• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.688-688
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• 2013

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films have attracted a lot of attention as a cheap transparent conducting oxide (TCO) material that can replace the expensive Sn-doped In2O3. In particular, AZO thin films are widely used as a window layer of chalcogenide-based thin film solar cells such as Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS). Mostly important requirements for the window layer material of the thin film solar cells are the high transparency and the low sheet resistance, because they influence the light absorption by the activelayer and the electron collection from the active layer, respectively. In this study, we prepared the AZO thin films by RF magnetron sputtering using a ZnO/Al2O3 (98：2wt%) ceramic target, and the effect of the sputtering condition such as the working pressure, RF power, and the working distance on the optical, electrical, and crystallographic properties of the AZO thin films was investigated. The AZO thin films with optimized properties were used as a window layer of CZTS thin film solar cells. The CZTS active layers were prepared by the electrochemical deposition and the subsequent sulfurization process, which is also one of the cost-effective synthetic approaches. In addition, the solar cell properties of the CZTS thin film solar cells, such as the photocurrent density-voltage (J-V) characteristics and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) were investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 2017

$SnO_2$ single layer films and 2 nm thick Ni thin film intermediated $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ trilayer films were deposited on glass substrate at room temperatures by RF and DC magnetron sputtering and then the optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated to enhance opto-electrical performance of $SnO_2$ single layer films. As deposited $SnO_2$ films show the optical transmittance of 81.8% in the visible wavelength region and a resistivity of $1.2{\times}10^{-2}{\Omega}cm$, while $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ films show a lower resistivity of $5.8{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$ and an optical transmittance of 77.1% in this study. Since $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ films show the higher figure of merit than that of the $SnO_2$ single layer films, it is supposed that the $AZO/Ni/SnO_2$ films can assure high opto-electrical performance for use as a transparent conducting oxide in various display applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.259-259
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• 2011

염료감응형 태양전지(Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells:DSSC)는 환경 친화적이며, 저가의 공정에 대한 가능성으로 기존의 고가의 결정질 실리콘 태양전지의 경제적인 대안으로 각광을 받고 있다. 최근 염료감응형 태양전지는 투명 전도성 산화막(Transparent Conducting Oxide : TCO)으로 사용되는 Fluorine Tin Oxide (FTO)가 증착된 유리기판 위에 주로 제작된다. FTO는 낮은 비저항과 가시광선 영역에서 높은 투과도를 가지는 우수한 전기-광학적 특성을 갖지만, 비교적 공정이 까다로운 Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)법으로 제조하며, 전체 공정비용의 60%를 차지하는 높은 생산단가로 인해 현재 FTO를 대체할 재료개발 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 그 중 ZnO (Zinc Oxide)는 우수한 전기-광학적 특성과 비교적 저렴한 가격으로 새로운 TCO로써 주목받고 있다. ZnO는 넓은 energy band gap (3.4 [eV])의 육방정계 울자이트(hexagonal wurtzite) 결정 구조를 가지는II-VI족 n형 반도체 물질이며, III족 금속원소인 Al, Ga 및 In 등의 불순물을 첨가하면 TCO로서 우수한 전기-광학적 특성과 안정성을 나타낸다. 이들 물질중 $Zn^{2+}$ (0.060 nm)의 이온반경과 유사한 $Ga^{2+}$0.062 nm) 이온이 ZnO의 격자반경을 최소화 시킬 수 있다는 장점으로 최근 주목 받고 있다. 하지만 Ga-doped ZnO (GZO)의 경우 DSC에 사용되는 루테늄 계열의 산성 염료 하에 장시간 두면 표면이 파괴되는 문제가 발생하며, $TiO_2$ paste를 Printing 후 열처리하는 과정에서도 박막의 파괴가 발생할 수 있다. 이를 방지하기 위해 $TiO_2$ Blocking Layer를 GZO 투명전극 위에 증착하였다. 또한, $TiO_2$ Blocking Layer를 적용한 GZO 박막을 전면전극으로 이용하여 DSC를 제작하여 효율을 확인하였다. 2wt%의 $Ga_2O_3$가 도핑된 ZnO 박막은 20mTorr 400$^{\circ}C$에서 Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)에 의해 성장되었고, $TiO_2$박막은 Ti 금속을 타겟으로 이용하여 30mTorr 400$^{\circ}C$에서 증착되었다. Scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM)을 이용한 박막 분석 결과 $TiO_2$가 증착된 GZO 박막의 경우 표면 파괴가 일어나지 않았다. Solar Simulator을 이용하여 I-V특성 측정결과 상용 FTO를 사용한 DSC 수준의 효율을 나타내었다. 이에 따라 Pulsed Laser Deposition을 이용해 제작된 GZO 기판은 $TiO_2$ Blocking Layer를 이용하여 표면 파괴를 방지할 수 있었으며, 이는 향후 염료감응형 태양전지의 투명전극에 적용 가능 할 것으로 판단된다.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is an important transparent conducting oxide (TCO). ITO films have been widely used as transparent electrodes in optoelectronic devices such as organic light-emitting devices (OLED) because of their high electrical conductivity and high transmission in the visible wavelength. Finding ways to control ITO micromachining depth is important role in the fabrication and assembly of display field. This study presented the depth control of ITO patterns on glass substrate using a femtosecond laser and slit. In the proposed approach, a gaussian beam was transformed into a quasi-flat top beam by slit. In addition, pattern of square type shaped by slit were fabricated on the surfaces of ITO films using femtosecond laser pulse irradiation, under 1030nm, single pulse. Using femtosecond laser and slit, we selectively controlled forming depth and removed the ITO thin films with thickness 145nm on glass substrates. In particular, we studied the effect of pulse number on the ablation of ITO. Clean removal of the ITO layer was observed when the 6 pulse number at $2.8TW/cm^2$. Furthermore, the morphologies and fabricated depth were characterized using a optical microscope, atomic force microscope (AFM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.95-102
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• 2014

Light trapping techniques can change the propagation direction of incident light and keep the light longer in the absorption layers of solar cells to enhance the power conversion efficiency. In thin film silicon (Si) solar cells, the thickness of absorption layer is generally not enough to absorb entire available photons because of short carrier life time, and light induced degradation effect, which can be compensated by the light trapping techniques. These techniques have been adopted as textured transparent conduction oxide (TCO) layers randomly or periodically textured, intermediate reflection layers of tandem and triple junction, and glass substrates etched by various patterning methods. We reviewed the light trapping techniques for thin film Si solar cells and mainly focused on the commercially available techniques applicable to textured TCO on patterned glass substrates. We described the characterization methods representing the light trapping effects, texturing of TCO and showed the results of multi-scale textured TCO on etched glass substrates. These methods can be used tandem and triple thin film Si solar cells to enhance photo-current and power conversion efficiency of long term stability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.254-254
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• 2016

Tin dioxide (SnO2) thin film is one of the most important n-type semiconducting materials having a high transparency and chemical stability. Due to their favorable properties, it has been widely used as a base materials in the transparent conducting substrates, gas sensors, and other various electronic applications. Up to now, SnO2 thin film has been extensively studied by a various deposition techniques such as RF magnetron sputtering, sol-gel process, a solution process, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD) [1-6]. Among them, ALD or plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) has recently been focused in diverse applications due to its inherent capability for nanotechnologies. SnO2 thin films can be prepared by ALD or PEALD using halide precursors or using various metal-organic (MO) precursors. In the literature, there are many reports on the ALD and PEALD processes for depositing SnO2 thin films using MO precursors [7-8]. However, only ALD-SnO2 processes has been reported for halide precursors and PEALD-SnO2 process has not been reported yet. Herein, therefore, we report the first PEALD process of SnO2 thin films using SnCl4 and oxygen plasma. In this work, the growth kinetics of PEALD-SnO2 as well as their physical and chemical properties were systemically investigated. Moreover, some promising applications of this process will be shown at the end of presentation.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.321-323
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• 2013

100 nm thick Ga doped ZnO (GZO) thin films were deposited with DC and RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature on glass substrate and Al coated glass substrate, respectively. and the effect of the Al underlayer on the optical and electrical properties of the GZO films was investigated. As-deposited GZO single layer films had an optical transmittance of 80% in the visible wavelength region, and sheet resistance of 1,516 ${\Omega}/{\Box}$, while the optical and electrical properties of GZO/Al bi-layered films were influenced by the thickness of the Al buffer layer. GZO films with 2 nm thick Al film show a lower sheet resistance of 990 ${\Omega}/{\Box}$, and an optical transmittance of 78%. Based on the figure of merit (FOM), it can be concluded that the thin Al buffer layer effectively increases the performance of GZO films as a transparent and conducting electrode without intentional substrate heating or a post deposition annealing process.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2013

ZnO film has been used for CIGS solar cells as a buffer layer as itself or by doping Mg and Sn; ZnO film also has been used as a transparent conducting layer by doping Al or B for solar cells. Since ZnO itself is a host material for many applications it is necessary to understand the electrical and optical properties of ZnO film itself with various preparation conditions. We prepared ZnO films by converting ZnS precursor into ZnO film by thermal annealing. ZnO film was formed at low temperature as low as $500^{\circ}C$ by annealing a ZnS precursor layer in air. In the air annealing, the electrical resistivity decreased monotonically with increasing annealing temperature; the intensity of the green photoluminescence at 505 nm increased up to $750^{\circ}C$ annealing. The electrical resistivity further decreased and the intensity of green emission also increased in reducing atmospheres. The results suggest that deep-level defects originated by oxygen vacancy enhanced green emission, which reduce light transmittance and enhance the recombination of electrons in conduction band and holes in valence. More oxidizing environment is necessary to obtain defect-free ZnO film for higher transparency.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.302-306
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• 2021

SnO₂ 30/Ag 15/SnO₂ 30 nm(SAS) tri-layer films were deposited on the glass substrates with RF and DC magnetron sputtering and then electron beam is irradiated on the surface to investigate the effect of electron bombardment on the opto-electrical performance of the films. electron beam irradiated tri-layer films at 1000 eV show a higher figure of merit of 2.72×10^-3 Ω^-1 than the as deposited films due to a high visible light transmittance of 72.1% and a low sheet resistance of 14.0 Ω/☐, respectively. From the observed results, it is concluded that the post-deposition electron irradiated SnO₂ 30/Ag 15/SnO₂ 30 nm tri-layer films can be used as a substitute for conventional transparent conducting oxide films in various opto-electrical applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.311-311
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• 2009

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) belong to an ideal material for field emitters because of their superior electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties together with unique geometric features. Several applications of CNTs to field emitters have been demonstrated in electron emission devices such as field emission display (FED), backlight unit (BLU), X-ray source, etc. In this study, we fabricated a CNT cathode by using filtration processes. First, an aqueous CNT solution was prepared by ultrasonically dispersing purified single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) in deionized water with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The aqueous CNT solution in a milliliter or even several tens of micro-litters was filtered by an alumina membrane through the vacuum filtration, and an ultra-thin CNT film was formed onto the alumina membrane. Thereafter, the alumina membrane was solvated by acetone, and the floating CNT film was easily transferred to indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass substrate in an area defined as 1 cm with a film mask. The CNT film was subjected to an activation process with an adhesive roller, erecting the CNTs up to serve as electron emitters. In order to measure their luminance characteristics, an ITO-coated glass substrate having phosphor was employed as an anode plate. Our field emitter array (FEA) was fairly transparent unlike conventional FEAs, which enabled light to emit not only through the anode frontside but also through the cathode backside, where luminace on the cathode backside was higher than that on the anode frontside. Futhermore, we added a reflecting metal layer to cathode or anode side to enhance the luminance of light passing through the other side. In one case, the metal layer was formed onto the bottom face of the cathode substrate and reflected the light back so that light passed only through the anode substrate. In the other case, the reflecting layer coated on the anode substrate made all light go only through the cathode substrate. Among the two cases, the latter showed higher luminance than the former. This study will discuss the morphologies and field emission characteristics of CNT emitters according to the experimental parameters in fabricating the lamps emitting light on the both sides or only on the either side.