• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.168-172
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• 2014

Under concentrated illuminations, the solar cells show higher efficiencies mainly due to an increase of the open circuit voltage. In this study, InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells have been grown by a low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Photovoltaic characteristics of the fabricated solar cells are investigated with a class A solar simulator under concentrated illuminations from 1 to 100 suns. Ideally, the open circuit voltage should increase with the current level when maintained at the same temperature. However, the fabricated solar cells show degraded open circuit voltages under high concentrations around 100 suns. This means that the heat sink design is not optimized to keep the cell temperature at $25^{\circ}C$. To demonstrate the thermal degradation, changes of the device performance are investigated with different bonding conditions and heat sink materials.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.211-215
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• 2017

Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) and wet etching are employed in existing texturing processes to fabricate solar cells. Laser etching is used for particular purposes such as selective etching for grooves. However, such processes require a higher level of cost and longer processing time and those factors affect the unit cost of each process of fabricating solar cells. As a way to reduce the unit cost of this process of making solar cells, an atmospheric plasma source will be employed in this study for the texturing of crystalline silicon wafers. In this study, we produced the atmospheric plasma source and examined its basic properties. Then, using the prepared atmospheric plasma source, we performed the texturing process of crystalline silicon wafers. The results obtained from texturing processes employing the atmospheric plasma source and employing RIE were examined and compared with each other. The average reflectance of the specimens obtained from the atmospheric plasma texturing process was 7.88 %, while that of specimens obtained from the texturing process employing RIE was 8.04 %. Surface morphologies of textured wafers were examined and measured through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and similar shapes of reactive ion etched wafers were found. The Power Conversion Efficiencies (PCE) of the solar cells manufactured through each process were 16.97 % (atmospheric plasma texturing) and 16.29 % (RIE texturing).

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제21권12호
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• pp.666-672
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• 2011

The a-Si:H/c-Si hetero-junction (HJ) solar cells have a variety of advantages in efficiency and fabrication processes. It has already demonstrated about 23% in R&D scale and more than 20% in commercial production. In order to further reduce the fabrication cost of HJ solar cells, fabrication processes should be simplified more than conventional methods which accompany separate processes of front and rear sides of the cells. In this study, we propose a simultaneous deposition of intrinsic thin a-Si:H layers on both sides of a wafer by dual hot wire CVD (HWVCD). In this system, wafers are located between tantalum wires, and a-Si:H layers are simultaneously deposited on both sides of the wafer. By using this scheme, we can reduce the process steps and time and improve the efficiency of HJ solar cells by removing surface contamination of the wafers. We achieved about 16% efficiency in HJ solar cells incorporating intrinsic a-Si:H buffers by dual HWCVD and p/n layers by PECVD.

• 공업화학
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.461-466
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• 2011

본 연구에서는 염료감응형 태양전지의 효율을 향상시키기 위하여 여러 조건에서 $TiO_2$에 불소를 도핑한 후 이를 이용하여 광전극을 제조하고 그 전기화학적 특성을 평가하였다. 불소 도핑된 $TiO_2$를 이용하여 제조된 염료감응형 태양전지의 에너지 전환 효율을 전류-전압 곡선을 통하여 계산하였다. $TiO_2$ 광전극을 불소 도핑함으로써 에너지 전환 효율이 최대 3배 이상 향상되었다. 이와 같은 결과는 불소 도핑 후 에너지 준위가 감소된 $TiOF_2$가 $TiO_2$와 혼재됨으로써 광전극 내에 용이한 전자 전달이 가능하고 이로 인하여 염료 감응형 태양전지의 효율이 향상된 것으로 여겨진다. 이는 IMPS (intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy) 및 IMVS (intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy) 분석에서도 불소가 도핑됨으로써 전자 전달이 빨라지고, 전자 재결합은 느려지는 결과를 확인할 수 있었다.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제28권12호
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• pp.753-764
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• 2015

Among several types of energy saving smart window technologies, the leader, the dynamic EC (electrochromic) window one needs integrated PV (photovoltaics), to minimize expensive electrical wiring as well as to obviate the need for external energy. Self-powered smart windows were reviewed according to PV types used. DSSCs (dye sensitized solar cells) were found to be compatible with EC cells, to have several categories of next generation smart windows such as PECCs (photoelectrochromic cells), PVCCs (photovoltachromic cells), EC polymer PECCs. In addition silicon solar cells and third generation solar cells were investigated. They are summarized in a table showing their advantages and disadvantages respectively for a fast comparison. The strategy to expedite the commercialization of these next generation smart windows includes developing retrofit smart window coverings for use on flexible polymer substrates adhered to the inside surface of a window and easily replaced after use for upto 10 years.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.68-79
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• 2016

The power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells has remarkably increased from 3.81% to 22.1% in the past 6 years. Perovskite solar cells, which are based on the perovskite crystal structure, are fabricated using organic-inorganic hybrid materials. The advantages of these solar cells are their low cost and simple fabrication procedure. Also, they have a band gap of about 1.6 eV and effectively absorb light in the visible region. For the commercialization of perovskite solar cells in the field of photovoltaics, the issue of their long term stability cannot be overlooked. Although the development of perovskite solar cells is unprecedented, their main drawback is the degradation of the perovskite structure by moisture. This degradation is accelerated by exposure to UV light, temperature, and external bias. This paper reviews the aforesaid reasons for perovskite solar cell degradation. We also discuss the research directions that can lead to the development of perovskite solar cells with high stability.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2006년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.130-133
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• 2006

Solar Photovoltaics (SPV) In India has become an important renewable source of energy particularly for rural and remote areas. The vastness of the country and the requirements of electricity in far-flung villages makes SPV very attractive, with inherent technological advantages providing additional boost. This has been recognized very early by Govt. Of India and Ministry of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy (MNES) has been entrusted with promoting SPV usage in the country. Rural electrification through SPV systems is one of the programmes which is expected to provide fillip to PV industry in the country. PV Industry in India is very well established with capability of solar cell fabrication and module fabrication as well as Balance of System design and fabrication. There several R&D groups in the academic institutions who are involved in improving solar cells efficiency, thin film solar cells and PV instrumentation. Thus, India provides a ready market for large scale utilization of solar energy through SPV technology.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.259-273
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• 2012

Chalcogenide-based semiconductors, such as $CuInSe_2$, $CuGaSe_2$, Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS), and CdTe have attracted considerable interest as efficient materials in thin film solar cells (TFSCs). Currently, CIGS and CdTe TFSCs have demonstrated the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 11% in module production. However, commercialized CIGS and CdTe TFSCs have some limitations due to the scarcity of In, Ga, and Te and the environmental issues associated with Cd and Se. Recently, kesterite CZTS, which is one of the In- and Ga- free absorber materials, has been attracted considerable attention as a new candidate for use as an absorber material in thin film solar cells. The CZTS-based absorber material has outstanding characteristics such as band gap energy of 1.0 eV to 1.5 eV, high absorption coefficient on the order of $10^4cm^{-1}$, and high theoretical conversion efficiency of 32.2% in thin film solar cells. Despite these promising characteristics, research into CZTS-based thin film solar cells is still incomprehensive and related reports are quite few compared to those for CIGS thin film solar cells, which show high efficiency of over 20%. The recent development of kesterite-based CZTS thin film solar cells is summarized in this work. The new challenges for enhanced performance in CZTS thin films are examined and prospective issues are addressed as well.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.134-138
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• 2016

The fullerene solar cells are becoming a feasible choice due to the advanced developments in donor materials and improved fabrication techniques of devices. Recently, sufficient optimization and improvements in the processing techniques like incorporation of solvent vapor annealing (SVA) with additives in solvents has become a major cause of prominent improvements in the performance of organic solar cell-based devices . On the other hand, the challenge of reduced open circuit voltage (V_oc) remains. This study presents an approach for significant performance improvement of overall device based on organic small molecular solar cells (SMSCs) by following a two step technique that comprises thermal annealing (TA) and SVA (abbreviated as SVA+TA). In case of exclusive use of SVA, reduction in V_oc can be eliminated in an effective way. The characteristics of charge carriers can be determined by the measurement of transient photo-voltage (TPV) and transient photo-current (TPC) that determines the scope for improvement in the performance of device by two step annealing. The recovery of reduced V_oc is linked with the necessary change in the dynamics of charge that lead to increased overall performance of device. Moreover, SVA and TA complement each other; therefore, two step annealing technique is an appropriate way to simultaneously improve the parameters such as V_oc, fill factor (FF), short circuit current density (J_sc) and PCE of small molecular solar cells.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2009년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.454-455
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• 2009

Selective emitter structure have an important research subject for crystalline silicon solar cells because it is used in production for high efficiency solar cells. A selective emitter structure with highly doped regions underneath the metal contacts is widely known to be one of the most promising high-efficiency solution in solar cell processing. Since most of the selective emitter processes require expensive extra masking and double steps process. Formation of selective emitters is not cost effective. One method that satisfies these requirements is the method of screen-printing with a phosphorus doping paste. In this paper we researched two groups of selective emitter structure process. One was using dopant paste, and the other was using solid source, in order to compare their uniformity, sheet resistance and performance condition time.