• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.314-318
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• 2010

We fabricated a plasma texturing for multi-crystalline silicon cells using reactive ion etching (RIE). Multi-crystalline Si cells have not benefited from the cost-effective wet-chemical texturing processes that reduce front surface reflectance on single-crystal wafers. Elimination of plasma damage has been achieved while keeping front reflectance to extremely low levels. We will discuss reflectance, quantum efficiency and conversion efficiency for multi-crystalline Si solar cell by each RIE process conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.158-158
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• 2011

$Cu(In_xGa_{1-x})Se_2$ (CIGS) thin film solar cell is one of the most promising solar cells in photovoltaic devices. CIGS has a direct band gap which varied from 1.0 to 1.26 eV, depending on the Ga to In ratio. Also, CIGS has been studying for an absorber in thin film solar cells due to their highest absorption coefficient which is $1{\times}10^5cm^{-1}$ and good stability for deposition process at high temperature of $450{\sim}590^{\circ}C$. Currently, the highest efficiency of CIGS thin film solar cell is approximately 20.3%, which is closely approaching to the efficiency of poly-silicon solar cell. The deposition technique is one of the most important points in preparing CIGS thin film solar cells. Among the various deposition techniques, the sputtering is known to be very effective and feasible process for mass production. In this study, CIGS thin films have been prepared by rf magnetron sputtering method using a single target. The optical and structural properties of CIGS films are generally dependent on deposition parameters. Therefore, we will explore the influence of deposition power on the properties of CIGS films and the films will be deposited by rf magnetron sputtering using CIGS single target on Mo coated soda lime glass at $500^{\circ}C$. The thickness of CIGS films will be measured by Tencor-P1 profiler. The optical properties will be measured by UV-visible spectroscopy. The crystal structure will be analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Finally the optimal deposition conditions for CIGS thin films will be developed.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.46-51
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• 2023

We investigated the MoS₂ thin film layer by thermolytic deposition and applied it to the silicon solar cells. MoS₂ thin films were made by two methods of dipping and spin coating of (NH₄)₂MoS₄ precursor solution. We implemented two types of substrates of microtextured and nano-microtextured 6-in. Si pn junction wafers. The fabricated MoS₂ thin film layer was analyzed, and solar cells were fabricated by applying the standard silicon solar cell process. The MoS₂ thin film layer of sulfur-deficient form was deposited on the n-type emitter layer, and electrons, which are minority carriers, were well transported at the interface and exhibited photovoltaic solar cell characteristics. The cell efficiencies were achieved at 5% for microtextured wafers and 2.56% for nano-microtextured wafers.

• Solar Energy
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.73-76
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• 1988

Thick films based on the mature crystalline silicon technology are expected to exhibit eversmaller cost reduction. The thin-film-based technology is, however, expected to exhibit a much sharper drop in cost as it develops. In this report, technology and recent R & D of thin film solar cell, such as amorphous silicon, cadnium telluride, copper indium diselenide and gallium arsenide, are described. Perspectives of world photovoltaic market and solar cell price are also described.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.436-437
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• 2008

Flexible CIGS thin film solar cell was fabricated using STS430 plate as a flexible substrate in this work. A diffusion barrier layer of $SiO_2$ thin film was deposited on STS430 substrate by PECVD followed by deposition of double layered Mo back contact. After depositing CIGS absorber layer by co-evaporation, CdS buffer layer by chemical bath deposition, ZnO window layer by RF sputtering and Al electrode by thermal evaporation, the solar cell fabrication processes were completed and its performance was evaluated. Corresponding solar cell showed an conversion efficiency of 8.35 % with $V_{OC}$ of 0.52 V, $J_{SC}$ of 26.06 mA/$cm^2$ and FF of 0.61.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.1169-1174
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• 2011

CdTe thin-film solar cell technology is well known that it can theoretically improve its conversion efficiency and manufacturing costs compared to the conventional silicon solar cell technology, due to its optical band gap energy (about 1.45eV) for solar energy absorption, high light absorption capability and low cost requirements for producing solar cells. Although the prior studies obtained the high light absorption, CdTe thin film solar cell has not been come up to the sufficient efficiency yet. So, doping method was selected for the improvement of the electrical characteristics in CdTe solar cells. Some elements including Cu, Ag, Cd and Te were generally used for the p-dopant as substitutional acceptors in CdTe thin film. In this study, the sputtering-deposited CdTe thin film was immersed in $AgNO_3$ solution for ion exchange method to dope Ag ions. The effects of immersion temperature and Ag-concentration were investigated on the optical properties and electrical characteristics of CdTe thin film by using Auger electron spectroscopy depth-profile, UV-visible spectrophotometer, and a Hall effect measurement system. The best optical and electrical characteristics were sucessfully obtained by Ag doping at high temperature and concentration. The larger and more uniform diffusion of Ag ions made increase of the Ag ion density in CdTe thin film to decrease the series resistance as well as mede the faster diffusion of light by the metal ions to enhance the light absorption.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.86.2-86.2
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• 2015

Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin film solar cells have been fabricated using sputtered Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursors on Mo coated sodalime glass substrate without using a toxic H2Se and H2S atmosphere. Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursors with various thicknesses were prepared using DC magnetron sputtering process at room temperature. As-deposited metallic precursors were sulfo-selenized inside a graphite box containing S and Se pellets using rapid thermal processing furnace at various sulfur to selenium (S/Se) compositional ratio. Thin film solar cells were fabricated after sulfo-selenization process using a 65 nm CdS buffer, a 40 nm intrinsic ZnO, a 400 nm Al doped ZnO, and Al/Ni top metal contact. Effects of sulfur to selenium (S/Se) compositional ratio on the microstructure, crystallinity, electrical properties, and cell efficiencies have been studied using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, I-V measurement system, solar simulator, quantum efficiency measurement system, and time resolved photoluminescence spectrometer. Our fabricated Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin film solar cell shows the best conversion efficiency of 9.24 % (Voc : 454.6 mV, Jsc : 32.14 mA/cm2, FF : 63.29 %, and active area : 0.433 cm2), which is the highest efficiency among Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin film solar cells prepared using sputter deposited metallic precursors and without using a toxic H2Se gas. Details about other experimental results will be discussed during the presentation.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2012

We fabricated a-Si:H thin-film solar cell using the two-dimensional (2D) periodic patterned glass substrate. The use of a 3D periodic texture rather than a randomly texture at surface of TCO can result in higher short circuit current densities ($J_{sc}$). In order to analyze the optical effect of patterning glasses, ray-tracing simulations were performed. Also, p-i-n cells were deposited on patterned glasses as substrate by PECVD. UV-Vis spectroscopy, light I-V measurement were carried out for the optoelectronic characterization. The anti-reflective and light-trapping performance of patterning glass substrate was investigated by a comparison of experimental results with numerical simulations.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.275-279
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• 2016

This is a brief review on light trapping in Si based thin film solar cells with textured surfaces and transparent conducting oxide front electrodes. The light trapping scheme appears to be essential in improving device efficiency over 10%. As light absorption in a thin film solar cells is not sufficient, light trapping becomes necessary to be effectively implemented with a textured surface. Surface texturing helps in the light trapping, and thereby raises short circuit current density and its efficiency. Such a scheme can be adapted to single junction as well as tandem solar cell, amorphous or micro-crystalline devices. A tandem cell is expected to have superior performance in comparison to a single junction cell and random surface textures appears to be preferable to a periodic structures.