• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.94-99
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• 1994

The purpose of this work is to investigate the interface characteristics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films prepared by PECVD and photo-induced CVD and to examine the annealing effects of ultraviolet irradiation on hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films which were degraded by visible light illumination. The interface layer thickness of films deposited by photo-induced CVD was about 600-900.angs. while that by PECVD was about 1000-1300.angs.. These results can show that the quality of interface layer in photo induced CVD film is better than that in PECVD sample. The electrical properties are improved by ultraviolet irradiation on visible light soaked a-Si:H films using photo-CVD light sources, probably due to the fact that UV generates phonons in a-Si:H films and anneal the meta stable defects.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.171-176
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• 2008

Studies on visible-light-driven photocatalysis of air pollutants at indoor air quality (IAQ) levels have been limited. Current study investigated visible-light derived photocatalysis with N-doped and S-doped titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) for the control of benzene at indoor levels. Two preparation processes were employed for each of the two types of photocatalyst: urea-Degussa P-25 $TiO_2$ and titania-colloid methods for the N-doped $TiO_2$; and titanium isopropoxid- and tetraisopropoxide-thiourea methods for the S-doped $TiO_2$. Furthermore, two coating methods (EDTA- and acetylacetone-dissolving methods) were tested for both the N-doped and S-doped $TiO_2$. The two coating methods exhibited different photocatalytic degradation efficiency for the N-doped photocatalysts, whereas they did not exhibit any difference for the S-doped photocatalysts. In addition, the two doping processes showed different photocatalytic degradation efficiency for both the S-doped and N-doped photocatalysts. For both the N-doped and S-doped $TiO_2$, the photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) efficiency increased as the hydraulic diameter (HD) decreased. The degradation efficiency determined via a PCO system with visible-light induced $TiO_2$ was lower than that with UV-light induced unmodified $TiO_2$, which was obtained from previous studies. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that for the photocatalytic annular reactor with the HD of 0.5 cm, PCO efficiency increased up to 52% for the N-doped $TiO_2$ and 60% for the S-doped $TiO_2$. Consequently, when combined with the advantage of visible light use over UV light use, it is suggested that with appropriate HD conditions, the visible-light-assisted photocatalytic systems can also become an important tool for improving IAQ.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.69-80
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• 1992

Effects of light on leaf senescence of Phseolus vulgaris were investigated by measuring the disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes in detached leaves which had been kept in the dark or under light. The loss of chlorophyll accompanied by degradation of chlorophyll- protein complexes. PSI (photosystem I) complex containing LHCI (light harvesting complex of PSI) apoproteins was rapidly decreased after the early stage of dark-induced senescence. RC(reaction center)-Cores was slightly increased until 4 d and slowly decreased thereafter. As disassembly of LHCII trimer progressed after the late stage of senescence, there was a steady increase in the relative amount of SC(small complex)-2 containing LHCII monomer. On the other hand, white and red light adaptation caused the structural stability of chlorophyll-protein complexes during dark-induced senescence. Particularly, red light was more effective in the retardation of LHCII breakdown than white light, whereas white light was slightly effect in protecting the disassembly of PSI complex compared to red light. These results suggest, therefore, that light may be a regulatory factor for stability of chlorophyll-protein complexes in the senescent leaves.

• Bulletin of the Korea Photovoltaic Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.14-24
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• 2018

The potential induced degradation (PID) phenomenon of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules has been often found in outdoor PV systems until recently since firstly reported in 2010. Many studies have been conducted about the mechanism and the preventive methods, but systematic diagnosis of the PID has not been applied on-site. This paper focuses on analysis of 5 categories and 10 PID diagnosis methods using the monitoring data, light current-voltage, dark current-voltage, infrared and electroluminescence. We expect to contribute to improvement of power generation through PID diagnosis and troubleshooting in PV plants.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.1008-1015
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• 2018

$I{\kappa}B$, a cytoplasmic inhibitor of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$), is reportedly degraded via the proteasome. However, we recently found that long-term incubation with proteasome inhibitors (PIs) such as PS-341 or MG132 induces $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation via an alternative pathway, lysosome, which results in $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation and confers resistance to PI-induced lung cancer cell death. To enhance the anti-cancer efficacy of PIs, elucidation of the regulatory mechanism of PI-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation is necessary. Here, we demonstrated that PI up-regulates nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) via both de novo protein synthesis and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) degradation, which is responsible for $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation via macroautophagy activation. PIs increased the protein level of light chain 3B (LC3B, macroautophagy marker), but not lysosome-associated membrane protein 2a (Lamp2a, the receptor for chaperone-mediated autophagy) in NCI-H157 and A549 lung cancer cells. Pretreatment with macroautophagy inhibitor or knock-down of LC3B blocked PI-induced $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation. PIs up-regulated Nrf2 by increasing its transcription and mediating degradation of KEAP1 (cytoplasmic inhibitor of Nrf2). Overexpression of dominant-negative Nrf2, which lacks an N-terminal transactivating domain, or knock-down of Nrf2 suppressed PI-induced LC3B protein expression and subsequent $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation. Thus, blocking of the Nrf2 pathway enhanced PI-induced cell death. These findings suggest that Nrf2-driven induction of LC3B plays an essential role in PI-induced activation of the $I{\kappa}B$/$NF-{\kappa}B$ pathway, which attenuates the anti-tumor efficacy of PIs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.773-786
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• 2017

The loss of green coloration via chlorophyll (Chl) degradation typically occurs during leaf senescence. To date, many Chl catabolic enzymes have been identified and shown to interact with light harvesting complex II to form a Chl degradation complex in senescing chloroplasts; this complex might metabolically channel phototoxic Chl catabolic intermediates to prevent oxidative damage to cells. The Chl catabolic enzyme 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a reductase (HCAR) converts 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a (7-HMC a) to Chl a. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome contains a single HCAR homolog (OsHCAR), but its exact role remains unknown. Here, we show that an oshcar knockout mutant exhibits persistent green leaves during both dark-induced and natural senescence, and accumulates 7-HMC a and pheophorbide a (Pheo a) in green leaf blades. Interestingly, both rice and Arabidopsis hcar mutants exhibit severe cell death at the vegetative stage; this cell death largely occurs in a light intensity-dependent manner. In addition, 7-HMC a treatment led to the generation of singlet oxygen ($^1O_2$) in Arabidopsis and rice protoplasts in the light. Under herbicide-induced oxidative stress conditions, leaf necrosis was more severe in hcar plants than in wild type, and HCAR-overexpressing plants were more tolerant to reactive oxygen species than wild type. Therefore, in addition to functioning in the conversion of 7-HMC a to Chl a in senescent leaves, HCAR may play a critical role in protecting plants from high light-induced damage by preventing the accumulation of 7-HMC a and Pheo a in developing and mature leaves at the vegetative stage.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.501-508
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• 1988

This paper presents the light-induced effects on the elelctrical and optical properties of undoped and doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. The changes in the conductivities and the activation energies of various types of a-Si:H films due to the prolonged exposure to light have been characterized as a function of deposition conditions and illumination periods. The dark conductivity changes may be quenched for heavier doped a-Si:H films. We have also analyzed the variations of micro-structure of a-Si:H film such as silicon-hydrogen bondings in the rocking and stretching modes utilizing infrared spectroscopy. From the experimental results, it is elucidated that doping effects must be crucial to the degradations of the fundamental properties of a-Si:H due to light-induced effects.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.219-224
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• 2012

We study for long-term performance of amorphous silicon solar cells under light exposure. The performance is predicted with a kinetic model in which the carrier lifetimes are determined by the defect density. In particular, the kinetic model is described by the stretched-exponential relaxation of defects to reach equilibrium. In this report, we simulate the light-induced degradation of the amorphous silicon solar cells with the kinetic model and AMPS-1D computer program. And data measured for outdoor performances of various solar cells are compared with the simulated results. This study focuses on examining the light-induced degradation for the following amorphous silicon pin solar cells: thickness${\approx}$300 nm, built-in potential${\approx}$1.05 V, defect density (at t=0)${\approx}5{\times}10^{15}cm^{-3}$, short-circuit current density (at t=0)${\approx}15.8mA/cm^2$, fill factor (at t=0)${\approx}0.691$, open-circuit voltage (at t=0)${\approx}0.865V$, conversion efficiency (at t=0)${\approx}9.50%$.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.146-149
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• 2017

Si clusters generated during the plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process have a great influence on the quality of the fabricated films. In particular, in hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films (a-Si:H) used for thin film solar cells, Si clusters are mainly responsible for light-induced degradation. In this study, we investigated the amount of clusters incorporated into thin films using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and specially designed cluster eliminating filters, and investigated the effect of the DC grid mesh in preventing cluster incorporation. Experimental results showed that as the applied voltage of the grid mesh, which is placed between the electrode and the QCM, decreased, the number of clusters incorporated into the film decreased. This is due to the electrostatic force from the grid mesh bias, and this method is expected to contribute to the fabrication of high-quality thin films by preventing Si cluster incorporation.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.94-101
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• 2018

Light elevated temperature induced degradation (LeTID) was noted as an issue in multi-crystalline silicon solar cells (MSSC) by Ram speck in 2012. In contrast to light induced degradation (LID), which has been researched in silicon solar cells for a long time, research about both LeTID and the mechanism of LeTID has been limited. In addition, research about LeTID in single-crystalline silicon solar cells (SSSC) is even more limited. In order to improve understanding of LeTID in SSSC with a passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) structure, we fabricated four group samples with boron and oxygen factors and evaluated the solar cell characteristics, such as the cell efficiency, $V_{oc}$, $I_{sc}$, fill factor (FF), LID, and LeTID. The trends of LID of the four group samples were similar to the trend of LeTID as a function of boron and oxygen.