• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.507-512
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• 2016

Expensive silver powder is used to form electrodes in most IT equipment, and recently, many attempts have been made to lower manufacturing costs by developing powders with Ag-Ni or Ag-Cu core-shell structures. This study examined the sintering behavior of Ag-Ni electrode powder with a core-shell structure for silicon solar cell with high energy efficiency. The electrode powder was found to have a surface similar to pure Ag powder, and cross-sectional analysis revealed that Ag was uniformly coated on Ni powder. Each electrode was formed by sintering in the range of $500^{\circ}C$ to $800^{\circ}C$, and the specimen sintered at $600^{\circ}C$ had the lowest sheet resistance of $5.5m{\Omega}/{\Box}$, which is about two times greater than that of pure Ag. The microstructures of electrodes formed at varying sintering temperatures were examined to determine why sheet resistance showed a minimum value at $600^{\circ}C$. The electrode formed at $600^{\circ}C$ had the best Ag connectivity, and thus provided a better path for the flow of electrons.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.661-665
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• 2013

We investigated the characteristics of electroless plated Cu films on screen printed Ag/Anodized Al substrate. Cu plating was attempted using neutral electroless plating processes to minimize damage of the anodized Al substrate; this method used sodium hypophosphite instead of formaldehyde as a reducing agent. The basic electroless solution consisted of $CuSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ as the main metal source, $NaH_2PO_2{\cdot}H_2O$ as the reducing agent, $C_6H_5Na_3O_7{\cdot}2H_2O$ and $NH_4Cl$ as the complex agents, and $NiSO_4{\cdot}6H_2O$ as the catalyser for the oxidation of the reducing agent, dissolved in deionized water. The pH of the Cu plating solutions was adjusted using $NH_4OH$. According to the variation of pH in the range of 6.5~8, the electroless plated Cu films were coated on screen printed Ag pattern/anodized Al/Al at $70^{\circ}C$. We investigated the surface morphology change of the Cu films using FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy). The chemical composition of the Cu film was determined using XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). The crystal structures of the Cu films were investigated using XRD (X-ray Diffraction). Using electroless plating at pH 7, the structures of the plated Cu-rich films were typical fcc-Cu; however, a slight Ni component was co-deposited. Finally, we found that the formation of Cu film plated selectively on PCB without any lithography is possible using a neutral electroless plating process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.735-738
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• 2000

The characteristics of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) are governed by many factors such as the power supply type, operating condition and electrode material. This work deals with the effect of wire electrode materials on the machining characteristics such as, metal removal rate, surface characteristics and surface roughness during WEDM A wire's thermal physical properties are melting point, electrical conductivity and vapor pressure. One of the desired qualities of wire is a low melting point and high vapor pressure to help expel the contaminants from the gap. They are determined by the mix of alloying elements (in the case of plain brass and coated wire) or the base core material(i.e. molybdenum). Experiments have been conducted regarding the choice of suitable wire electrode materials and influence of the properties of these materials on the machinability and surface characteristics in WEDM, the experimental results are presented and discussed from their metallurgical aspect. And the coating effect of various alloying elements(Au, Ag, Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn, etc.) to the Cu or 65-35 brass core on them was reviewed also. The removal rate of some coated wires are higher than that of 65-35 brass electrode wire because the wire is difficult to break due to the wire cooling effect of Zn evaporation latent heat and the Zn oxide on the surface is effective in preventing short circuit. The removal rate increases with increasing Zn content from 35, 40 and Zn coated wire

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.49-53
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• 2011

High-speed Cu filling into a through-silicon-via (TSV) and simplification of bumping process by electroplating for three dimensional stacking of Si dice were investigated. The TSV was prepared on a Si wafer by deep reactive ion etching, and $SiO_2$, Ti and Au layers were coated as functional layers on the via wall. In order to increase the filling rate of Cu into the via, a periodic-pulse-reverse wave current was applied to the Si chip during electroplating. In the bumping process, Sn-3.5Ag bumping was performed on the Cu plugs without lithography process. After electroplating, the cross sections of the vias and appearance of the bumps were observed by using a field emission scanning electron microscope. As a result, voids in the Cu-plugs were produced by via blocking around via opening and at the middle of the via when the vias were plated for 60 min at -9.66 $mA/cm^2$ and -7.71 $mA/cm^2$, respectively. The Cu plug with a void or a defect led to the production of imperfect Sn-Ag bump which was formed on the Cu-plug.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.262-263
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• 2005

For mechanical and electrical stability and environment protection, Cu and stainless steel stabilizer is laminated to Ag layer to produce a composite neutral-axis(N-A) architecture in which the YBCO layer is centered between the oxide buffered metallic substrate and stabilizer strip lamination. this architecture allows the wire to meet operational requirements including stresses at cryogenic temperature, winding tensions, mechanical bending requirements thermal and electrical stability under fault conditions. we have experimentally studied mechanical properties of laminated stainless steel stabilizer on YBCO coated conductors. we have laminated YBCO coated conductors by continuous dipping soldering process. we have investigated lamination interface between solder and stabilizer, YBCO coated conductor. we evaluated bonding properties tensile / shear bonding strength, peeling strength laminated YBCO coated conductors.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.25-29
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• 2014

Plasma organic thin film for PCB surface finish is a potential replacement of the conventional PCB finishes because of environment-friendly process, high corrosion-resistance and long shelf life over 1 year. In this study, solder joint properties of the plasma organic surface finish were estimated and compared with OSP surface finish. The plasma surface finish was deposited by chemical vapor deposition from fluorine-based precursors. The thickness of the plasma organic coating was 20 nm. Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder was used as solder joint materials. From a salt spray test, the plasma organic coating had higher corrosion resistance than the OSP surface finish. The spreadability of SAC305 on plasma organic coating was higher than that on OSP surface finish. SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the interfacial microstructure of the plasma surface finish sample were similar to that of the OSP sample. Solder joint strength of the plasma finish sample was also similar to that of the OSP finished sample.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.347.1-347.1
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• 2016

Screen printing is commonly used to form the electrode for crystalline silicon solar cells. However, it has caused high resistance and low aspect ratio, resulting in decrease of conversion efficiency. Accordingly, Ni/Cu/Ag plating method could be applied for crystalline silicon solar cells to reduce contact resistance. For Ni/Cu/Ag plating, laser ablation process is required to remove anti-reflection layers prior to the plating process, but laser ablation results in surface damage and then decrease of open-circuit voltage and cell efficiency. Another issue with plating process is ghost plating. Ghost plating occurred in the non-metallized region, resulting from pin-hole in anti-reflection layer. In this paper, we investigated the effect of Ni/Cu/Ag plating on the electrical properties, compared to screen printing method. In addition, phosphoric acid layer was spin-coated prior to laser ablation to minimize emitter damage by the laser. Phosphorous elements in phosphoric acid generated selective emitter throughout emitter layer during laser process. Then, KOH treatment was applied to remove surface damage by laser. At this step, amorphous silicon formed by laser ablation was recrystallized during firing process and remaining of amorphous silicon was removed by KOH treatment. As a result, electrical properties as Jsc, FF and efficiency were improved, but Voc was lower than screen printed solar cells because Voc was decreased due to surface damage by laser process. Accordingly, we expect that efficiency of solar cells could be improved by optimization of the process to remove surface damage.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.25-28
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• 2017

In superconducting coil applications particularly in wet wound coils, coated conductor (CC) tapes are subjected to different type of stresses that could affect its electromechanical transport property. These include hoop stress acting along the length of the CC tape and the Lorentz force acting perpendicular to the CC tape's surface. Since the latter is commonly associated with the delamination problem of multi-layered REBCO CC tapes, more understanding and attention on the delamination phenomena induced in the case of coil applications are needed. Difference on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of each constituent layer of the CC tape, the bobbin, and the impregnating materials is the main causes of delamination in CC tapes when subjected to thermal and mechanical cycling. In the design of degradation-free superconducting coils, therefore, characterization of the delamination behaviors including mechanism and strength in the multi-layered REBCO CC tapes becomes a critical issue. Various trials to increase the delamination strength by improving interface characteristics at interlayers have been performed. In this study, in order to investigate the influences of laser cleaning and Ag annealing treated at the substrate side surface, transverse tensile tests were conducted under different sample configurations using $4.5mm{\times}8mm$ upper anvil. The mechanical delamination strength of differently processed CC samples was examined at room temperature (RT). As a result, the Sample 1 with the additional laser cleaning and Ag annealing processes and the Sample 2 with additional Ag annealing process only showed higher mechanical delamination strength as compared to the Sample 3 without such additional treatments. Sample 3 showed quite different behavior when the loading direction is to the substrate side where the delamination strength much lower as compared to other cases.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2017

To synthesize copper nanoparticle a thermal decomposition was adopted. And to solve the problem of surface oxidation of the synthesized copper powder an electroless Ag plating method was used. The size and shape of synthesized Cu nanoparticle were affected by the size of copper oxalate used as a precursor, reaction solvent, reaction temperature and amount of reducing agent. Especially reaction solvent is dominant factor to control shape of Cu nano-particle which can have the shapes of sphere, polygon and rod. In case of glycerol, it produced spherical shape of about 500 nm in size. Poly ethylene produced uniform polygonal shape in about 700 nm and ethylene glycol produced both of polygon and rod having size range between 500 and 1500 nm. The silver coated copper powder showed a high electrical conductivity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3723-3729
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• 2010

We investigated the high-excitation voltage cathodoluminescence (CL) performance of blue light-emitting (ZnS:Ag,Al,Cl) and green light-emitting (ZnS:Cu,Al) phosphors coated with metal oxides ($SiO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, and MgO). Hydrolysis of the metal oxide precursors tetraethoxysilane, aluminum isopropoxide, and magnesium nitrate, with subsequent heat annealing at $400^{\circ}C$, produced $SiO_2$ nanoparticles, an $Al_2O_3$ thin film, and MgO scale-type film, respectively, on the surface of the phosphors. Effects of the phosphor surface coatings on CL intensities and aging behavior of the phosphors were assessed using an accelerating voltage of 12 kV. The MgO thick film coverage exhibited less reduction in initial CL intensity and was most effective in improving aging degradation. Phosphors treated with a low concentration of magnesium nitrate maintained their initial CL intensities without aging degradation for 2000 s. In contrast, the $SiO_2$ and the $Al_2O_3$ coverages were ineffective in improving aging degradation.