• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.233-237
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• 2015

Silicon oxynitride that can be deposited two times faster than general SiNx:H layer was applied to fabricate the passivation protection layer of atomic layer deposition (ALD) $Al_2O_3$. The protection layer is deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition to protect $Al_2O_3$ passivation layer from a high temperature metallization process for contact firing in screen-printed silicon solar cell. In this study, we studied passivation performance of ALD $Al_2O_3$ film as functions of process temperature and RF plasma effect in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. $Al_2O_3$/SiON stacks coated at $400^{\circ}C$ showed higher lifetime values in the as-stacked state. In contrast, a high quality $Al_2O_3$/SiON stack was obtained with a plasma power of 400 W and a capping-deposition temperature of $200^{\circ}C$ after the firing process. The best lifetime was achieved with stack films fired at $850^{\circ}C$. These results demonstrated the potential of the $Al_2O_3/SiON$ passivated layer for crystalline silicon solar cells.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2023

p-type Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contacts (TOPCon) solar cell is fabricated with a poly-Si/SiO_x structure. It simultaneously achieves surface passivation and enhances the carriers' selective collection, which is a promising technology for conventional solar cells. The quality of passivation is depended on the quality of the tunnel oxide layer at the interface with the c-Si wafer, which is affected by the bond of SiO formed during the subsequent annealing process. The highest cell efficiency reported to date for the laboratory scale has increased to 26.1%, fabricated by the Institute for Solar Energy Research. The cells used a p-type float zone silicon with an interdigitated back contact (IBC) structure that fabricates poly-Si and SiO_x layer achieves the highest implied open-circuit voltage (iV_oc) is 750 mV, and the highest level of edge passivation is 40%. This review presents an overview of p-type TOPCon technologies, including the ultra-thin silicon oxide layer (SiO_x) and poly-silicon layer (poly-Si), as well as the advancement of the SiO_x and poly-Si layers. Subsequently, the limitations of improving efficiency are discussed in detail. Consequently, it is expected to provide a basis for the simplification of industrial mass production.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.64.1-64.1
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• 2011

다중접합 태양전지는 흡수대역이 다른 juntion으로 구성되어, 각각의 태양전지 간의 전류정합(current matching)이 효율 향상에 중요하다. 본 실험에서는 Top cell에 i-a-Si:H(Thinckness:100nm), Middle cell에는 i-a-SiGe:H(Thickness:800nm)을 적용하였고, bottom cell에는 i-${\mu}c$-Si:H(Thickness:1800nm), 수광부의 p-layer에 에 SiOx을 이용하여 triple juntion amorphous silicon solar cell(삼중접합태양전지)을 구현하였다. 이를 최적화 시키기 위해 ASA simulation을 이용하여 각 Cell의 intrinsic layer의 밴드갭을 가변하였다. 가변 결과 i-a-Si:H : 1.85 eV, i-a-SiGe:H: 1.6 eV, i-${\mu}c$-Si:H: 1.4 eV에서 태양전지 효율 14.5 %을 기록 하였다. 본 연구를 통해 Triple juntion cell에서의 intrinsic layer의 밴드갭 최적화를 구현해 볼 수 있었다.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.17-22
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• 2011

There are some degradation factors for amorphous silicon solar cells. Light inducing is one of the factor that explained by Staebler-Wronski effect. Also, hotspot heating could be the reason that makes amorphous silicon solar cell degrade. Hotspot heating is occurred when a solar cell is shaded so this work is investigated into two types of shading condition and how these affect to solar cell differently. Reduced irradiance for whole cell and partially shaded as 0($W/m^2$) while the other part of cell is soaking as 1000($W/m^2$) of irradiance are two conditions that are experimented. The two types of shading show different characteristics of degradations. The result shows that partially shaded cell dropped maximum powerless and slower. Also sudden drop points have shown that should be concerned to decide the number of cells for a string. Otherwise, the current through a shaded cell might flow more than cell's capability. It makes cell and module damaged. This work would help to manufacture modules.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.229-229
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• 2007

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.509-514
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• 2020

The two key variables of an Si solar cell, i.e., emitter (n-type window layer) and base (p-type substrate) doping levels or concentrations, are studied using Medici, a 2-dimensional semiconductor device simulation tool. The substrate is p-type and 150 ㎛ thick, the pn junction is 2 ㎛ from the front surface, and the cell is lit on the front surface. The doping concentration ranges from 1 × 10¹⁰ cm^-3 to 1 × 10²⁰ cm^-3 for both emitter and base, resulting in a matrix of 11 by 11 or a total of 121 data points. With respect to increasing donor concentration (Nd) in the emitter, the open-circuit voltage (Voc) is little affected throughout, and the short-circuit current (Isc) is affected only at a very high levels of Nd, exceeding 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3, dropping abruptly by about 12%, i.e., from Isc = 6.05 × 10^-9 A·㎛^-1, at Nd = 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3 to Isc = 5.35 × 10^-9 A·㎛^-1 at Nd = 1 × 10²⁰ cm^-3, likely due to minority-carrier, or hole, recombination at the very high doping level. With respect to increasing acceptor concentration (Na) in the base, Isc is little affected throughout, but Voc increases steadily, i.e, from Voc = 0.29 V at Na = 1 × 10¹² cm^-3 to 0.69 V at Na = 1 × 10¹⁸ cm^-3. On average, with an order increase in Na, Voc increases by about 0.07 V, likely due to narrowing of the depletion layer and lowering of the carrier recombination at the pn junction. At the maximum output power (Pmax), a peak value of 3.25 × 10^-2 W·cm^-2 or 32.5 mW·cm^-2 is observed at the doping combination of Nd = 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^-3, a level at which Si is degenerate (being metal-like), and Na = 1 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3, and minimum values of near zero are observed at very low levels of Nd ≤ 1 × 10¹³ cm^-3. This wide variation in Pmax, even within a given kind of solar cell, indicates that selecting an optimal combination of donor and acceptor doping concentrations is likely most important in solar cell engineering.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.444-445
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• 2009

The metallic contact system of silicon solar cell must have several properties, such as low contact resistance, easy application and good adhesion. Ni is shown to be a suitable barrier to Cu diffusion as well as desirable contact metal to silicon. Nickel monosilicide(NiSi) has been suggested as a suitable silicide due to its lower resistivity, lower sintering temperature and lower layer stress than $TiSi_2$. Copper and Silver can be plated by electro & light-induced plating method. Light-induced plating makes use the photovoltaic effect of solar cell to deposit the metal on the front contact. The cell is immersed into the electrolytic plating bath and irradiated at the front side by light source, which leads to a current density in the front side grid. Electroless plated Ni/ Electro&light-induced plated Cu/ Light-induced plated Ag contact solar cells result in an energy conversion efficiency of 16.446 % on $0.2\sim0.6\;{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, $20\;\times\;20\;mm^2$, CZ(Czochralski) wafer.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2019

Carrier selective solar cell structure has allured curiosity of photovoltaic researchers due to the use of wide band gap transition metal oxide (TMO). Distinctive p/n-type character, broad range of work functions (2 to 7 eV) and risk free fabrication of TMO has evolved new concept of heterojunction intrinsic thin layer (HIT) solar cell employing carrier selective layers such as $MoO_x$, $WO_x$, $V_2O_5$ and $TiO_2$ replacing the doped a-Si layers on either front side or back side. The p/n-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers are deposited by Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD), which includes the flammable and toxic boron/phosphorous gas precursors. Due to this, carrier selective TMO is gaining popularity as analternative risk-free material in place of conventional a-Si:H. In this work hole selective materials such as $MoO_x$, $WO_x$ and $V_2O_5$has been investigated. Recently $MoO_x$, $WO_x$ & $V_2O_5$ hetero-structures showed conversion efficiency of 22.5%, 12.6% & 15.7% respectively at temperature below $200^{\circ}C$. In this work a concise review on few important aspects of the hole selective material solar cell such as historical developments, device structure, fabrication, factors effecting cell performance and dependency on temperature has been reported.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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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.