• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.75-79
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• 2015

Recently, $Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ (CZTSSe) has been received a tremendous attraction as light absorber material in thin film solar cells (TFSCs), because of its earth abundance, inexpensive and non-toxic constituents and versatile material characteristics. Kesterite CZTSSe thin films were synthesized by sulfo-selenization of sputtered Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursors. The sulfo-selenization of Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursor thin films has been carried out in a graphite box using rapid thermal annealing (RTA) technique. Annealing process was done under sulfur and selenium vapor pressure using Ar gas at $520^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. The effect of tuning Se/(S+Se) precursor composition ratio on the properties of CZTSSe films has been investigated. The XRD, Raman, FE-SEM and XRF results indicate that the properties of sulfo-selenized CZTSSe thin films strongly depends on the Se/(S+Se) composition ratio. In particular, the CZTSSe TFSCs with Se/(S+Se) = 0.37 exhibits the best power conversion efficiency of 4.83% with $V_{oc}$ of 467 mV, $J_{sc}$ of $18.962mA/cm^2$ and FF of 54%. The systematic changes observed with increasing Se/(S+Se) ratio have been discussed in detail.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.103-110
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• 2019

Cu(In,Ga)₃Se₅ (β-CIGS) has a band gap of 1.35 eV, which is an optimum value for high solar-energy conversion efficiency. The effects of Cu and Ga content on the cell performance were investigated previously. However, the effect of Se content on the cell performance is not well understood yet. In this work, β-CIGS films were fabricated by three-stage co-evaporation of elemental sources with various Se fluxes at the third stage instead of at all stages. The average composition of five samples was Cu_1.05(In_0.59,Ga_0.41)3Se_y, where the stoichiometric y value is 5.03 and the stoichiometric Se/metal (Se/M) ratio is 1.24. We varied the Se/metal ratio in a range from 1.18 to 1.28. We found that the best efficiency was achieved when the Se/M ratio was 1.24, which is exactly the stoichiometric value where the CIGS grains on the CIGS surface were tightly connected and faceted. With the optimum Se/M ratio, we were able to enhance the cell efficiency of a β-CIGS solar cell from 9.6% to 12.0% by employing a Na₂S post deposition treatment. Our results indicate that Na₂S post deposition treatment is very effective to enhance the cell efficiency to a level on par with that in α-CIGS cell.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.67-74
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• 2023

The earth-abundant element-based Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) thin film solar cells (TFSCs) have attracted greater attention in the photovoltaic (PV) community due to their rapid development in device power conversion efficiency (PCE) >13%. In the present work, we demonstrated the fine-tuning of the bandgap in the CZTSSe TFSCs by altering the sulfur (S) to the selenium (Se) chalcogenide ratio. To achieve this, the CZTSSe absorber layers are fabricated with different S/(S+Se) ratios from 0.02 to 0.08 of their weight percentage. Further compositional, morphological, and optoelectronic properties are studied using various characterization techniques. It is observed that the change in the S/(S+Se) ratios has minimal impact on the overall Cu/(Zn+Sn) composition ratio. In contrast, the S and Se content within the CZTSSe absorber layer gets altered with a change in the S/(S+Se) ratio. It also influences the overall absorber quality and gets worse at higher S/(S+Se). Furthermore, the device performance evaluated for similar CZTSSe TFSCs showed a linear increase and decrease in the open circuit voltage (V_oc) and short circuit current density (J_sc) of the device with an increasing S/(S+Se) ratio. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) measured also exhibited a linear blue shift in absorption edge, increasing the bandgap from 1.056 eV to 1.228 eV, respectively.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 1997

The photvoltaic power system has received considerable attention as the petroleumalterative energies to the environmental problems in the wored scale. $CuLnSe_2$is one ofthe most promising materials for the fabrication of large-area modules and low cost photovoltaic devices. Sulfur solute CuInSe2 thin films were prepared by RF sputtering using powder targer which were previously compacted by powder of $Cu_2Se, \;In_2Se_3, \;Cu_2S, \;and\;In_2S_3$ in various ratios. The results induicated that the sulfur ratio, the(112) texture, and the energy band gap were increased by the increase of the S/(S+Se) that was controlled by stoichiometric compound. The energy band gap can be shifted from 1.04eV to 1.50eV by abjusting the S/(S+Se) ratio, which maich it possible to obtain perfect match to the solar spectrum.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.177-181
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• 2014

$Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ (CZTSSe) absorber thin films were prepared on Mo coated soda lime glass substrates by sulfo-selenization of sputtered stacked Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films. The Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films were sulfo-selenized inside a graphite box containing S and Se powder using rapid thermal processing furnace at $540^{\circ}C$ in Ar atmosphere with pre-treatment at $300^{\circ}C$. The effect of different S/Se ratio on the structural, compositional, morphological and electrical properties of the CZTSSe thin films were studied using XRD (X-ray diffraction), XRF (X-ray fluorescence analysis), FE-SEM (field-emission scanning electron microscopy), respectively. The XRD, FE-SEM, XRF results indicated that the properties of sulfo-selenized CZTSSe thin films were strongly related to the S/Se composition ratio. In particular, the CZTS thin film solar cells with S/(S+Se)=0.25 shows best conversion efficiency of 4.6% ($V_{oc}$ : 348 mV, $J_{sc}$ : $26.71mA/cm^2$, FF : 50%, and active area : $0.31cm^2$). Further detailed analysis and discussion for effect of S/Se composition ratio on the properties CZTSSe thin films will be discussed.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.191-195
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• 2004

Gallium or sulphur additions in $CuInSe_2$ were prepared using RF magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition respectively. All of the observed thin films shows a chalcopyrite structure with the S and Ga addition increases the favourable (112) peak. The optical absorption coefficients were slightly decreased. The energy band gap of films could be shifted from 1.04 to 1.68 eV by adjusting the mole ratio of S/(S+Se) and Ga/(In+Ga). It is possible to obtain the optimum energy band gap by adding S or Ga solute at a certain ratio in favour of Se and In respectively. It is also necessary to control the ratio of Ga and S additions and to retain a certain portion of In and Se to provide better properties of thin films.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.931-936
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• 2010

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the bioavailability of different organic selenium (Se) products in finishing pigs. A total of 48 growing pigs, average body weight $47.6kg{\pm}0.05$, were allotted to four different treatments in a randomized complete block (RCB) design in three replicates with four pigs per pen. Three different organic Se products, Se-enriched yeast (treatments A and B) and Se-proteinate (treatment C), were used in conjunction with a basal diet with no added Se as a control treatment. In growing period, pigs were fed the same diet but finishing pigs were fed each treatment diet containing organic Se products for 6 weeks. During the experimental period, feed intake and body weight were measured and blood samples were collected to determine the Se concentration. At the end of this experiment, 3 pigs per treatment were killed and various tissues (loin, liver, kidney, pancreas and spleen) were collected to analyze the Se concentration. The body weight, and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were similar among treatments, but the average daily gain (ADG) was increased on Se-proteinate treatment (p<0.01) and gain-to-feed ratio (G/F ratio) was improved on Se yeast B or Se-proteinate treatment (p<0.01). The tissue Se content was also increased when pigs were fed organic Se sources, and Se was retained efficiently in loin (p<0.01) and kidney (p<0.05) when Se yeast B was provided. The serum Se concentration was increased when organic Se was provided and was higher when pigs were fed Se-proteinate (p<0.01); subsequently liver Se was also higher on Se-proteinate treatment than other treatments. The Se yeast A treatment did not show any increment of Se concentration both in serum and tissues. This result demonstrated that Se retention and bioavailability in finishing pigs were varied by Se products although organic sources were provided. Consequently, each organic Se product should be evaluated before it is used as a supplement in animal feed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2020

Nano-sized ZnSe particles are successfully synthesized in an aqueous solution at room temperature using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) and thioglycolic acid (TGA) as the reducing agent and stabilizer, respectively. The effects of the mass ratio of the reducing agent to Se, stabilizer concentration, and stirring time on the synthesis of the ZnSe nanoparticles are evaluated. The light absorption/emission properties of the synthesized nanoparticles are characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and particle size analyzer (PSA) techniques. At least one mass ratio (NaBH4/Se) of the reducing agent should be added to produce ZnSe nanoparticles finer than 10 nm and to absorb UV-vis light shorter than the ZnSe bulk absorption wavelength of 460 nm. As the ratio of the reducing agent increases, the absorption wavelengths in the UV-vis curves are blue-shifted. Stirring in the atmosphere acts as a deterrent to the reduction reaction and formation of nanoparticles, but if not stirred in the atmosphere, the result is on par with synthesis in a nitrogen atmosphere. The stabilizer, TGA, has an impact on the Zn precursor synthesis. The fabricated nanoparticles exhibit excellent photo-absorption/discharge characteristics, suggesting that ZnSe nanoparticles can be alloyed without the need for organic solutions or high-temperature environments.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.119-119
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• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.86.2-86.2
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• 2015

Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin film solar cells have been fabricated using sputtered Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursors on Mo coated sodalime glass substrate without using a toxic H2Se and H2S atmosphere. Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursors with various thicknesses were prepared using DC magnetron sputtering process at room temperature. As-deposited metallic precursors were sulfo-selenized inside a graphite box containing S and Se pellets using rapid thermal processing furnace at various sulfur to selenium (S/Se) compositional ratio. Thin film solar cells were fabricated after sulfo-selenization process using a 65 nm CdS buffer, a 40 nm intrinsic ZnO, a 400 nm Al doped ZnO, and Al/Ni top metal contact. Effects of sulfur to selenium (S/Se) compositional ratio on the microstructure, crystallinity, electrical properties, and cell efficiencies have been studied using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, I-V measurement system, solar simulator, quantum efficiency measurement system, and time resolved photoluminescence spectrometer. Our fabricated Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin film solar cell shows the best conversion efficiency of 9.24 % (Voc : 454.6 mV, Jsc : 32.14 mA/cm2, FF : 63.29 %, and active area : 0.433 cm2), which is the highest efficiency among Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin film solar cells prepared using sputter deposited metallic precursors and without using a toxic H2Se gas. Details about other experimental results will be discussed during the presentation.