• Journal of Korean Vacuum Science & Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.116-120
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• 1999

Possible role of hydrogen atoms on the formation of microcrystalline silicon films was schematically investigated using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. A layer-by-layer technique that can alternate deposition of ${\alpha}$-Si thin film and then exposure of H2 plasma was used for this end. The experimental process was extensively carried out under different hydrogen plasma times (t2) at a fixed number of 20 cycles in the deposition. structural properties, such as crystalline volume fractions and grain shapes were analyzed by using a Raman spectroscopy and a scanning electron microscopy. Electrical transports were characterized by the temperature dependence of the dark conductivity that gives rise to the calculation of activation energy (Ea). Optical absorption was measured using an ultra violet spectrophotometer, resulting in the optical energy gap (Eopt). Our experimental results indicate that both of the hydrogen etching and the structural relaxation effects on the film surface seem to be responsible for the growth mechanism of the crystallites in the ${\mu}$c-si films.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.263-267
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• 2002

We are standing at the beginning of the industrialization of flexible thin-film transistor backplanes. An important group of candidates is based on silicon thin films made on metal or plastic foils. The main features of amorphous, nanocrystalline and microcrystalline silicon films for TFTs are summarized, and their compatibility with foil substrate materials is discussed.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.61-61
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2002.07c
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• pp.1555-1558
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• 2002

This paper presents deposition and characterizations of microcrystalline silicon(${\mu}c$-Si:H) films prepared by hot wire chemical vapor deposition at substrate temperature below $300^{\circ}C$. The $SiH_4$ Concentration$[F(SiH_4)/F(SiH_4)+F(H_2)]$ is critical parameter for the formation of Si films with microcrystalline phase. At 6% of silane concentration, deposited intrinsic ${\mu}c$-Si:H films shows sufficiently low dark conductivity and high photo sensitivity for solar cell applications. P-type ${\mu}c$-S:H films deposited by Hot-Wire CVD also shows good electrical properties by varying the rate of $B_2H_6$ to $SiH_4$ gas. The solar cells with structure of Al/nip ${\mu}c$-Si:H/TCO/glass was fabricated with sing1e chamber Hot-Wire CVD. About 3% solar efficiency was obtained and applicability of HWCVD for thin film solar cells was proven in this research.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.97.2-97.2
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• 2010

유리기판을 이용하여 제조되는 미세 결정질 실리콘 박막 태양전지에서 진성 반도체층(i ${\mu}c$-Si:H layer, i층)은 태양전지의 광 흡수층으로 사용되기 때문에 그 특성은 매우 중요하다. 특히, i층의 결정분율 변화는 태양광의 흡수파장 및 효율을 결정하여 준다. 본 연구에서는 i층 증착시 $SiH_4$ 가스의 농도 변화 및 $SiH_4$ 가스 profiling을 통하여 i층의 결정분율을 변화하였으며, 이에 따른 i층 단위박막과 미세결정질 태양전지 특성변화를 분석 하였다. i층의 $SiH_4$ 가스 농도가 증가함에 따라 i층 단위박막의 결정분율은 증가하였으며, 전기 전도도는 감소하였다. 또한, i층의 $SiH_4$ 가스 농도를 점차 증가하며 profiling 하여 증착한 박막은 동일 가스 농도로 증착한 박막보다 전기 전도도가 감소하였고, 증착속도는 증가하였다. 이와 같은 다양한 i층들은 'Raman spectroscopy'를 통하여 결정분율 변화를 측정하였다. 또한, 이 박막들을 광 흡수층으로 사용하는 미세결정질 태양전지를 제조하고, 태양전지의 효율, 양자효율, 암전류 특성들을 단위박막 특성과 연계하여 분석하였다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.66.1-66.1
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• 2010

Microcrystalline silicon at low temperatures has been developed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). It has been found that energetically positive ion and atomic hydrogen collision on to growing surface have important effects on increasing growth rate, and atomic hydrogen density is necessary for the increasing growth rate correspondingly, while keeping ion bombardment is less level. Since the plasma potential is determined by working pressure, the ion energy can be reduced by increasing the deposition pressure of 700-1200 Pa. Also, correlation of the growth rate and crystallinity with deposition parameters such as working pressure, hydrogen flow rate and input power were investigated. Consequently an efficiency of 7.9% was obtained at a high growth rate of 0.92 nm/s at a high RF power 300W using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method (27.12MHz).

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.58.1-58.1
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• 2010

Stainless Steel의 유연한 기판을 사용하여 ZnO:Al/Ag의 후면전극에서 Ag 증착 실험조건 변화를 통해서 light trapping을 개선한 n-i-p 구조의 플렉서블 미세결정질 실리콘 박막 태양전지를 제작하였다. 실험 방법으로 마그네트론 스퍼터를 사용하여 Stainless Steel 기판 위에 ZnO:Al/Ag를 증착하여 후면전극으로 사용되는 back reflector를 제작하였으며 그 위에 미세결정질 실리콘 박막을 증착하였다. Back reflector에서 Ag 박막의 증착 온도가 증가할수록 표면결정 성장으로 roughness가 증가하여 반사도를 증가하였다. 또한, Ag 박막 증착 두께와 압력 변화에 따른 광학적 특성변화를 Atomic Force Microscope(AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM),UV-visible-nIR spectrometry로 조사하여 최적의 조건을 찾았으며 개선된 back reflector의 특성이 n-i-p 구조의 플렉서블 미세결정질 실리콘 박막 태양전지에 적용하여 light trapping의 증가가 태양전지에서 광학적인 특성 변화 및 효율 향상에 영향을 주는지 Photo IV와 EQE(External Quantum Efficiency)를 통하여 조사하였다.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.526-529
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• 2002

Various fluoride films on a glass substrate were prepared and characterized in order to determine the best seed layer for a microcrystalline silicon (${\mu}c$-Si) film growth. Among the various group-IIA-fluoride systems, the $CaF_2$films on glass substrates illustrated (220) preferential orientation and a lattice mismatch of less than 0.7% with Si. $CaF_2$ films exhibited a dielectric constant between $4.1{\sim}5.2$ and an interface trap density ($D_{it}$ as low as $1.8{\times}10^{11}\;cm^{-2}eV^1$. Using the $CaF_2$/glass structure, we were able to achieve an improved ${\mu}c$-Si film at a process temperature of 300 $^{\circ}C$. We have achieved the ${\mu}c$-Si films with a crystalline volume fraction of 65%, a grain size of 700 ${\AA}$, and an activation energy of 0.49 eV.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2008

Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon(${\mu}c$-Si:H) films were prepared using inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition(ICP-CVD) method, electrical and optical properties of these films were studied as a function of silane concentration. And then, effect of $PH_3\;and\;B_2H_6$ addition on their electrical properties was also investigated for solar cell application. Characterization of these films from X-ray diffraction revealed that the conductive film exists in microcrystalline phase embedded in an amorphous network. At $PH_3/SiH_4$ gas ratio of $0.9{\times}10^{-3}$, dark conductivity has a maximum value of ${\sim}18.5S/cm$ and optical bandgap also a maximum value of ${\sim}2.39eV$. Boron-doped ${\mu}c$-Si:H films, satisfied with p-layer of solar cell, could be obtained at ${\sim}10^{-2}\;of\;B_2H_6/SiH_4$.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.41-47
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• 2014

Extensive investigation on silicon based thin film reveals a wide range of film characteristics, from low optical gap to high optical gap, from amorphous to micro-crystalline silicon etc. Fabrication of single junction, tandem and triple junction solar cell with suitable materials, indicate that fabrication of solar cell of a relatively moderate efficiency is possible with a better light induced stability. Due to these investigations, various competing materials like wide band gap silicon carbide and silicon oxide, low band gap micro-crystalline silicon and silicon germanium etc were also prepared and applied to the solar cells. Such a multi-junction solar cell can be a technologically promising photo-voltaic device, as the external quantum efficiency of such a cell covers a wider spectral range.