• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.467.1-467.1
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• 2014

Quantum dots (QD) solar cells has received considerable attention due to their potential of improving the overall conversion efficiency by harvesting excess energy via multiple excitons generation (MEG). Although there have been many reports which show MEG phenomena by using optical measurement of quantum dots themselves, carrier multiplication in real QD photovoltaic devices has been sparsely reported due to difficulty in dissociation of excitons and charge collection. In this reports, heterojunction QD solar cells composed of PbS QD monolayer on highly crystalline $TiO_2$ thin films were fabricated by using Langmuir-Blodgett deposition technique to significantly reduce charge recombination at the interfaces between each QD. The PbS CQDs monolayer was characterized by using UV-vis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) for the monolayer QD solar cells was obtained by measurement of external quantum efficiency and determining light absorption efficiency of active layer. Carrier multiplication was observed by measuring IQE greater than 100% over threshold photon energy. Our findings demonstrate that monolayer QD solar cell structure is potentially capable of realizing highly efficient solar cells based on carrier multiplication.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.532-541
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• 2011

The Xe plasma flat lamp, considered to be a new eco-friendly LCD backlight, requires a further improvement of its luminance and luminous efficiency. To improve the performance of this type of lamp, it is necessary to understand the effects of the discharge variables on the luminous characteristics of the lamp. In this study, the luminous characteristics of a coplanartype Xe plasma flat lamp with a teeth-type electrode pattern were analyzed while varying the gas composition, gas pressure and input voltage. The effects of the phosphor layer on the discharge and the luminous characteristics of the lamp were also studied. The luminous efficiency of the coplanar-type Xe plasma flat lamp improved as the Xe input ratio and gas pressure increased. Higher luminous efficiency was also obtained when helium (He) was used as a buffer gas and when a phosphor layer was fabricated on the electrode region. In contrast, the luminous efficiency was reduced with increasing the input voltage. It was found that the infrared emissions from the lamp were affected by the Xe excitation rate in the plasma, the Xe gas density, the collisional quenching of excited Xe species by gas molecules, and the recombination rate between the Xe ions and electrons.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.380-390
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• 2020

In this study, the traditional electron-blocking layer (EBL) in (In,Ga)N/GaN light-emitting diodes is replaced by a circular EBL that is the same size as the n-pad. The three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear Poisson, drift-diffusion, and continuity equations are adopted to simulate current transport in the LED and its characteristics. The results indicate that the local carrier-density distribution obtained for the circular EBL design is more uniform than that for the traditional EBL design. This improves the uniformity of local radiative recombination and local internal quantum efficiency (IQE) at high injection levels, which leads to a higher lumped IQE and lower efficiency droop. With the circular EBL, the lumped IQE is higher in the outer active region and lower in the active region under the n-pad. Since most emissions from the active region under the n-pad are absorbed by the n-pad, obviously, an LED with a circular EBL will have a higher external quantum efficiency (EQE). The results also show that this LED works at lower applied voltages.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.586-591
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• 2021

This paper proposes a mathematical model that can calculate the luminescence characteristics driven by alternating current (AC) power using the current-voltage-luminance (I-V-L) properties of organic light emitting devices (OLED) driven by direct current power. Fluorescent OLEDs are manufactured to verify the model, and I-V-L characteristics driven by DC and AC are measured. The current efficiency of DC driven OLED can be divided into three sections. Region 1 is a section where the recombination efficiency increases as the carrier reaches the emission layer in proportion to the increase of the DC voltage. Region 2 is a section in which the maximum luminous efficiency is stably maintained. Region 3 is a section where the luminous efficiency decreases due to excess carriers. Therefore, the fitting equation is derived by dividing the current density and luminance of the DC driven OLED into three regions, and the current density and luminance of the AC driven OLED are calculated from the fitting equation. As a result, the measured and calculated values of the AC driving I-V-L characteristics show deviations of 4.7% for current density, 2.9 % for luminance, and 1.9 % for luminous efficiency.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.419-425
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• 2017

In this study, an efficient dye-sensitive solar cells (DSSC) was developed after post-treatment of ZnO on $TiO_2$ photoelectrode. The $TiO_2$ electrode with ZnO post treatment was prepared with Titanium isoporopoxide in Zinc Nitrate Hexahydrate aqueous solution by incineration for 30 min at $450^{\circ}C$. The ZnO-post treated $TiO_2$ electrode showed strong dispersion force between particles in relation to the control $TiO_2$, referring high specific surface area and dye-adsorption rate. Proper addition of ZnO enhanced electron mobility and reduced internal resistance and electron recombination. Light conversion efficiency of DSSCs containing the ZnO-posttreated $TiO_2$ electrode increased 35.4% when compared to the DSSCs using $TiO_2$ electrode. It is similar to the DSSCs with $TiCl_4$ post treatment $TiO_2$ electrode. Increasing of light conversion efficiency was due to high specific surface area and dispersion force, and low dye-adsorption rate and electron recombination. Taken together, ZnO may be used as posttreatment of photoelectrode and replaced $TiCl_4$ that has high toxicity and causticity.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.306-308
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• 2007

Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (PEGDME)/fumed silica/ 1-methyl -3-propylimidazolium iodide (MPII)/$I_2$ mixtures were used as polymer electrolytes in solid state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The contents of MPII were changed and the concentration of $I_2$ was fixed at 0.1 mole% with respect to the MPII. The maximum ionic conductivity was obtained at [EG]:[MPII]:[$I_2$]=10:1.5:0.15. It was supposed that the maximum of ionic conductivities would match with that of cell efficiencies, if the ionic conductivity is a rate determining step in the sol id state DSSCs. However, the maximum composition did not show the maximum solar cell performance, indicating the mismatch between ionic conductivity and cell performance. This suggests that the ionic conductivity may not be the rate controlling step in determining the cell efficiency in these experimental conditions, whereas other parameters such as the electron recombination might play an important role. Thus, we tried to modify the surface of the $TiO_2$ particles by coating a thin metal oxide such as $Al_2O_3$ or $Nb_2O_5$ layer to prevent electron recombination. As a result, the maximum of the cell efficiency was shifted to that of the ionic conductivity. The peak shifts were also attempted to be explained by the diffusion coefficient and the lifetime of electrons in the $TiO_2$ layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.76-76
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• 2011

Polymer-fullerene based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells can be fabricated in large area using low-cost roll-to-roll manufacturing methods. However, because of the low mobility of the BHJ materials, there is competition between the sweep-out of the photogenerated carriers by the built-in potential and recombination within the thin BHJ film [12-15]. Useful film thicknesses are limited by recombination. Thus, there is a need to increase the absorption by the BHJ film without increasing film thickness. Metal nanoparticles exhibit localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) which couple strongly to the incident light. In addition, relatively large metallic nanoparticles can reflect and scatter the light and thereby increase the optical path length within the BHJ film. Thus, the addition of metal nanoparticles into BHJ films offers the possibility of enhanced absorption and correspondingly enhanced photo-generation of mobile carriers. In this work, we have demonstrated several positive effects of shape controlled Au and Ag nanoparticles in organic P3HT/PC70BM, PCDTBT/PC70BM, Si-PCPDTBT/PC70BM BHJ-based PV devices. The use of an optimized concentration of Au and Ag nanomaterials in the BHJ film increases Jsc, FF, and the IPCE. These improvements result from a combination of enhanced light absorption caused by the light scattering of the nanomaterials in an active layer. Some of the metals induce the plasmon light concentration at specific wavelength. Moreover, improved charge transport results in low series resistance.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.336-340
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• 2015

For rear metallization with Al paste, Al back contacts require good passivation, high reflectance, and a processing temperature window compatible with the front metal. In this paper, the effect of the firing ambient during the metallization process on the formation of Al rear metal was investigated. We chose three different gases as ambient gases during the firing process. Using SEM, we observed the formation of a back surface field in $N_2$, $O_2$, and Air ambients. To determine the effect of the ambient on Voc, the suns-Voc tool was used. In this study, we described the mechanism of burn-out of organic materials in Al paste during the firing process. The oxygen ambient plays an important role in the burn-out process. We calculated the efficiency with obtained the back surface recombination velocities using PC1D simulation. It was found that the presence of oxygen during the firing process influenced the uniform back surface field because the organic materials in the Al paste were efficiently burned out during heating. The optimized temperature with oxygen flow shows an absolute efficiency of 19.1% at PC1D simulation.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.441-446
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• 2023

Electrical and optical characteristics of the GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED) with the improved multi-quantum well (MQW) structure have been studied for light source in bio-sensing systems. Novel GaN/In_0.1GaN/In_0.2GaN/In_0.1GaN/GaN and Al_0.1GaN/GaN/In_0.2GaN/GaN/Al_0.1GaN (MQW) structures were suggested, and their radiative recombination rate, light output power, electroluminescence, and external quantum efficiency were compared with those of the conventional GaN/In_0.2GaN/GaN MQW structure using device simulation. The LED with the GaN/In_0.1GaN/In_0.2GaN/In_0.1GaN/GaN MQW structure showed an excellent recombination rate of 5.57 × 10²⁸ cm^-3·s^-1 that was more than one order improvement over that of the conventional LED. In addition, the efficiency droop was relieved by the suggested stepped MQW structure.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.43.2-43.2
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• 2011

Minority Carrier recombination should be suppressed for high efficiency solar cells. However, impurities in the silicon bulk region deteriorate the minority carrier lifetimes, causes conversion efficiency drop. In this study, we introduced phosphorus external gettering for silicon heterojunction solar cell substrates. Gettering was undergone at 750, 800, 850 and $900^{\circ}C$ in furnace for 30 minutes. Bulk lifetimes and calculated diffusion length were improved. We applied phosphorus gettering to silicon heterojunction solar cells. Gettered group and ungettered group were used as substrate of silicon heterojunction solar cells. After fabrication, characteristics of solar cells were analyzed. The results were observed to see the enhancement of substrate quality which directly connects with solar cell properties.