• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.16-21
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• 2010

It is well-known that Boron-doped Cz Si solar cells suffer light-induced degradation due to boron-oxygen defect which is responsible of a reduction in lifetime and hence efficiency. In this paper, we assume that PV solar cell has been connected with variable load to account the real operating condition and it shows different light-induced degradation of Si solar cell. To evaluate the effect of light-induced degradation for solar cell with various load, Single crystalline solar cells are connected with open and short circuits during light exposure. Isc-Voc curve evaluate light induced degradation of solar cells and the reason is explained as a change for serial resistance. From the results, Electrical characteristics of solar cells show better performance under short circuit conditions, after light exposure.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.1017-1026
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• 2009

The solar cell system operates by facing the sun-light. Minor cracks, static discharge, and thermal shock that can happen during production/testing phase can lead to degradation in performance during operation, since solar cells are exposed to extreme thermal/mechanical environment in space. In order to detect small cracks and internal damages in the solar cells due to thermal shocks, which are the core units of a solar cell system, expensive equipment, complicated test process, and much time are required. Therefore, a qualitative method for easily and quickly testing the 'health' of solar cell functionality is required. This dissertation describes a theoretical and technical grounds for quickly and easily evaluating the health of solar cells using electroluminescence effect of Gallium-Arsenide solar cells that are most widely used by spacecrafts in recent years. Also described in the dissertation is the technical issues and constraining factors for applying the proposed method to actual space-rated solar cell systems.

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.39-43
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• 2012

In spite of many advantages, the practical application of the thin film solar cell is restricted due to its low efficiency compared with the bulk type solar cells. This study intends to adopt the surface plasmon effect using nano particles to solve the low efficiency problem in thin film solar cells. By inserting Ag nano-particles in the absorbing layer of a thin film solar cell, the poynting vector value of the absorbing layer is increased due to the strong energy field. Increasing the value may give thin film solar cells chance to absorb more energy from the incident beam so that the efficiency of the thin film solar cell can be improved. In this work, we have designed the optimal shape of Ag nano-particle in the absorbing laser of a basic type thin film solar cell using the finite element analysis commercial package COMSOL. Design parameters are set to the particle diameter and the distance between each Ag nano-particle and by changing those parameters using the full factorial design variable set-up, we can determine optimal design of Ag nano-particles for maximizing the poynting vector value in the absorbing layer.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2016

In the present work, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have been dispersed alone in the same solvent of the active layer for improving performance parameters of the organic solar cells. Different concentrations of the ZnO NPs have been blended inside active layer of the solar cell based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), which forms the hole-transport network, and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), which forms the electron-transport network. In the present investigations, the ZnO NPs may represent an efficient tool for improving light harvesting through light scattering inside active layer, electron mobility, and electron acceptance strength which tend to improve photocurrent and performance parameters of the investigated solar cell. The fill factor (FF) of the ZnO-doped solar cell increases nearly 14% compared to the non-doped solar cell when the doping is 50%. The present investigations show that ZnO NPs improve power conversion efficiency of the solar cell from 1.23% to 1.64% with increment around 25% that takes place after incorporation of 40% as a volume ratio of the ZnO NPs inside P3HT:PCBM active layer.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.375-379
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• 2015

A proper estimate of solar cell efficiency is of great importance for the feasibility analysis of solar cell power plant development. Since solar cell efficiency depends on temperature, several methods have been introduced to measure it by operating temperature modulation. However, the methods either rely on the external environment or need expensive equipment. In this paper, a thermoelectric module was used to control the operating temperature of crystalline silicon solar cells effectively and precisely over a wide range. The output characteristics of crystalline silicon solar cells in response to operating temperatures from $-5^{\circ}C$ to $100^{\circ}C$ were investigated experimentally. Their efficiencies decreased as the temperature rose, since the decrease in the open circuit voltage and fill factor exceeded the increase in the short circuit current. The maximum power temperature coefficient of the single crystalline solar cell was more sensitive to temperature change than that of the polycrystalline solar cell.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.56-59
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• 2011

The process conditions for high efficiency industrial crystalline Si solar cells with selective emitter were optimized. In the screen printed solar cells, the sheet resistance must be 50-60V/sq. because of metal contact resistance. But the low sheet resistance causes the increase of the recombination and blue response at the short wavelength. Therefore, the screen printed solar cells with homogeneous emitter have limitations of efficiency, and this means that the selective emitter must be used to improve cell efficiency. This work demonstrates the feasibility of a commercially available selective emitter process, based on screen printing and conventional diffusion process. Now, we improved cell efficiency from 18.29% to18.45% by transition of heavy emitter pattern and shallow emitter doping condition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.422.1-422.1
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• 2016

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), a new kind of carbon-based photo luminescent nanomaterial from chemically modified graphene oxide (CMGO) or chemically modified graphene (CMG), has attracted extensive research attention in the last few years due to its outstanding chemical, optical and electrical properties. To further extended its potential applications as optoelectronic devices, solar cells, bio and bio-sensors and so on, intensive research efforts have been devoted to the CMG. However, the CMG, a suspension of aqueous, have problematic since they are prone to agglomeration after drying a solvent. In this study, we synthesized the GQDs from graphite and deposited on silicon substrate by kinetic spray. The photo luminescent properties of deposited GQD films were analyzed and compared with initial GQDs suspension. In addition, its carbon properties were investigated with GQDs solution properties. The properties of deposited GQD films by kinetic spray were similar to that of the GQDs suspension in water. We could provide a pathway for silicon-based silicon based device applications. Finally, the well-adjusted GQD films with photo luminescence effects will show Energy-Down-Shift layer effects on silicon solar cells. The GQD layers deposited at nozzle scan speeds of 40, 30, 20, and 10 mm/s were evaluated after they were used to fabricate crystalline-silicon solar cells; the results indicate that GQDs play an important role in increasing the optical absorptivity of the cells. The short-circuit current density (Jsc) was enhanced by about 2.94 % (0.9 mA/cm2) at 30 mm/s. Compared to a reference device without a GQD energy-down-shift layer, the PCE of p-type silicon solar cells was improved by 2.7% (0.4 percentage points).

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.56-63
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• 2011

The objective of this study is to investigate appropriate bonding methods of solar cells in order to apply solar cells, which have been receiving particular attention as a renewable energy due to fossil energy depletion and environment issues, to composite structures. Back-contact solar cells with approximately 24.2% energy conversion efficiency were used in this study. Since silicon-based solar cells are mechanically fragile, the secondary-bonding methods using adhesive were examined in this study. The experiment was conducted with three kinds of bonding materials such as EVA film, Resin film and elastic adhesive. The performance of solar cells for three types of adhesives under mechanical loading on test specimens is conducted. In addition, the measuring equipment was designed to evaluate the performance of the solar cells under mechanical loading in real time and the fracture characteristics depending on bonding materials were evaluated. The reason decreasing solar cells efficiency were analyzed and considered by Fractography. The results show that the solar cell performance is largely affected by bonding techniques. Moreover, the bonding method using elastic adhesive shows best solar cell efficiency.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.234-234
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• 2007