• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.102-108
• /
• 2005

We have developed highly stabilized (p-i-n)-type protocrystalline silicon (pc-Si:H) multilayer solar cells. To achieve a high conversion efficiency, we applied a double-layer p-type amorphous silicon-carbon alloy $(p-a-Si_{1-x}C_x:H)$ structure to the pc-Si:H multilayer solar cells. The less pronounced initial short wavelength quantum efficiency variation as a function of bias voltage proves that the double $(p-a-Si_{1-x}C_x:H)$ layer structure successfully reduces recombination at the p/i interface. It was found that a natural hydrogen treatment involving an etch of the defective undiluted p-a-SiC:H window layer before the hydrogen-diluted p-a-SiC:H buffer layer deposition and an improvement of the order in the window layer. Thus, we achieved a highly stabilized efficiency of $9.0\%$ without any back reflector.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.76-84
• /
• 2019

Silicon heterojunction solar cells (SHJ) have dominated the photovoltaic market up till now but their conversion performance is practically limited to around 26% compared with the theoretical efficiency limit of 29.4%. A silicon based multi-junction devices are expected to overcome this limitation. In this report, we briefly review the state-of-art characteristic of wide-gap materials which has played a role as top sub-cells in silicon based multi-junction solar cells. In addition, we indicate significantly practical challenges and key issues of these multi-junction combination. Finally, we focus to some characteristics of III-V/c-Si tandem configuration which are reaching highly record performance in multi-junction silicon solar cells.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2011.05a
• /
• pp.128.1-128.1
• /
• 2011

In amorphous silicon and crystalline silicon(a-Si:H/c-Si) heterojuction solar cells, intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon(a-Si:H) films play an important role to passivate the crystalline silicon wafer surfaces. We have studied the correlation between the surface passivation quality and nature of the Si-H bonding at the a-Si:H/c-Si interface. The samples were obtained by VHF-CVD under different deposition conditions. The passivation quality and analysis of all structures studied was performed by means of quasi steady state photoconductance(QSSPC) methods and fourier transform infrared spectrometer(FTIR) measurements respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.586-591
• /
• 2010

Solar cells have been more intensely studied as part of the effort to find alternatives to fossil fuels as power sources. The progression of the first two generations of solar cells has seen a sacrifice of higher efficiency for more economic use of materials. The use of a single junction makes both these types of cells lose power in two major ways: by the non-absorption of incident light of energy below the band gap; and by the dissipation by heat loss of light energy in excess of the band gap. Therefore, multi junction solar cells have been proposed as a solution to this problem. However, the $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ generation solar cells have efficiency limits because a photon makes just one electron-hole pair. Fabrication of all-silicon tandem cells using an Si quantum dot superlattice structure (QD SLS) is one possible suggestion. In this study, an $SiO_x$ matrix system was investigated and analyzed for potential use as an all-silicon multi-junction solar cell. Si quantum dots with a super lattice structure (Si QD SLS) were prepared by alternating deposition of Si rich oxide (SRO; $SiO_x$ (x = 0.8, 1.12)) and $SiO_2$ layers using RF magnetron co-sputtering and subsequent annealing at temperatures between 800 and $1,100^{\circ}C$ under nitrogen ambient. Annealing temperatures and times affected the formation of Si QDs in the SRO film. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that nanocrystalline Si QDs started to precipitate after annealing at $1,100^{\circ}C$ for one hour. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images clearly showed SRO/$SiO_2$ SLS and Si QDs formation in each 4, 6, and 8 nm SRO layer after annealing at $1,100^{\circ}C$ for two hours. The systematic investigation of precipitation behavior of Si QDs in $SiO_2$ matrices is presented.

• New & Renewable Energy
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.68-73
• /
• 2008

It is very important that constitution of good hetero-junction interface with a high quality amorphous silicon thin films on very cleaned c-Si wafer for making high efficiency hetero-junction solar cells. For achieving the high efficiency solar cells, the inspection and management of c-Si wafer surface conditions are essential subjects. In this experiment, we analyzed the c-Si wafer surface very sensitively using Spectroscopic Ellipsometer for < ${\varepsilon}2$ > and u-PCD for effective carrier life time, so we accomplished < ${\varepsilon}2$ > value 43.02 at 4.25eV by optimizing the cleaning process which is representative of c-Si wafer surface conditions very well. We carried out that the deposition of high quality hydrogenated silicon amorphous thin films by RF-PECVD systems having high density and low crystallinity which are results of effective medium approximation modeling and fitting using spectroscopic ellipsometer. We reached the cell efficiency 12.67% and 14.30% on flat and textured CZ c-Si wafer each under AM1.5G irradiation, adopting the optimized cleaning and deposition conditions that we made. As a result, we confirmed that spectroscopic ellipsometry is very useful analyzing methode for hetero-junction solar cells which need to very thin and high quality multi layer structure.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.19-24
• /
• 2006

ZnO:Al(AZO) films prepared by rf magnetron sputtering on glass substrate and textured by post-deposition chemical etching were applied as front contact and back reflectors for ${\mu}c$-Si:H thin film solar cells. For the front transparent electrode contact, AZO films were prepared at various working pressures and substrate temperature and then were chemically etched in diluted HCl(1%). The front AZO films deposited at low working pressure(1 mTorr) and low temperature ($240^{\circ}C$) exhibited uniform and high transmittance ($\geq$80%) and excellent electrical properties. The solar cells were optimized in terms of optical and electrical properties to demonstrate a high short-circuit current.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 1981

SnO2/n-Si and ITO/n-Si SIS solar cells have been fabricated ty mears of electron-beam deposition. The optimum oxidation and heat-treatment condition for SnO2/n-Si cells and ITO/n-Si cells are 50$0^{\circ}C$-5min., 30$0^{\circ}C$-10min., and 50$0^{\circ}C$-5min., 30$0^{\circ}C$-20min. respectively. The open-circuit Voltage(Voc), short-circuit current density(Jsc), fill factor(FF), and efficiency (η) under AMI(100mW/$\textrm{cm}^2$) illumination were 0.4V, 34mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 0.44, and 6.0%(active area efficiency, 6.9%) for SnO2/n-Si solar cells, and 0.44V, 36mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, 0.53, and 8.45%(active area efficiency, 9.71%) for ITO/n-Si solar calls.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.9 no.12
• /
• pp.1155-1159
• /
• 1999

Thin film solar cells on a glass/$SnO_2$ substrate with p-SiC/i-Si/n-Si heterojunction structures were fabricated using a plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition system. The photovoltaic properties of the solar cells were examined with varying the gas phase composition, x=$CH_4/\;(SiH_4+CH_4)$, during the deposition of the p-SiC layer. In the range of x=0~0.4, the efficiency of solar cell increased because of the increased band gap of the p-SiC window layer. Further increase in the gas phase composition, however, led to a decrease in the cell efficiency probably due to in the increased composition mismatch at the p-SiC/i-Si layers. As a result, the efficiency of a glass/$SnO_2$/p-SiC/i-SiC/i-Si/n-Si/Ag thin film solar cell with $1cm^2$ area was 8.6% ($V_{oc}$=0.85V, $J_{sc}$=16.42mA/$cm^2$, FF=0.615) under 100mW/$cm^2$ light intensity.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2003.07c
• /
• pp.1598-1600
• /
• 2003

Microcrystalline silicon(c-Si:H) thin-film solar cells are prepared with intrinsic Si-layer by hot wire CVD. The operating parameters of solar cells are strongly affected by the filament temperature ($T_f$) during intrinsic layer. Jsc and efficiency abruptly decreases with elevated $T_f$ to $1400^{\circ}C$. This deterioration of solar cell parameters are resulted from increase of crystalline volume fraction and corresponding defect density at high $T_f$ The heater temperature ($T_h$) are also critical parameter that controls device operations. Solar cells prepared at low $T_h$ (<$200^{\circ}C$) shows a similar operating properties with devices prepared at high $T_f$, i.e. low Jsc, Voc and efficiency. The origins for this result, however, are different with that of inferior device performances at high $T_f$. In addition the phase transition of the silicon films occurs at different silane concentration (SC) by varying filament temperature, by which highest efficiency with SC vanes with $T_f$.

• Solar Energy
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 1991

In this study, the (P)SiC/(N)Si solar cell is fabricated by the vacuum evaporation method with the substrate temperature at about $200{\pm}5[5^{\circ}C]$ and its characteristics are investigated. The optimal thickness of $1.2[{\mu}m]$ of SiC film is derived from the relation between film thickness and conversion efficiency. The characteristics of solar cells are improved by the annealing. The optimum annealing temperature and duration are $420[^{\circ}C]$ and 12[min], respectively it is shown that the peak values of spectral response are shifted to the long wavelength region with increasing the annealing temperature. The X-ray diffraction patterns and the scanning electron micrographs show the grain grow thin SiC film as the annealing temperature and time is increased. The best conversion efficiency is 11.7[%] for a $2.5{\times}1[cm^2]$ cell.