• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.337-337
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• 2012

Dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) having high efficiency with low cost was first reported by Gr$\ddot{a}$tzel et al. Many DSSC research groups attempt to enhance energy conversion efficiency by modifying the dye, electrolyte, Pt-coated electrode, and $TiO_2$ films. However, there are still some problems against realization of high-sensitivity DSSC such as the recombination of injected electrons in conduction band and the limited adsorption of dye on $TiO_2$ surface. The surface of $TiO_2$ is very important for improving hydrophilic property and dye adsorption on its surface. In this paper, we report a very efficient method to improve the efficiency and stability of DSSC with nano-structured $TiO_2$. Atmospheric plasma system was utilized for nitrogen plasma treatment on nano-structured $TiO_2$ film. We confirmed that the efficiency of DSSC was significantly dependent on plasma power. Relative in the $TiO_2$ surface change and characteristics after plasma was investigated by various analysis methods. The structure of $TiO_2$ films was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphology of $TiO_2$ films was observed using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The surface elemental composition was determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Each of plasma power differently affected conversion efficiency of DSSC with plasma-treated $TiO_2$ compared to untreated DSSC under AM 1.5 G spectral illumination of $100mWcm^{-2}$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.22-29
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• 2001

Plasma-sprayed coatings were prepared using by spray-dried Cr$_2$O$_3$ powder with and without MoO$_3$ addition. A reciprocal type tribe-tester was employed to examine friction and wear behavior of the specimens at room temperature. The worn surfaces of plasma spray coated specimens were observed by SEM. The results showed that friction coefficient of the MoO$_3$-added coatings were lower than those without MoO3 addition. However pure Cr$_2$O$_3$ coating showed the lowest wear loss at the self-mated test. The larger protecting layers were observed at the worn surface of plasma spray coated specimens with MoO$_3$ addition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.477-477
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• 2008

For more than three decades, the gate dielectrics in CMOS devices are $SiO_2$ because of its blocking properties of current in insulated gate FET channels. As the dimensions of feature size have been scaled down (width and the thickness is reduced down to 50 urn and 2 urn or less), gate leakage current is increased and reliability of $SiO_2$ is reduced. Many metal oxides such as $TiO_2$, $Ta_2O_4$, $SrTiO_3$, $Al_2O_3$, $HfO_2$ and $ZrO_2$ have been challenged for memory devices. These materials posses relatively high dielectric constant, but $HfO_2$ and $Al_2O_3$ did not provide sufficient advantages over $SiO_2$ or $Si_3N_4$ because of reaction with Si substrate. Recently, $HfO_2$ have been attracted attention because Hf forms the most stable oxide with the highest heat of formation. In addition, Hf can reduce the native oxide layer by creating $HfO_2$. However, new gate oxide candidates must satisfy a standard CMOS process. In order to fabricate high density memories with small feature size, the plasma etch process should be developed by well understanding and optimizing plasma behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary that the etch behavior of $HfO_2$ and plasma parameters are systematically investigated as functions of process parameters including gas mixing ratio, rf power, pressure and temperature to determine the mechanism of plasma induced damage. However, there is few studies on the the etch mechanism and the surface reactions in $BCl_3$ based plasma to etch $HfO_2$ thin films. In this work, the samples of $HfO_2$ were prepared on Si wafer with using atomic layer deposition. In our previous work, the maximum etch rate of $BCl_3$/Ar were obtained 20% $BCl_3$/ 80% Ar. Over 20% $BCl_3$ addition, the etch rate of $HfO_2$ decreased. The etching rate of $HfO_2$ and selectivity of $HfO_2$ to Si were investigated with using in inductively coupled plasma etching system (ICP) and $BCl_3/Cl_2$/Ar plasma. The change of volume densities of radical and atoms were monitored with using optical emission spectroscopy analysis (OES). The variations of components of etched surfaces for $HfO_2$ was investigated with using x-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS). In order to investigate the accumulation of etch by products during etch process, the exposed surface of $HfO_2$ in $BCl_3/Cl_2$/Ar plasma was compared with surface of as-doped $HfO_2$ and all the surfaces of samples were examined with field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscope (AFM).

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2021

In this study, we studied the alternative of plasma resistant ceramic parts that constitute plasma chambers in the semiconductor dry etching process. MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂(MAS) glass was made of 13 types of glass using the Design Of Experiments(DOE) and the effect on thermal properties such as glass transition temperature and crystallization temperature depending on the content of each composition and etching resistance to CF₄/O₂/Ar plasma gas. MAS glass showed excellent plasma resistance and surface roughness up to 20 times higher than quartz glass. As the content of Al₂O₃ and MgO increases, the plasma resistance is improved, and it has been confirmed that it has an inverse relationship with SiO₂.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.294-297
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• 2016

Titanium oxide ($TiO_2$) thin films were fabricated by unbalanced magnetron (UBM) sputtering. The fabricated $TiO_2$ films were treated by oxygen plasma under various RF powers. We investigated the characteristics of oxygen plasma treatment on the surface, structural, and physical properties of $TiO_2$ films prepared at various plasma treatment RF powers. UBM sputtered $TiO_2$ films exhibited higher contact angle value, smooth surface, and amorphous structure. However, the rms surface roughness $TiO_2$ films were rough, and the contact angle value was decreased with the increase of the plasma treatment RF power Also, the hardness value of $TiO_2$ film as physical properties was slightly increased with the increase of the plasma treatment RF power. In the results, the performance of $TiO_2$ films for self cleaning critically depended on the with the plasma treatment RF power.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.611-614
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• 2007

The changes in the work $function({\Phi}_w)$ in the MgO protective layers after $plasma(Ar,\;H_2)$ treatment have been studied using ${\Upsilon}-focused$ ion beam $({\Upsilon}-FIB)$ system. The ${\Phi}_w$ was determined as follows: Ar-plasma $treatment({\Phi}_w=4.52eV)$, $H_2-plasma$ $treatment({\Phi}_w=5.65eV)$, and non-plasma $treatment({\Phi}_w=4.64eV)$. The results indicated that the H-plasma could not make any effective physical etching due to the small masses of hydrogen atoms and molecules while the hydration of H-plasma could grow some contaminating materials on the surface of MgO.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.07a
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• pp.1462-1463
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• 2008

패키징 재료로 유연성이 뛰어난 polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS)를 사용하면 다양한 flexible packaging에 응용할 수 있다. 본 논문에서는 $O_2$ plasma를 이용한 PDMS의 표면 처리를 통해 PDMS의 표면에너지를 증가시키고, silicon과 PDMS 사이의 접착력 향상을 확인하였다. $O_2$ plasma power와 처리 시간에 따른 PDMS 표면의 접촉각을 측정하고 표면에너지를 산출하였는데, PDMS의 표면에너지는 $O_2$ plasma power에는 크게 영향을 받지 않고, plasma 처리 시간에 민감한 것으로 나타났다. Silicon-PDMS의 접착력 역시 plasma power에는 거의 영향을 받지 않았지만 plasma 처리 시간이 길어질수록 접착력이 커지는 것으로 확인되었는데 50W의 power로 25초 동안 처리한 조건에서 최대 130kPa의 압력까지 견디는 것으로 확인되었다. 이는 $O_2$ plasma 처리 시간이 길어짐에 따라 PDMS의 표면에너지가 커지고 이것이 silicon-PDMS의 접착력을 증가시키는 것을 나타낸다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.356-357
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• 2008

The effects of $O_2$ plasma ashing process for surface treatment of nano-wire Bio-FET were investigated. In order to evaluate the plasma damage introduced by $O_2$ plasma ashing, a back-gate biasing method was developed and the electrical characteristics as a function of $O_2$ plasma power were measured. Serious degradations of electrical characteristics of nano-wire Bio-FET were observed when the plasma power is higher than 50 W. For curing the plasma damages, a forming gas anneal (2 %, $H_2/N_2$) was carried out at $400^{\circ}C$. As a result, the electrical characteristics of nano-wire Bio-FET were considerably recovered.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.333-342
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• 1998

Plasma process has great possibilities to remove SOx, NOx simultaneously with high treatment efficiency and is expected to be suitable for small or middle plants. It was accomplished to evaluate SO2, NOx control possibility and achieve basic data to control pollutants by use of Surface Discharge Induced Plasma Chemical Process (SPCP) in this study. O3 generation characteristics by discharge of a plate was proportional to O2 concentration and power consumption and inversely proportional to temperature and humidity, In case of dry air, NOx was highly generated by N2 and O2 in air during the plasma discharge process but it was decreased considerably as H2O was added. SO2 removal efficiency was very high, and removal rate was 170,350 mEA at 30,50 watt respectively in flue gas which is usually contain HIO. NOx removal efficiency was about 57% at 40 watt power consumption with 7.5% humidity. It is estimated that H2O has an important role in reaction mechanism with pollutants according to plasma discharge.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2010

We have investigated the effects of hydrogen injection via in-situ gas addition ($O_2$, $H_2$, or $O_2$ + $H_2$ gas) and plasma post-treatment (Ar or Ar + H plasma) on material properties of ZnO that is considered to be as a channel layer in transparent thin film transistors. The variations in the electrical resistivity, optical transmittance and bandgap energy, and crystal quality of ZnO thin films were characterized in terms of the methods and conditions used in hydrogen injection. The resistivity was significantly decreased by injection of hydrogen; approximately $10^6\;{\Omega}cm$ for as-grown, $1.2\;{\times}\;10^2\;{\Omega}cm$ for in-situ with $O_2/H_2\;=\;2/3$ addition, and $0.1\;{\Omega}cm$ after Ar + H plasma treatment of 90 min. The average transmittance of ZnO films measured at a wavelength of 400-700 nm was gradually increased by increasing the post-treatment time in Ar + H plasma. The optical bandgap energy of ZnO films was almost monotonically increased by decreasing the $O_2/H_2$ ratio in in-situ gas addition or by increasing the post-treatment time in Ar + H plasma, while the post-treatment using Ar plasma hardly affected the bandgap energy. The role of hydrogen in ZnO was discussed by considering the creation and annihilation of oxygen vacancies as well as the formation of shallow donors by hydrogen.