2009.12
About Instruments Today No. 173
Solar Cells
Introduction to CdTe and CIGS Thin-Film Solar Cells [ 下載 PDF ]
Bae-Heng Tseng
Thin-film solar cells have the advantage of low material cost. The production cost as low as USD 0.86/W has been realized and announced recently by First Solar, a company produces CdTe solar modules. CIGS is another kind of thin film product having the potential for high cell efficiency as well as the feasibility for the development of nonvacuum roll-to-roll processes with very low cost. In this article, we give an introduction to CdTe and CIGS thinfilm solar cells for their material properties, device structures, and mass production technologies.
Applications of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) in Making Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells [ 下載 PDF ]
Gene Kuo, Ming-Tsun Kuo
Due to the advantages of low cost and proven mass production experience, thin film silicon solar cells have attracted considerable attention in the solar industry. The key technique lies in that, with the assistance of plasma, deposition of large-area thin film silicon can be done at low temperatures. This paper gives an overview of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) used in the solar industry. First of all, plasma physics, PECVD equipment and its process principles are explained. The second part briefly introduces the impacts of different plasma sources and hot wire CVD (HWCVD), in which no plasma involved, on the thin film silicon growth. Finally, if different considerations are taken into account, the design of commercial PECVD systems for thin film silicon solar cells can vary. Here single chamber, multi-chamber and roll-to-roll systems are described.
The Study of Fabricate CuInSe2 Thin Film Solar Cell by Using Non-Vacuum Coating Process [ 下載 PDF ]
Yen-Chao Wang, Wang-Lin Liu, Chao-Kai Hsu, Shu-Yuan Wu, Siau-Jyun Jhu
In this research, we used the solvothermal method to synthesize CuInSe2 nano powder. Then deposit thin layers of CuInSe2 inks on sodium glass substrates using simple non-vacuum techniques. Chalcopyrite-type thin film CuInSe2 was successfully prepared by using thermal processing. We had demonstrated it that by controlling and changing the thermal processing temperature, reaction time to control the particle size and crystal phase. We receive a result that thermal treatment of 500 °C/10 min is the best parameter under environment.
Introduction of Non-Destructive Displaying Defects Technology for Silicon-Based Solar Cell and Module [ 下載 PDF ]
Cheng-Yu Peng, Fu-Ming Lin, Chen-Lung Huang
A comprehensive overview of the non-destructive inspection utilized luminescence imaging is presented for characterizing the defects in the silicon-based solar cell. As a semiconductor device, silicon based device will emit near infrared light the same as a light-emitting diode (LED) by exciting the band gap. The charge coupled device (CCD) camera with high sensitivity and high dynamic range is able to display precisely the defect properties by electroluminescence (EL). In measurement mode contacted to power supply, the radiation emission by the solar cell can be recorded by the CCD camera with different spectrum ranges. In addition, the non-destructive inspection is satisfied for the large area and fast detection demands. The defects in the solar cells, including finger printing, busbar printing, micro crack defect, broken defect and local efficiency, can be detected in the resolved solar cell characterization, processing parameter feedback and quality control of PV production.
Application of Solution NMR in Protein Drug Design [ 下載 PDF ]
Jia-Hau Shiu, Woei-Jer Chuang
During recent years, protein therapeutics are increasingly used for the treatment of many diseases. This trend lights on the significant role of protein drugs in the development of drugs. To facilitate the applications of biologically functional protein in drug design, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of their conformations and their interactions with the receptors. NMR spectroscopy has the unique ability to retrieve information about 3D structures of proteins and their interactions with the target proteins in solution. Many NMR techniques have been used to study a number of pharmaceutically important proteins and characterize their interactions with the targets. In this review, we will introduce these NMR methods and show how to utilize them for protein drug design.
An Infrared LED Inspector for Describing Beam Profile [ 下載 PDF ]
Yung-Hsiang Chen, Tzu-Hsuan Wei, Tai-Shan Liao
We present an infrared LED inspector for beam spatial profile description. This paper is focused on the method of graphical user interface introductions, includes image processing and function. This system consists of the visible spectrum camera, a controled and analyzed NB, a phosphor plate, an inspector body and the tested LED fixture housing. The tested LED is turned on and emits the light on the phosphor plate, which faces the LED. The camera captures the output beam profile emitted from infrared LED on the phosphor plate. A computer program is designed to compensate the luminance relation versus the horizontal angle of the phosphor plate. The software automatically judges the output beam profiling of infrared LED. The image processing of this software includes ROI image processing, false-color image processing and power central distribution figure.
Design of Light Emitting Diodes Lamp [ 下載 PDF ]
Mau-Phon Houng, Shi-Xiong Lin, Hsin-Hui Chiu, Tony Hsiang, Chih-Hui Chinag
In this thesis, we use the optical simulation software to design the LED lighting lamps that correspond to national legislation in this essay and then achieve solid-state lighting. It is successful to utilize different diffusion angle of LED to build in optical simulation software. Besides, design of both directions on vertical and Λ-shaped lighting reflection modules to attain the patterns that we need in this essay. The LED simulation and fabrication optimum view angle of designed lamps is 140°, with the angle 70° of vertical reflection board and the angle (1, 18) and (1, 15) of Λ-shaped reflection board. In addition, the data of Luminous Intensity Distribution Curve correspond to the lamp characters of Bureau of Energy, Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Correlation of simulation and real works is higher than 98.3% at the luminous efficiency 44.87 lm/W, with the conversion efficiency up to 59.1%. For the real works of street lightings, the values of Overall Uniformity, Longitudinal Uniformity, and Threshold Increment are 0.5, 0.7, and 4 respectively when performing the real illumination simulation at average illumination 16 lx and average luminance 0.78 cd/m2. Compare to standards of CIE (Commission International de l'Eclairage), this design can be applied for the lighting of minor roads.
Evanescent Wave Fluorescence Biosensor with Core-Shell Nanoparticles [ 下載 PDF ]
Yu-Zheng Su, Huihua Kenny Chiang, Min-Wei Hung
Evanescent wave fluorescent biosensors have developed for 30 years. Nonetheless, the technology continues to evolve with new breakthroughs in optics, biochemistry, and chemical engineering. Recently, there have been explosive developments in the metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) technology to favorably modify the spectral properties and to alleviate photo-physical constraints. We report the development of core-shell nanoparticles with the silver core and SiO2 shell for potential applications in fiber optic biosensor. The fluorescence intensity was approximately 50-fold higher than that without core-shell nanoparticles doping. In addition, four different kinds of organic solvents are used in this study and found to have influence on the fluorescence intensity from 1.3 to over 100 times.
The Application of CNTs on CO2 Bubble Removal in DMFC [ 下載 PDF ]
Chun-Ting Lin, Soon-Lin Chen, Fan-Gan Tseng
Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has been a hot issue in portable energy source recently. Passive operation, microsize, and high power density is the trend of DMFC development. High CO2 production rate is accompany with high current density, so that the CO2 bubble removal issue would be more critical. This paper starts from the principle of DMFC and reviews several micro channel designs and surface treatments that facilitate CO2 bubble removal. Also, this paper proposes that carbon nanotubes, CNTs, modified electrodes can facilitate CO2 bubble removing passively. The influence of CO2 bubble removing efficiency on electrocatalytic current is also discussed in this paper.
A Detection for Levobupivacaine by Using Polypyrrole Material [ 下載 PDF ]
Ren-Jang Wu, Te-Chin Tsai, Hsiang-Ning Luk
An electrochemical impedance method to detect concentrations of the local anesthetics levobupivacaine was implemented and the concentration could be detected to 1 ppm. Electropolymerized pyrrole to polypyrrole (Ppy) was fabricated on gold electrodes and used as sensors. Cyclic voltammeter (CV) was applied to the characterization of the sensing material Ppy. Material Studio software 4.0 was used to simulate the Levobupivacaine molecule on the surface of the 3 × 3 Ppy, and the adsorption energy was calculated as −1.88 kcal/mol. The nearest distance between the Levobupivacaine and Ppy is around 0.24 to 0.26 nm. Various concentrations of rocuronium from 1 to 10,000 ppm were prepared in DI water and medical injection 0.9% NaCl solution as the test samples. A 10 kHz frequency was used in the analytical curve, and the R-square value was 0.994 in DI water system. Equivalent circuits in the electrochemical system were determined in this study.
