• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.31-36
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• 2006

Superstrate pin amorphous silicon thin-film(a-Si:H) solar cells are prepared on $SnO_2:F$ and ZnO:Al transparent conducting oxides(TCO) in order to see the effect of TCO/p-layers on a-Si:H solar cell operation. The solar cells prepared on textured ZnO:Al have higher open circuit voltage VOC than cells prepared on $SnO_2:F$. Presence of thin microcrystalline p-type silicon layer(${\mu}c-Si:H$) between ZnO:Al and p a-SiC:H plays a major role by causing improvement in fill factor as well as $V_{OC}$ of a-Si:H solar cells prepared on ZnO:Al TCO. Without any treatment of pi interface, we could obtain high $V_{OC}$ of 994mV while keeping fill factor(72.7%) and short circuit current density $J_{SC}$ at the same level as for the cells on $SnO_2:F$ TCO. This high $V_{OC}$ value can be attributed to modification in the current transport in this region due to creation of a potential barrier.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.285-291
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• 2020

Recent advances in technology using ultra-thin noble metal film in oxide/metal/oxide structures have attracted attention because this material is a promising alternative to meet the needs of transparent conduction electrodes (TCE). AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer films are prepared by magnetron sputtering for Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) of kesterite solar cells. It is shown that the electrical and optical properties of the AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer films can be improved by the very low resistivity and surface plasmon effects due to the deposition of different thicknesses of Ag layer between oxide layers fixed at AZO 30 nm. The AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer films of Ag 15 nm show high mobility of 26.4 ㎠/Vs and low resistivity and sheet resistance of 3.58^⁎10^-5 Ωcm and 5.0 Ω/sq. Also, the AZO/Ag (15 nm)/AZO multilayer film shows relatively high transmittance of more than 65 % in the visible region. Through this, we fabricated CZTSSe thin film solar cells with 7.51 % efficiency by improving the short-circuit current density and fill factor to 27.7 mV/㎠ and 62 %, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.99-99
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• 2014

Transparent oxide semiconductors (TOSs) are. currently attracting attention for application to transparent electrodes in optoelectronic devices and active channel layers in thin-film transistors. One of the key issues for the realization of next generation transparent electronic devices such as transparent complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor thin-film transistors (CMOS TFTs), transparent wall light, sensors, and transparent solar cell is to develop p-type TOSs. In this talks, I will introduce issues and status related to p-type TOSs such as LnCuOQ (Ln=lanthanide, Q=S, Se), $SrCu_2O_2$, $CuMO_2$ (M=Al, Ga, Cr, In), ZnO, $Cu_2O$ and SnO. The growth and properties of SnO and Cu-based oxides and their application to electronic devices will be discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.68-73
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• 2020

Due to its favorable optical properties, Cu₂SnS₃ (CTS) is a promising material for thin film solar cells. Doping, which modifies the absorber properties, is one way to improve the conversion efficiency of CTS solar cells. In this work, CTS solar cells with selenium doping were fabricated on a flexible substrate using sputtering method and the effect of doping on the properties of CTS solar cells was investigated. In XRD analysis, a shift in the CTS peaks can be observed due to the doped selenium. XRF analysis confirmed the different ratios of Cu/Sn and (S+Se)/(Cu+Sn) depending on the amount of selenium doping. Selenium doping can help to lower the chemical potential of sulfur. This effectively reduces the point defects of CTS thin films. Overall improved electrical properties were observed in the CTS solar cell with a small amount of selenium doping, and a notable conversion efficiency of 1.02 % was achieved in the CTS solar cell doped with 1 at% of selenium.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.86.1-86.1
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• 2010

Cu2ZnSnSe4는 CIS 태양전지의 In 대체 물질계로 주목을 받고 있는 저가형 태양전지 재료로 장차 차세대 태양전지 재료로 응용이 기대되고 있다. 그러나 에너지 밴드갭이 0.9~1.1eV로 다소 낮아 태양전지 광흡수층 재료로 사용하기 위해서는 wide band gab화 처리가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 CZTSe에 S를 첨가하여 에너지 밴드갭을 확장하고자 하며, S의 첨가가 CZTSe 박막의 특성에 미치는 영향에 대하여 조사하였다. 실험의 편의성을 도모하고자 펄스레이저 법을 사용하여 증착하였다. 박막 조성 제어에는 Cu, Zn, Sn, Se, S 분말을 볼밀로 분쇄, 혼합하여 균질 혼합상 프리커서를 제조하고 이를 Cold Isostatic Press(CIP) 성형하여 Source target을 사용하였다. Pulsed YAG-Laser를 사용하여 soda lime glass상에 증착하고 조성, 구조, 조직을 관찰하고 에너지 밴드갭, 광흡수계수, 면저항, 전하밀도 등 특성을 조사하였다.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.11
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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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.308.2-308.2
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• 2013

Cu2ZnSnSe (CZTS)는 CuInSe2 (CIS) 중 희소 원소인 In을 Zn 및 Sn 으로 치환하여 만든 화합물 반도체이다. CZTS 의 특징은 그 구성원소가 지각 중에 풍부하게 존재하고, 모든 원소의 독성이 극히 낮다는 것이다. 이에 비해 CIS 중에 In과 Se 의 지각 함유량은 0.05 ppm 이하이다. 따라서 CZTS 는 값이 싼 범용 원소만으로 구성된 새로운 태양전지 재료가 된다. 본 연구에서는 다양한 Se 비율로 동시 증발법으로 증착된 CZTS 박막의 후속 열처리 효과에 관하여 발표하고자 한다. 증착된 CZTS 박막은 적정량의 Se 비율과 후속 열처리를 통해서 이차상이 없는 CZTS 결정성을 나타내는 XRD 결과를 보여주었으면, 3.6% 의 효율을 보여주었다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.481-488
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• 2022

The Cu₂ZnSn(S_xSe_1-x)₄ (CZTSSe) absorbers are promising thin film solar cells (TFSCs) materials, to replace existing Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) and CdTe photovoltaic technology. However, the best reported efficiency for a CZTSSe device, of 13.6 %, is still too low for commercial use. Recently, partially replacing the Zn²⁺ element with a Cd²⁺element has attracting attention as one of the promising strategies for improving the photovoltaic characteristics of the CZTSSe TFSCs. Cd²⁺ elements are known to improve the grain size of the CZTSSe absorber thin films and improve optoelectronic properties by suppressing potential defects, causing short-circuit current (J_sc) loss. In this study, the structural, compositional, and morphological characteristics of CZTSSe and CZCTSSe thin films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The FE-SEM images revealed that the grain size improved with increasing Cd²⁺ alloying in the CZTSSe thin films. Moreover, there was a slight decrease in small grain distribution as well as voids near the CZTSSe/Mo interface after Cd²⁺ alloying. The solar cells prepared using the most promising CZTSSe absorber thin films with Cd²⁺ alloying (8 min. 30 sec.) exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.33 %, J_sc of 34.0 mA/cm², and fill factor (FF) of 62.7 %, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.235-236
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• 2014

인듐 주석 산화물 박막을 In/Sn (2, 5 wt.%) 합금 타겟을 사용하여 DC 마그네트론 반응성 스퍼터링법을 이용하여 증착하였다. 기판온도는 상온에서 증착하였으며, 증착 중 DC 파워는 70W부터 120W 까지 10W 단위로 증가시켜 증착하였다. 증착 된 박막을 대기중에서 후 열처리를 각 6, 12 시간 진행하여 전기적 특성을 평가하였으며 평가 장비는 Hall-effect measurements system을 사용하였다. ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) 박막의 비저항은 합금의 Sn 조성별로 다르게 나타났다. Sn 5wt.% 타겟을 이용한 경우에는 DC 파워 90W를 기준으로 더 낮은 파워에서는 열처리에 따라 비저항이 증가하였고, 더 높은 파워에서는 열처리를 한 경우 비저항이 더 낮게 나타났다. 이러한 결과가 나온 이유는, DC 파워가 높은 경우 스퍼터링 공정 중 발생하는 고 에너지 입자 충돌에 의해 산소가 re-sputtering되어 산소가 부족한 박막이 형성되기 때문인 것으로 판단된다. Sn 2 wt.% 타겟의 경우에는 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았으며, 이러한 원인은 Sn 함량이 적기 때문에 산소 공급으로 인해 결정성이 향상되더라도 활성화 Sn의 양이 적기 때문에 나타나는 현상으로 판단된다.