• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.600-613
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• 2018

The purpose of this research was to introduce a network analysis method for analyzing the recent trend of the flexible solar cell using a scholarly database. Based on the five years from 2013 to 2017, we used centrality analysis of research papers via measurement of degree centrality, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality. The results of network analysis show that cell has a centrality value above 0.8, which means that cell is connected with 80% of the total keywords, so it is recognized as the center of flexible solar cell research. The analysis results also indicate that perovskite and copper indium gallium diselenide (CuInGaSe2, or CIGS) are the center of the subgroup for cell. We recognize that the result refers to recent new technology called the CIGS/perovskite tandem solar cell. We hope that the network analysis method will be the appropriate and precise tool for technology and research planning via elaboration and optimization.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.107-112
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• 2013

Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS) thin films were annealed on molybdenium/sodalime glass substrates of $300{\times}300mm^2$ by rapid thermal processing (RTP) with 2-step rising-temperature times in $N_2$ ambient. Morphological property, structural characteristics and chemical composition of the precursor of CIGS thin films were influenced directly with a change of $1^{st}$-step rising-temperature time in RTP whereas there is no significant difference with the different $2^{nd}$-step rising-temperature time (final crystallization temperature). The shorter $1^{st}$-step rising-temperature time in RTP obtained the higher photovoltaic cell efficiency from 7.469% to 8.479% even though the ideal composition in CIGS thin films could not be accoplished in this study.

• Ceramist
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.146-169
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• 2019

To overcome the theoretical efficiency of single-junction solar cells (> 30 %), tandem solar cells (or multi-junction solar cells) is considered as a strong nominee because of their excellent light utilization. Organic-inorganic halide perovskite has been regarded as a promising candidate material for next-generation tandem solar cell due to not only their excellent optoelectronic properties but also their bandgap-tune-ability and low-temperature process-possibility. As a result, they have been adopted either as a wide-bandgap top cell combined with narrow-bandgap silicon or CuIn_xGa_(1-x)Se₂ bottom cells or for all-perovskite tandem solar cells using narrow- and wide-bandgap perovskites. To successfully transition perovskite materials from for single junction to tandem, substantial efforts need to focus on fabricating the high quality wide- and narrow-bandgap perovskite materials and semi-transparent electrode/recombination layer. In this paper, we present an overview of the current research and our outlook regarding perovskite-based tandem solar technology. Several key challenges discussed are: 1) a wide-bandgap perovskite for top-cell in multi-junction tandem solar cells; 2) a narrow-bandgap perovskite for bottom-cell in all-perovskite tandem solar cells, and 3) suitable semi-transparent conducting layer for efficient electrode or recombination layer in tandem solar cells.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.33-37
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• 2019

In this paper, we compared the performance of $Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)_2$ (CIGSSe) thin film solar cell with CdS buffer layer deposited by irradiating 365 nm UV light with 8 W power in Chemcial Bath Deposition (CBD) process. The effects of UV light irradiation on the thin film deposition mechanism during CBD-CdS thin film deposition were investigated through chemical and electro-optical studies. If the UV light is irradiated during the solution process, the hydrolysis of Thiourea is promoted even during the same time, thereby inhibiting the formation of the intermediate products developed in the reaction pathway and decreasing the pH of the solution. As a result, it is suggested that the efficiency of the CdS/CIGSSe solar cell is increased because the ratio of the S element in the CdS thin film increases and the proportion of the O element decreases. This is a very simple and effective approach to control the S/O ratio of the CdS thin film by the CBD process without artificially controlling the process temperature, solution pH or concentration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.298-299
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• 2010

Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) 박막 태양전지는 Soda lime glass/Mo/CIGS/CdS/ZnO/ITO/Al 의 구조를 가지고 있다. CIGS 화합물은 direct bandgap 구조를 하고 있으며, 광흡수율이 다른 어떤 물질들 보다 뛰어나 박막으로도 충분히 태양광을 흡수할 수 있다. 또한 Ga의 도핑 농도에 따른 밴드갭 조절도 가능하다. 이러한 성질들로 인해 현재 박막태양전지로서 20.1%의 최고효율을 가지고 있다.[1] CIGS 박막 태양전지에서 p-CIGS layer와 스퍼터링으로 증착되는 n-ZnO layer사이의 buffer 층으로 chemical bath deposition (CBD)-CdS 박막을 주로 사용한다. CBD-CdS 박막은 n-ZnO 스퍼터로 증착 시킬 때, CIGS 층의 손상을 최소화하고, 이 두 층 사이에서의 격자상수와 밴드갭의 차이를 줄여주어 CIGS 박막태양전지의 효율을 증가 시키는 역할을 한다. 하지만, Cd (카드뮴)의 심각한 독성과 낮은 밴드갭(2.4eV)으로 인해 CIGS 층에서의 광흡수율을 줄여, CdS를 대체할 새로운 buffer 층의 필요성이 대두되었다.[2] 그 대안으로 ZnS, Zn(O, S, OH), (Zn, Mg)O, In2S3 같은 물질이 연구되고 있다. 현재 CBD-ZnS를 buffer 층으로 사용한 CIGS 박막태양전지의 효율은 최고 18.6%로 CBD-CdS의 최고효율보다는 약 1.5% 낮지만, ZnS가 높은 밴드갭(3.7~3.8eV)과 Cd-free 물질이라는 점에서 CdS를 대체할 물질로 각광받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 기존의 CdS 박막을 제조하는 방법과 같은 방법인 CBD를 이용하여 ZnS 박막을 제조하였다. ZnS 박막을 제조하기 위해서는 Zinc sulfate, Thiourea, 암모니아가 사용된다. 암모니아의 mol 농도에 따른 CBD-ZnS/CIGS 박막태양전지의 효율 변화를 관찰하기 위해 암모니아의 mol 농도는 1 mol, 2 mol, 3 mol, 4 mol, 5 mol, 6 mol, 그 이상의 과량을 사용하여 실험하였다. 실험 결과, 암모니아농도 5 mol에서 효율 13.82%를 확인할 수 있었다. 최고효율을 보인 조건인 암모니아 농도가 5 mol 일 때, Voc는 0.602V, Jsc는 33.109mA/cm2, FF는 69.4%를 나타내었다.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.4
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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%.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.616-621
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• 2011

In this paper, CdS thin films, which were widely used window layer of the CdTe and the Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ thin film solar cell, were grown by chemical bath deposition, and effects of pH of reaction solution on the structural and optical properties were investigated. For pH<10.5, as the pH of reaction solution was higher, the deposition rate of CdS films was increased by improving ion-by-ion reaction in the substrate surface and the crystallinity of the films was improved. However, when the pH was higher than 10.5, the deposition rate was decreased because of smaller $Cd^{2+}$ ion concentration in the reaction solution. Also, the crystallinity of the films were deteriorated. The CdS films deposited at lower pH showed poor optical transmittance due to adsorbed colloidal particles, while the transmittance was improved for higher pH.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.163-168
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• 2020

We studied the change of photovoltaic properties of a flexible CuIn_xGa(_1-x)Se₂ (CIGS) solar cell fabricated on polyimide by mechanical bending with curvature radii of 75 mm (75R) and 20 mm (20R). The flexible CIGS cells were flattened on a PET film, then placed and forced against the surface of a curved block fabricated with pre-designed curvatures. Both up (compressive) and down (tensile) bending were applied to a specimen of CIGS on PET with curvatures of 75R and 20R for 10,000 times and 2,000 times, respectively. From J-V measurements, we found that the conversion efficiency (Eff.) was reduced by 3% and 4% for up-and down-bending, respectively, at curvature 75R; it was greatly reduced by 15% for curvature 20R in the up-bending. However, the open circuit voltage (V_oc) and short-circuit current density (J_sc) seemed to change little, within 3%, for the applied mechanical stresses. The degradation in Eff. resulted from the deterioration of the series (R_s) and shunt (R_sh) resistances of the solar cell.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1473-1476
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• 2013

Solution-based deposition of $CuIn_xGa_{1-x}Se_2$ (CIGSe) thin films is well known non-vacuum process for the fabrication of CIGSe solar cells. However, due to the usage of organic chemicals in the preparation of CIG precursor solutions, the crystallization of the polycrystalline CIGSe and the performance of CIGSe thin film solar cells were significantly affected by the carbon residues from the organic chemicals. In this work, we have tried to eliminate the carbon residues in the CIG precursor thin films efficiently by using soft-annealing process. By adjusting soft-annealing temperature, it is possible to control the amount of carbon residues in CIG precursor thin films. The reduction of the carbon residues in CIG precursors by high temperature soft-annealing improves the grain size and morphology of polycrystalline CIGSe thin films, which are also closely related with the electrical properties of CIGSe thin film solar cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.70-70
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• 2011

The prospects of current and coming solar-photovoltaic (PV) technologies are envisioned, arguing this solar-electricity source is beyond a tipping point in the complex worldwide energy outlook. Truly, a revolution in both the technological advancements of solar PV and the deployment of this energy technology is underway; PV is no longer an outlier. The birth of modern photovoltaics (PV) traces only to the mid-1950s, with the Bell Telephone Laboratories' development of an efficient, single-crystal Si solar cell. Since then, Si has dominated the technology and the markets, from space through terrestrial applications. Recently, some significant shift toward technology diversity have taken place. Some focus of this presentation will be directed toward PV R&D and technology advances, with indications of the limitations and relative strengths of crystalline (Si and GaAs) and thin-film (a-Si:H, Si, Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2, CdTe). Recent advances, contributions, industry growth, and technological pathways for transformational now and near-term technologies (Si and primarily thin films) and status and forecasts for next-generation PV (nanotechnologies and non-conventional and "new-physics" approaches) are evaluated. The need for R&D accelerating the now and imminent (evolutionary) technologies balanced with work in mid-term (disruptive) approaches is highlighted. Moreover, technology progress and ownership for next generation solar PV mandates a balanced investment in research on longer-term (the revolution needs revolutionary approaches to sustain itself) technologies (quantum dots, multi-multijunctions, intermediate-band concepts, nanotubes, bio-inspired, thermophotonics, ${\ldots}$ and solar hydrogen) having high-risk, but extremely high performance and cost returns for our next generations of energy consumers. This presentation provides insights to the reasons for PV technology emergence, how these technologies have to be developed (an appreciation of the history of solar PV)-and where we can expect to be by this mid-21st century.