• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2017

The BCBJ (Back Contact and Back Junction) or back-lit solar cell design eliminates shading loss by placing the pn junction and metal electrode contacts all on one side that faces away from the sun. However, as the electron-hole generation sites now are located very far from the pn junction, loss by minority-carrier recombination can be a significant issue. Utilizing Medici, a 2-dimensional semiconductor device simulation tool, the interdependency between the substrate thickness and the minority-carrier recombination lifetime was studied in terms of how these factors affect the solar cell power output. Qualitatively speaking, the results indicate that a very high quality substrate with a long recombination lifetime is needed to maintain the maximum power generation. The quantitative value of the recombination lifetime of minority-carriers, i.e., electrons in p-type substrates, required in the BCBJ cell is about one order of magnitude longer than that in the front-lit cell, i.e., $5{\times}10^{-4}sec$ vs. $5{\times}10^{-5}sec$. Regardless of substrate thickness up to $150{\mu}m$, the power output in the BCBJ cell stays at nearly the maximum value of about $1.8{\times}10^{-2}W{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, or $18mW{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, as long as the recombination lifetime is $5{\times}10^{-4}s$ or longer. The output power, however, declines steeply to as low as $10mW{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ when the recombination lifetime becomes significantly shorter than $5{\times}10^{-4}sec$. Substrate thinning is found to be not as effective as in the front-lit case in stemming the decline in the output power. In view of these results, for BCBJ applications, the substrate needs to be only mono-crystalline Si of very high quality. This bars the use of poly-crystalline Si, which is gaining wider acceptance in standard front-lit solar cells.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.509-514
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• 2020

The two key variables of an Si solar cell, i.e., emitter (n-type window layer) and base (p-type substrate) doping levels or concentrations, are studied using Medici, a 2-dimensional semiconductor device simulation tool. The substrate is p-type and 150 ㎛ thick, the pn junction is 2 ㎛ from the front surface, and the cell is lit on the front surface. The doping concentration ranges from 1 × 10¹⁰ cm^-3 to 1 × 10²⁰ cm^-3 for both emitter and base, resulting in a matrix of 11 by 11 or a total of 121 data points. With respect to increasing donor concentration (Nd) in the emitter, the open-circuit voltage (Voc) is little affected throughout, and the short-circuit current (Isc) is affected only at a very high levels of Nd, exceeding 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3, dropping abruptly by about 12%, i.e., from Isc = 6.05 × 10^-9 A·㎛^-1, at Nd = 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3 to Isc = 5.35 × 10^-9 A·㎛^-1 at Nd = 1 × 10²⁰ cm^-3, likely due to minority-carrier, or hole, recombination at the very high doping level. With respect to increasing acceptor concentration (Na) in the base, Isc is little affected throughout, but Voc increases steadily, i.e, from Voc = 0.29 V at Na = 1 × 10¹² cm^-3 to 0.69 V at Na = 1 × 10¹⁸ cm^-3. On average, with an order increase in Na, Voc increases by about 0.07 V, likely due to narrowing of the depletion layer and lowering of the carrier recombination at the pn junction. At the maximum output power (Pmax), a peak value of 3.25 × 10^-2 W·cm^-2 or 32.5 mW·cm^-2 is observed at the doping combination of Nd = 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3, a level at which Si is degenerate (being metal-like), and Na = 1 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3, and minimum values of near zero are observed at very low levels of Nd ≤ 1 × 10¹³ cm^-3. This wide variation in Pmax, even within a given kind of solar cell, indicates that selecting an optimal combination of donor and acceptor doping concentrations is likely most important in solar cell engineering.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.779-789
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• 2022

Objective : To analyze the effects of the number and shape of fenestrations on the mechanical strength of pedicle screws and the effects of bone cement augmentation (BCA) on the pull-out strength (POS) of screws used in conventional BCA. Methods : For the control group, a conventional screw was defined as C1, a screw with cannulated end-holes was defined as C2, a C2 screw with six pinholes was defined as C3, and the control group type was set. Among the experimental screws, T1 was designed using symmetrically placed thru-hole type fenestrations with an elliptical shape, while T2 was designed with half-moon (HM)-shaped asymmetrical fenestrations. T3 and T4 were designed with single HM-shaped fenestrations covering three pitches and five pitches, respectively. T5 and T6 were designed with 0.6-mm and 1-mm wider fenestrations than T3. BCA was performed by injecting 3 mL of commercial bone cement in the screw, and mechanical strength and POS tests were performed according to ASTM F1717 and ASTM F543 standards. Synthetic bone (model #1522-505) made of polyurethane foam was used as a model of osteoporotic bone, and radiographic examinations were performed using computed tomography and fluoroscopy. Results : In the fatigue test, at 75% ultimate load, fractures occurred 7781 and 9189 times; at 50%, they occurred 36122 and 82067 times; and at 25%, no fractures occurred. The mean ultimate load for each screw type was 219.1±52.39 N for T1, 234.74±15.9 N for T2, 220.70±59.23 N for T3, 216.45±32.4 N for T4, 181.55±54.78 N for T5, and 216.47±29.25 N for T6. In comparison with C1, T1, T2, T3, T4, and T6 showed significantly different ultimate load values (p<0.05). However, when the values for C2 and the fenestrated screws were evaluated with an unpaired t test, the ultimate load value of C2 significantly differed only from that of T2 (p=0.025). The ultimate load value of C3 differed significantly from those of T1 and T2 (C3 vs. T1 : p=0.048; C3 vs. T2 : p<0.001). Linear correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between the fenestration area and the volume of bone cement (Pearson's correlation coefficient r=0.288, p=0.036). The bone cement volume and ultimate load significantly correlated with each other in linear correlation analysis (r=0.403, p=0.003). Conclusion : Fenestration yielded a superior ultimate load in comparison with standard BCA using a conventional screw. In T2 screws with asymmetrical two-way fenestrations showed the maximal increase in ultimate load. The fenestrated screws can be expected to show a stable position for the formation of the cement mass.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.26
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• pp.161-182
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• 2021

A jungwangu, a type of medium-sized mortar, is a firearm with a barrel and a bowl-shaped projectileloading component. A bigyeokjincheonroe (bombshell) or a danseok (stone ball) could be used as a projectile. According to the Hwaposik eonhae (Korean Translation of the Method of Production and Use of Artillery, 1635) by Yi Seo, mortars were classified into four types according to its size: large, medium, small, or extra-small. A total of three mortars from the Joseon period have survived, including one large mortar (Treasure No. 857) and two medium versions (Treasure Nos. 858 and 859). In this study, the production method for medium mortars was investigated based on scientific analysis of the two extant medium mortars, respectively housed in the Jinju National Museum (Treasure No. 858) and the Korea Naval Academy Museum (Treasure No. 859). Since only two medium mortars remain in Korea, detailed specifications were compared between them based on precise 3D scanning information of the items, and the measurements were compared with the figures in relevant records from the period. According to the investigation, the two mortars showed only a minute difference in overall size but their weight differed by 5,507 grams. In particular, the location of the wick hole and the length of the handle were distinct. The extant medium mortars are highly similar to the specifications listed in the Hwaposik eonhae. The composition of the medium mortars was analyzed and compared with other bronze gunpowder weapons. The surface composition analysis showed that the medium mortars were made of a ternary alloy of Cu-Sn-Pb with average respective proportions of (wt%) 85.24, 10.16, and 2.98. The material composition of the medium mortars was very similar to the average composition of the small gun from the Joseon period analyzed in previous research. It also showed a similarity with that of bronze gun-metal from medieval Europe. The casting technique was investigated based on a casting defect on the surface and the CT image. Judging by the mold line on the side, it appears that they were made in a piece-mold wherein the mold was halved and using a vertical design with molten metal poured through the end of the chamber and the muzzle was at the bottom. Chaplets, an auxiliary device that fixed the mold and the core to the barrel wall, were identified, which may have been applied to maintain the uniformity of the barrel wall. While the two medium mortars (Treasure Nos. 858 and 859) are highly similar to each other in appearance, considering the difference in the arrangement of the chaplets between the two items it is likely that a different mold design was used for each item.