Yonkil Jeong

Enhanced power generation in concentrated photovoltaics using broadband antireflective coverglasses with moth eye structures.

We present the effect of broadband antireflective coverglasses (BARCs) with moth eye structures on the power generation capability of a sub-receiver module for concentrated photovoltaics. The period and height of the moth eye structures were designed by a rigorous coupled-wave analysis method in order to cover the full solar spectral ranges without transmission band shrinkage. The BARCs with moth eye structures were prepared by the dry etching of silver (Ag) nanomasks, and the fabricated moth eye structures on coverglass showed strongly enhanced transmittance compared to the bare glass with a flat surface, at wavelengths of 300 - 1800 nm. The BARCs were mounted on InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells and the power conversion efficiency of this sub-receiver module reached 42.16% for 196 suns, which is a 7.41% boosted value compared to that of a module with bare coverglass, without any detrimental changes of the open circuit voltages (Voc) and fill factor (FF).

Improved Efficiency by Using Transparent Contact Layers in InGaN-Based p-i-n Solar Cells

InGaN/GaN p-i-n solar cells were fabricated either without a current spreading layer or with ITO or Ni/Au spreading layers. A 10.8% indium composition was confirmed within an i-InGaN layer using X-ray diffraction. I-V characteristics were measured at AM1.5 conditions, with solar cell parameters being obtained based on I-V curves in all cases. Current spreading layers produced strong effects on efficiency. The solar cell with the ITO current spreading layer showed the best results, i.e., a short circuit current density of 0.644 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 2.0 V, a fill factor of 79.5%, a peak external quantum efficiency of 74.1%, and a conversion efficiency of 1.0%.

Biased internal potential distributions in a bulk-heterojunction organic solar cell incorporated with a TiOx interlayer

External-biased potential distributions of a polymer bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell, incorporated with electron/hole transporting layers, were directly obseved through a cross-sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy. The bulk electric field of BHJ was found to be nearly field-free even under reverse biases, and the field-free region was probed to expand with the incorporation of TiOx electron transporting layer; as a result, inducing a decrease of quasi-Fermi level splitting region in obtaining a high fill factor in the TiOx-interlayered junction photodiodes.

Fast and low-temperature reduction of graphene oxide films using ammonia plasma

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been produced using an ammonia (NH3) plasma reduction method. Simultaneous nitrogen doping during the reduction process enabled a rapid and low-temperature restoration of the electrical properties of the rGO. The chemical, structural, and electrical properties of the rGO films were analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and conductivity measurements. The oxygen functional groups were efficiently removed, and simultaneous nitrogen doping (6%) was carried out. In addition, the surface of the rGO film was flattened. Consequently, the rGO films exhibited electrical properties comparable to those prepared via other reduction methods.

Ultrawide Spectral Response of CIGS Solar Cells Integrated with Luminescent Down-Shifting Quantum Dots

Conventional Cu(In1-x,Gax)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells exhibit poor spectral response due to parasitic light absorption in the window and buffer layers at the short wavelength range between 300 and 520 nm. In this study, the CdSe/CdZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) acting as a luminescent down-shifting (LDS) layer were inserted between the MgF2 antireflection coating and the window layer of the CIGS solar cell to improve light harvesting in the short wavelength range. The LDS layer absorbs photons in the short wavelength range and re-emits photons in the 609 nm range, which are transmitted through the window and buffer layer and absorbed in the CIGS layer. The average external quantum efficiency in the parasitic light absorption region (300-520 nm) was enhanced by 51%. The resulting short circuit current density of 34.04 mA/cm2 and power conversion efficiency of 14.29% of the CIGS solar cell with the CdSe/CdZnS QDs were improved by 4.35 and 3.85%, respectively, compared with those of the conventional solar cells without QDs.

Quasi-Photonic Crystal Effect of TiCl3/Electrolyte Matrix in Unipolar Dye–Absorber Devices

Effectiveness of TiCl3 pre- and post-treatments on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and interfacial charge-transfer properties were investigated. It was confirmed that a yield of current collection was strongly dependent on the position of the TiCl3/electrolyte matrix in the DSC configuration. The interfacial charge-transfer properties were studied using thermionic emission-diffusion process and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis. The TiCl3/electrolyte matrix was considered to be a three-dimensional quasi-photonic crystal with a photonic band gap, which reinforces electric field and facilitates current collection from the TiCl3/electrolyte matrix to the FTO by accelerating electron motion, whereas the potential barrier blocks current collection from the TiO2 bulk region to the FTO and decreases current.