With dwindling energy reserves, Photovoltaic(PV) module which is one of the most promising renewable sources of energy is slowly becoming indispensable for world's electricity production paradigm. Due to the low electrical resistance and high optical transparency in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum, Transparent Conducting Oxide (TCO) thin film(TF)s have found application as window electrode for fabrication of solar cell. Besides TCOs have wide application in display devices and other optoelectronic devices. This book mainly focuses on the fabrication and study of the optoelectronic properties of TCO thin films with special reference to PV application. This book also includes the fabrication and study of a heterojunction II-VI semiconductor solar cell using TCO as front electrode. It also highlights different methods used for the study of optoelectrical and structural properties of TF (e.g. SEM, XRD, thickness measurement, optical band gap, mobility, determination of carrier type, carrier concentration, conductivity etc.). This book is designed to serve as a handbook for the beginners who want to work in the field of thin film technology.
Gallium Oxide: Technology, Devices and Applications discusses the wide bandgap semiconductor and its promising applications in power electronics, solar blind UV detectors, and in extreme environment electronics. It also covers the fundamental science of gallium oxide, providing an in-depth look at the most relevant properties of this materials system. High quality bulk Ga2O3 is now commercially available from several sources and n-type epi structures are also coming onto the market. As researchers are focused on creating new complex structures, the book addresses the latest processing and synthesis methods. Chapters are designed to give readers a complete picture of the Ga2O3 field and the area of devices based on Ga2O3, from their theoretical simulation, to fabrication and application. Provides an overview of the advantages of the gallium oxide materials system, the advances in in bulk and epitaxial crystal growth, device design and processing Reviews the most relevant applications, including photodetectors, FETs, FINFETs, MOSFETs, sensors, catalytic applications, and more Addresses materials properties, including structural, mechanical, electrical, optical, surface and contact
The world of today must face up to two contradictory energy problems: on the one hand, there is the sharply growing consumer demand in countries such as China and India. On the other hand, natural resources are dwindling. Moreover, many of those countries which still possess substantial gas and oil supplies are politically unstable. As a result, renewable natural energy sources have received great attention. Among these, solar-cell technology is one of the most promising candidates. However, there still remains the problem of the manufacturing costs of such cells. Many attempts have been made to reduce the production costs of conventional solar cells (manufactured from monocrystalline silicon using diffusion methods) by instead using cheaper grades of silicon, and simpler pn-junction fabrication. That is the hero of this book; the heterojunction solar cell.
This dissertation, "Preparation and Post-annealing Effects on the Optical Properties of Indium Tin Oxide Thin Films" by Rongxin, Wang, 王榮新, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Abstract of thesis entitled PREPARATION AND POST-ANNEALING EFFECTS ON THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF INDIUM TIN OXIDE THIN FILMS Submitted by WANG Rong Xin for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Hong Kong in April 2005 Many opto-electronic devices, such as III-V compound devices, liquid crystal displays, solar cells, organic and inorganic light emitting devices, and ultraviolet photodetectors, demand transparent electrode materials simultaneously having high electrical conductance. To meet the requirements for particular applications, a great deal of basic research and studies have been carried out on the electrical and optical properties of these materials. As a most promising candidate for such materials, indium tin oxide (ITO) has attracted interest in recent years. Furthermore, ITO has many unique properties such as excellent adhesion on the substrate, thermal stability and ease of patterning. The deposition of high-quality ITO thin films is a key step for successful application of ITO thin films as transparent electrode materials. To obtain optimal electrical and optical properties of ITO films, the growth parameters and conditions must be determined. Moreover, the optical and electrical properties of ITO contact layers, which can either be on the top side or the bottom side of a device, are influenced by various post-deposition treatments. For the present work, ITO thin films were deposited on glass and quartz substrates using e-beam evaporation with different deposition rates. The influence of substrate material, deposition rate, deposition gas environment and post-deposition annealing on the optical properties of the films was investigated in detail. Atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy was employed to obtain information on the chemical state and crystallization of the films. Analysis of these data suggests that the substrate material, deposition rate, deposition gas environment and post-deposition annealing conditions strongly affect the chemical composition and the microstructure of the ITO films and these in turn influence the optical properties of the film. Oxygen incorporation transfers the In O phase to the In O phase and removes metallic In to form both indium oxide 2 3-x 2 3 phases. Both of these reactions are beneficial for the optical transmittance of ITO thin films. Moreover, it was found that the incorporation and decomposition reactions of oxygen can be controlled so as to change the optical properties of the ITO thin films reversibly. DOI: 10.5353/th_b3154617 Subjects: Thin films - Optical properties Indium compounds Annealing of metals
Transparent conducting materials are key elements in a wide variety of current technologies including flat panel displays, photovoltaics, organic, low-e windows and electrochromics. The needs for new and improved materials is pressing, because the existing materials do not have the performance levels to meet the ever- increasing demand, and because some of the current materials used may not be viable in the future. In addition, the field of transparent conductors has gone through dramatic changes in the last 5-7 years with new materials being identified, new applications and new people in the field. “Handbook of Transparent Conductors” presents transparent conductors in a historical perspective, provides current applications as well as insights into the future of the devices. It is a comprehensive reference, and represents the most current resource on the subject.
