• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.464.1-464.1
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• 2014

Among numerous material candidates, Cu(InxGa1-x)(SySe2-y) (CIGS) thin films have emerged as promising material candidates for thin film solar cell applications due to the high energy conversion efficiency and relatively low fabrication cost. The CIGS thin film solar cells consist of several materials, including Mo back contacts, ZnO-based window layers, and CdS buffer layers. All these materials have different crystal structures and contain quite distinct chemical elements, and hence the device characterization requires careful analyses. Most of all, identification of the major trap states resulting in the carrier recombination processes is a key step toward realization of high efficiency CIGS solar cells. We have carried out electrical investigations of CIGS thin film solar cells to specify the major trap states and their roles in photovoltaic performance. In particular, we have used the temperature-dependent transport characterizations and admittance spectroscopy. In this presentation, we will introduce some exemplary studies of DC and AC electrical characteristics of the CIGS solar cells.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-20
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• 2018

The dependency of the photovoltaic performance of p-/n-type silicon solar-cells on the metallic contaminant type (Fe, Cu, and Ni) and concentration was investigated. The minority-carrier recombination lifetime was degraded with increasing metallic contaminant concentration, however, the degradation sensitivity of recombination lifetime was lower at n-type than p-type silicon wafer, which means n-type silicon wafer have an immunity to the effect of metallic contamination. This is because heavy metal ions with positive charge have a much larger capture cross section of electron than hole, so that reaction with electrons occurs much more easily. The power conversion efficiency of n-type solar-cells was degraded by 9.73% when metallic impurities were introduced in the silicon bulk, which is lower degradation compared to p-type solar-cells (15.61% of efficiency degradation). Therefore, n-type silicon solar-cells have a potential to achieve high efficiency of the solar-cell in the future with a merit of immunity against metal contamination.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 2018

The dependency of the electrical characteristics of silicon solar-cells on the depth of damaged layer induced by wire-sawing process was investigated. To compare cell efficiency with residual sawing damage, silicon solar-cells were fabricated by using as-sawn wafers having different depth of saw damage without any damaged etching process. The damaged layer induced by wire-sawing process in silicon bulk intensely influenced the value of fill factor on solar cells, degrading fill factor to 57.20%. In addition, the photovoltaic characteristics of solar cells applying texturing process shows that although the initial depth of saw-damage induced by wire-sawing process was different, the value of short-circuit current, fill-factor, and power-conversion-efficiency have an almost same, showing ~17.4% of cell efficiency. It indicated that the degradation of solar-cell efficiency induced by wire-sawing process could be prevented by eliminating all damaged layer through sufficient pyramid-surface texturing process.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.293-298
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• 2011

The most widely used method to form an electrode in industrial solar cells are screen printing. Screen printing is characterized by a relatively simple and well-known production sequence with high throughput rates. However the method is difficult to implement a fine line width of high-efficiency solar cells can not be made. The open circuit voltage(Voc) and the short circuit current density(Jsc) and fill factor(FF) need to be further improved to increase the efficiency of silicon solar cells. In this study, gravure offset printing method using the multicrystalline-silicon solar cells were fabricated. Gravure off-set printing method which can print the fine line width of finger electrode can have the ability reduce the shaded area and increase the Jsc. Moreover it can make a high aspect ratio thereby series resistance is reduced and FF is increased. Approximately $50{\mu}m$ line width with $35{\mu}m$ height was achieved. The efficiency of gravure off set was 0.7% higher compare to that of scree printing method.

• Solar Energy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.46-53
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• 1985

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells which are fabricated by photo-chemical vapor deposition (photo-CVD) system has been investigated. In the photo-CVD system which consists of three separate reaction chambers, low-pressure mercury lamp has been used as a light source. The main reactant ($Si_2H_6/He$) gases which are premixed with a small amount of mercury vapor in a mercury-vaporizer kept at $50^{\circ}C$ have been used. Using $C_2H_2$ and $SiH_2(CH_3)_2$ as the carbon source, p-type wide band gap a-SiC:H films have been obtained. The result has been found that the undoped layers of the pin/substrate solar cells are influenced by the residual impurities, such as phosphorus and boron during the deposition process. By minimizing the effect of the impurities in the i-layer and optimizing conditions at the p-layer and p/i interface, the energy conversion efficiency of 9.61 % under AM-1 ($100mW/Cm^2$) has been achieved for pin/substrate solar cells illuminated through their p-layers, using the three separate reaction chamber apparatus. It is expected that a-SiC:H solar cells with the energy conversion efficiency over 10% have been fabricated by Photo-CVD method.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.192-194
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• 2006

To elucidate possible challenges for outdoor practical use of dye-sensitized solar cells(DSC), compared with conventional Si solar cells. DSC modules still need the larger area than conventional Si solar modules to attain the same rated output because of lower photoelectron-chemical conversion efficiency. However, using batteries backup systems, the measured data shows that DSCs gathered over 12% more electricity than Si solar cells of the same rated output power in same outdoor condition. Moreover, battery charging time of DSC is about 1 hour faster than same rate of Si solar module. In this paper, 12 single DSC cells prepared for 4 serialized DSC cells was connected in 3 row parallel which have same output power rate of Si solar module. This DSC module was practiced generating characteristic experiment over outdoor daylight condition and applied with PV battery charger by using DC-DC converter. The main advantages of DSC module battery charger as compared with conventional Si solar module one are shorter charge time and lower cost.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2005

High-efficiency silicon solar cells have potential applications on mobile electronics and electrical vehicles. The fabrication processes of the high efficiency cells necessitate com placated fabrication precesses and expensive materials. Ti/Pd/Ag metal contact has been used only for limited area In spite of good stability and low contact resistance because of Its expensive material cost and precesses. Screen printed contact formed by Ag paste causes a low fill factor and a high shading loss of commercial solar cells because of high contact resistance and a low aspect ratio. Low cost Ni/Cu metal contact has been formed by using a low cost electroless and electroplating. Nickel silicide formation at the interface enhances stability and reduces the contact resistance resulting In an energy conversion efficiency of $20.2\%\;on\;0.50{\Omega}cm$ FZ wafer. Tapered contact structure has been applied to large area solar cells with $6.7\times6.7cm^2$ in order to reduce power losses by the front contact The tapered front metal contact Is easily formed by the electroplating technique producing $45cm^2$ solar cells with an efficiency of $21.4\%$ on $21.4\%\;on\;2{\Omega}cm$ FZ wafer.

• 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.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.53.2-53.2
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• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs) have been recognized as an alternative to the conventional p-n junction solar cells because of their simple fabrication process, low production cost, and transparency. A typical DSSC consists of a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) electrode, a dye-sensitized oxide semiconductor nanoparticle layer, liquid redox electrolyte, and a Pt-counter electrode. In dye-sensitized solar cells, charge recombination processes at interfaces between coducting glass, $TiO_2$, dye, and electrolyte play an important role in limiting the photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. A layer of ZTO thin film less than ~200nm in thickness, as a blocking layer, was deposited by DC magnetron sputtering method directly onto the anode electrode to be isolated from the electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells(DSCs). This is to prevent the electrons from back-transferring from the electrode to the electrolyte ($I^-/I_3^-$). The presented DSCs were fabricated with working electrode of Ga-doped ZnO glass coated with blocking ZTO layer, dye-attached nanoporous $TiO_2$ layer, gel electrolyte and counter electrode of Pt-deposited GZO glass. The effects of blocking layer were studied with respect to impedance and conversion efficiency of the cells.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.158-161
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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 $V_{oc}$ 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.