. The existence of (112), (204), (312), (008), (316) peaks indicates all films grew and crystallized as a stannite-type structure, which is in a good agreement with the diffraction pattern of CZTSe single crystal. All the films were observed to be polycrystalline in nature with a high (112) predominant orientation at $2{\theta}{\sim}26.8^{\circ}$. The carrier concentration, mobility, resistivity and optical band gap of CZTSe thin films depending on the deposition conditions. Average energy band gap of the CZTSe thin films is about 1.3 eV.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2011년도 춘계학술대회 초록집
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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.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2009년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.442-443
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• 2009

We prepared and characterized particle based CIGS thin film using a thermal evaporator. CIGS powder were obtained at $240^{\circ}C$ for 6 hours from the reaction of $CuCl_2$, $InCl_3$, $GaCl_3$, Se powder in solvent. The CIGS thin film deposited on a sodalime glass. The CIGS thin film were identified to have a typical chalcopyrite tetragonal structure by using UV/Vis-spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction(XRD), Auger Electron Spectroscopy(AES), Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM).

• 한국재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국재료학회 2008년도 추계학술발표대회 및 제15회 신소재 심포지엄
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• pp.36.2-36.2
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• 2008

• 전기화학회지
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.89-95
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• 2010

Cu(In, Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS) 박막은 다원화합물이기 때문에 제조공정이 매우 까다롭다. 진공장치를 사용하는 제조 방법으로 동시증착법, 스퍼터링법 +셀렌화가 있고, 비진공 제조 방법으로 전기화학적인 전착법이 있다. 각 방법에 있어서도 출발 물질의 종류에 따라 다양한 제조 방법이 동원 될 수 있다. 진공증착에 의한 방법은 고품질의 박막을 얻는데 사용 되고 있으나 고가의 진공장비가 사용되므로 대면적화에 따른 제조비용 측면에서 문제가 있다. 이에 비하여, 전착법은 간단하면서도 저가로 대면적화를 이룰 수 있다는 장점 때문에, 많은 관심이 기울여지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 Mo/Glass전극위에 Ga/(In + Ga) = 0.3의 성분비를 만족시키는 CIGS 박막을 전기화학적으로 제조하기 위하여, $Cu^{2+}$, $In^{3+}$, $Ga^{3+}$, $Se^{4+}$ 4성분을 모두 포함하는 전해질 수용액 내에서, 4성분의 이온들이 동시에 환원되는 전위를 조절하여 CIGS 박막을 전착 하였다. SEM을 이용하여 얻어진 CIGS 박막의 전착된 시료의 표면을 관찰하였고, EDS로 그 조성을 분석하였다. 또한, XRD를 이용하여 전착시료의 열처리 전후의 결정성변화를 조사하였다.

• ETRI Journal
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• 제38권2호
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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.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.282-287
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• 2013

Hydrogen production from water using solar energy is attractive way to obtain clean energy resource. Among the various solar-to-hydrogen production techniques, a combination of a photovoltaic and an electrolytic cell is one of the most promising techniques in term of stability and efficiency. In this study, we show successful fabrication of precursor solution processed CIGS thin film solar cells which can generate high voltage. In addition, CIGS thin film solar cell modules producing over 2V of open circuit voltage were fabricated by connecting three single cells in series, which are applicable to water electrolysis. The operating current and voltage during water electrolysis was measured to be 4.23mA and 1.59V, respectively, and solar to hydrogen efficiency was estimated to be 3.9%.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.75-79
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• 2013

A one-step route was developed to fabricate $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) thin films by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering from a single quaternary $CuIn_{0.75}Ga_{0.25}Se_2$ target. The effects of the substrate temperatures on the structural and electrical properties of the CIGS layers were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Hall effect measurements. All the deposited films showed a preferential orientation along the (112) direction. The films deposited at $300^{\circ}C$ and $400^{\circ}C$ revealed that chalcopyrite main (112) peak and weak prominent peaks of (220)/(204) and (312)/(116), indicating polycrystalline structures. The element ratio of the deposited film at $300^{\circ}C$ were almost the same as the near-optimum value. The carrier concentration of the films decreased with increasing substrate temperatures.