• 한국재료학회지
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• 제28권11호
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• pp.680-684
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• 2018

We investigate the effect of light intensity and wavelength of a solar cell device using photoconductive atomic force microscopy(PC-AFM). A $POCl_3$ diffusion doping process is used to produce a p-n junction solar cell device based on a polySi wafer, and the electrical properties of prepared solar cells are measured using a solar cell simulator system. The measured open circuit voltage($V_{oc}$) is 0.59 V and the short circuit current($I_{sc}$) is 48.5 mA. Moreover, the values of the fill factors and efficiencies of the devices are 0.7 and approximately 13.6 %, respectively. In addition, PC-AFM, a recent notable method for nano-scale characterization of photovoltaic elements, is used for direct measurements of photoelectric characteristics in limited areas instead of large areas. The effects of changes in the intensity and wavelength of light shining on the element on the photoelectric characteristics are observed. Results obtained through PC-AFM are compared with the electric/optical characteristics data obtained through a solar simulator. The voltage($V_{PC-AFM}$) at which the current is 0 A in the I-V characteristic curves increases sharply up to $18W/m^2$, peaking and slowly falling as light intensity increases. Here, $V_{PC-AFM}$ at $18W/m^2$ is 0.29 V, which corresponds to 59 % of the average $V_{oc}$ value, as measured with the solar simulator. Furthermore, while the light wavelength increases from 300 nm to 1,100 nm, the external quantum efficiency(EQE) and results from PC-AFM show similar trends at the macro scale but reveal different results in several sections, indicating the need for detailed analysis and improvement in the future.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국신재생에너지학회 2010년도 춘계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.72.1-72.1
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• 2010

Thin film a-Si solar cells deposited by PECVD have many advantages compared to the traditional crystalline Si solar cells. They do not require expensive Si wafer, the process temperature is relatively low, possibility of scaling up for mass production, etc. In order to produce thin film solar cells, understanding the relationship between the material characteristics and deposition conditions is important. It has been reported by many groups that the band gap of the a-Si material and the deposition rate has an linear relationship, when RF power is used to control both. However, when the process pressure is changed in order to control the deposition rate and the band gap, a diversion from the well known linear relationship occurs. Here, we explain this diversion by the deposition condition crossing different plasma regions in the Paschen curve with a simple model. This model will become a guide to which condition a-Si thin films must be fabricated in order to get a high quality film.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2010년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.365-365
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• 2010

In this paper, silicon nitride thin films with different silane and ammonia gas ratios were deposited and characterized for the antireflection and passivation layer of high efficiency single crystalline silicon solar cells. As the flow rate of the ammonia gas increased, the refractive index decreased and the band gap increased. Consequently, the transmittance increased due to the higher band gap and the decrease of the defect states which existed for the 1.68 and 1.80 eV in the SiNx films. The reduction in the carrier lifetime of the SiNx films deposited by using a higher $NH_3/SiH_4$ flow ratio was caused by the increase of the interface traps and the defect states in/on the interface between the SiNx and the silicon wafer. The silicon and nitrogen rich films are not suitable for generating both higher carrier lifetimes and transmittance. These results indicate that the band gap and the defect states of the SiNx films should be carefully controlled in order to obtain the maximum efficiency for c-Si solar cells.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.328-332
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• 2011

The formation of front metal contact silicon solar cells is required for low cost, low contact resistance to silicon surface. One of the front metal contacts is Ni/Cu plating that it is available to simply and inexpensive production to apply mass production. Ni is shown to be a suitable barrier to Cu diffusion into the silicon. The process of Ni electroless plating on front silicon surface is performed using a chemical bath. Additives and buffer agents such as ammonium chloride is added to maintain the stability and pH control of the bath. Ni deposition rate is found to vary with temperature, time, utilization of bath. The experimental result shown that Ni layer by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDX analysis. Finally, plated Ni/Cu contact solar cell result in an efficiency of 17.69% on $2{\times}2\;cm^2$, Cz wafer.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.370-375
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• 2016

In this paper, we investigated the electrical properties of crystalline silicon solar cell fabricated with Ni/Cu/Ag plating. The laser process was used to ablate silicon nitride layer as well as to form the selective emitter. Phosphoric acid layer was spin-coated to prevent damage caused by laser and formed selective emitter during laser process. As a result, the contact resistance was decreased by lower sheet resistance in electrode region. Low sheet resistance was obtained by increasing laser current, but efficiency and open circuit voltage were decreased by damage on the wafer surface. KOH treatment was used to remove the laser damage on the silicon surface prior to metalization of the front electrode by Ni/Cu/Ag plating. Ni and Cu were plated for each 4 minutes and 16 minutes and very thin layer of Ag with $1{\mu}m$ thickness was plated onto Ni/Cu electrode for 30 seconds to prevent oxidation of the electrode. The silicon solar cells with KOH treatment showed the 0.2% improved efficiency compared to those without treatment.

• 대한금속재료학회지
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• 제49권11호
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• pp.905-909
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• 2011

The formation of front metal contact silicon solar cells is required for low cost, low contact resistance to silicon surfaces. One of the available front metal contacts is Ni/Cu plating, which can be mass produced via asimple and inexpensive process. A selective emitter, meanwhile, involves two different doping levels, with higher doping (${\leq}30{\Omega}/sq$) underneath the grid to achieve good ohmic contact and low doping between the grid in order to minimize the heavy doping effect in the emitter. This study describes the formation of a selective emitter and a nickel silicide seed layer for the front metallization of silicon cells. The contacts were thickened by a plated Ni/Cu two-step metallization process on front contacts. The experimental results showed that the Ni layer via SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and EDX (Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analyses. Finally, a plated Ni/Cu contact solar cell displayed efficiency of 18.10% on a $2{\times}2cm^2$, Cz wafer.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.6-16
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• 2024

The efficiency of silicon solar cells is approaching a theoretical limit referred to as 'the state of the art'. Consequently, maintaining efficiency is more productive than pursuing improvements the last room for limiting efficiency. One of the primary considerations in silicon module conservation is the occurrence of failures and degradation. Degradation can be mitigated during the cell manufacturing stage, unlike physical and spontaneous failure. It is mostly because the chemical reaction is triggered by the carrier generation of thermal and light injection, an inherent aspect of the solar cell environment. Therefore, numerous researchers and cell manufacturers are engaged in implementing mitigation strategies based on the physical degradation mechanism.

• 청정기술
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.274-280
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• 2016

본 연구에서는 태양광용 웨이퍼를 제조하는 과정에서 발생하는 실리콘 폐슬러지의 함유물질 중 공정원가의 25% 가량을 차지하고 있는 절삭유를 화학적으로 재생하기 위한 방법을 개발하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 아세톤, HCl, NaOH, KOH, $Na_2CO_3$, 불산, 염화메틸렌 등 7종류의 시약이 이용되었으며 다양한 농도로 폐슬러지와 반응을 실시하고 3000 rpm의 속도로 60분간 원심분리를 수행하였다. 그 결과, 실리콘분말 및 금속분말과 같은 고형물과 액상의 절삭유를 분리하기 위한 최적 시약 및 조건이 0.3 N NaOH로 확인되었다. 시판되는 절삭유의 약산성 특성에 맞게 pH 조절이 요구되어 금속분말 제거에 효과적인 0.1 N HCl과 폐슬러지를 먼저 반응시킨 후 0.3 N NaOH로 후처리 한 재생 절삭유의 pH가 6.05로 나타났으며 0.3 N NaOH 단독으로 폐슬러지에 적용하였을 때 보다 우수한 탁도를 나타내었다. 시판용 절삭유와의 특성을 비교하고자 FT-IR 분석을 실시한 결과, 재생유로서의 가능성이 확인되었으며 실험을 통하여 얻어진 절삭유 회수율은 86.9%로 나타났다.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제25권12호
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• pp.1015-1020
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• 2012

Resistance of the front electrode is the highest proportion of the ingredients of the series resistance in crystalline silicon solar cell. While resistance of the front electrode is decreased with larger area, it induces the optical loss, causing the conversion efficiency drop. Therefore the front electrode with high aspect ratio increasing its height and decreasing is necessary for high-efficiency solar cell in considering shadowing loss and resistance of front electrode. In this paper, we used the screen printing method to form high aspect ratio electrode by multiple printing. Screen printing is the straightforward technology to establish the electrodes in silicon solar cell fabrication. The several printed front electrodes with Ag paste on silicon wafer showed the significantly increased height and slightly widen finger. As a result, the resistance of the front electrode was decreased with multiple printing even if it slightly increased the shadowing loss. We showed the improved electrical characteristics for c-Si solar cell with repeatedly printed front electrode by 0.5%. It lays a foundation for high efficiency solar cell with high aspect ratio electrode using screen printing.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제44회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.230-230
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• 2013

In amorphous or microcrystalline thin-film silicon solar cells, p-i-n structure is used instead of p/n junction structure as in wafer-based Si solar cells. Hence, these p-i-n structured solar cells inevitably consist of many interfaces and the cell efficiency critically depends on the effective control of these interfaces. In this study, in-situ plasma treatment process of the interfaces was developed to improve the efficiency of a-Si:H solar cell. The p-i-n cell was deposited using a single-chamber VHF-PECVD system, which was driven by a pulsed-RF generator at 80 MHz. In order to solve the cross-contamination problem of p-i layer, high RF power was applied without supplying SiH4 gas after p-layer deposition, which effectively cleaned B contamination inside chamber wall from p-layer deposition. In addition to the p-i interface control, various interface control techniques such as thin layer of TiO2 deposition to prevent H2 plasma reduction of FTO layer, multiple applications of thin i-layer deposition and H2 plasma treatment, H2 plasma treatment of i-layer prior to n-layer deposition, etc. were developed. In order to reduce the reflection at the air-glass interface, anti-reflective SiO2 coating was also adopted. The initial solar cell efficiency over 11% could be achieved for test cell area of 0.2 $cm^2$.