Convergence Components & Materials Research Laboratory

areas for Research & Development

  Field of the solar cell technology

Overview

We are developing the technology to improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency, R&D on materials, various device processing such as evaporation, reactive sputter- ing, electroplating etc. and module fabrication is being investigated. In specifics, we are working on the high efficient ultra-thin (less than 1 um) CIGS photovoltaic device and its mechanism, flexible devices prepared on stainless steel foil and polymer (polyimide), and the impurity effect on the devices embedded in substrates under high temperature.

Si/SiGe thin film solar cells research works including highly conductive and transparent TCO, highly efficient light capturing structure using PECVD, ICPCVD, and sputter deposition techniques, and feasibility studies on new light absorbing materials and new device structures are carried out. We are developing the high efficient, low cost and flexible DSSCs, and undergoing the research on the improvement of the life time of DSSCs, which is the key technology for the commercialization of DSSCs. DSSCs for Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) and intelligent green house are in the our research area.

Maximum power tracking and conversion technology is under development to enhance the solar power generation efficiency.

  Packaging technology

Overview

The fluxing underfill materials with a elimination effect of oxide layer on the solder are being researched for the electrical and mechanical interconnection of the semiconductor packaging. 3D IC design and integration, which is one of the key technologies of next-generation, is bing studied. The research activity includes a series of fabrication process technologies for the formation of TSV (Through-Silicon Via), low-cost bumping technology, and stacking process technology with the fluxing underfill. The signal integrity and power integrity of the 3D stacked silicon modules are, also, under study.

  Field of the Terahertz technology

Overview

We are working with the research and development of terahertz waves as future underdeveloped frequency resources. Terahertz waves are in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum between 300GHz to 10THz, corresponding to the wavelength range from submillimeter of electronic devices to 30micrometer of photonic devices. Like infrared or microwave radiation, these waves travel straight in the line of sight and penetrate wide variety of non-conducting materials, which make them applicable to the future sensor and ultra broadband communication. With a high absorption in the water and inter-molecular vibration frequency range, the THz radiation can be used for the analysis of biomedical materials and systems. For an ultra broadband and a high transfer rate wireless communication in short distance, the THz waves technology has a great potential.

We are setting up a THz-TDS (Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy) system by using LT(Low Temperature)-GaAs based photoconductive switching antenna devices for generation and detection of THz radiation with a femtosecond laser illumination. With the system, we investigate the imaging and spectroscopy of several biomedical materials. THz images and spectrum can give us unique properties of the materials comparing with IR and UV analysis. THz radiation is non-ioninzing, and thus is not expected to damage DNA in biomaterials. Recently, we developed a small size table-top THz-TDS /Imaging system(Fig 1(A)) and packaging module(Ver. 3, 2009) of key components.

We are developing a THz communication technology to realize ultra high speed(≥10 Gbps) and high capacity local area wireless communication. In order to develop the THz wireless communication technologies, opto-electronics, superconductor, millimeter wave integrated circuits, and THz photonics/electronics should be merged. With the THz communication, an HD moving picture can be transferred without data compression and a huge amount of data can be processed simultaneoulsy. In the situation of wireless real time broadcasting which require a high capacity and a high speed such as sports relay and disaster spot, the THz communication system can be employed usefully.

Recently, We developed the standard rack type(19-inch) THz-CW generation system in order to man- ufacture a small type THz-wave receiver with the ASK modulation functions, and to implement and commercialize a high speed/large capacity communication system in advance(Fig 2).