• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.235-240
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• 2010

We investigated the carbon monoxide (CO) gas-sensing properties of nanostructured Al-doped zinc oxide thin films deposited on self-assembled Au nanodots (ZnO/Au thin films). The Al-doped ZnO thin film was deposited onto the structure by rf sputtering, resulting in a gas-sensing element comprising a ZnO-based active layer with an embedded Pt/Ti electrode covered by the self-assembled Au nanodots. Prior to the growth of the active ZnO layer, the Au nanodots were formed via annealing a thin Au layer with a thickness of 2 nm at a moderate temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. It was found that the ZnO/Au nanostructured thin film gas sensors showed a high maximum sensitivity to CO gas at $250^{\circ}C$ and a low CO detection limit of 5 ppm in dry air. Furthermore, the ZnO/Au thin film CO gas sensors exhibited fast response and recovery behaviors. The observed excellent CO gas-sensing properties of the nanostructured ZnO/Au thin films can be ascribed to the Au nanodots, acting as both a nucleation layer for the formation of the ZnO nanostructure and a catalyst in the CO surface reaction. These results suggest that the ZnO thin films deposited on self-assembled Au nanodots are promising for practical high-performance CO gas sensors.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.377-383
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• 2009

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were deposited on sapphire substrate by using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and were performed in the temperature range of $600-900^{\circ}C$ by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The crystallographic structure and the surface morphology were investigated by using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The crystallinity of the films was improved with increasing the annealing temperature and the average size of crystalline grains was found to be 50 nm. All the thin films showed an average transmittance of 92% in the wavelength range of 400-1100 nm. As the annealing temperature was increased, the bandgap energy was decreased and the violet photoluminescence (PL) signal at 400 nm replaced the ultraviolet PL signal. The electrical properties of the thin films showed a significant dependence on the annealing temperature.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.508-513
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• 2015

A capacitive-type touch screen panel (TSP) composed of silver nanowire (AgNW) crossing electrodes and transparent bridge structures was fabricated on a polycarbonate film. The transparent bridge structure was formed with a stack of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) electrodes and SU-8 insulator. The stable and robust continuity of the bridge electrode over the bridge insulator was achieved by making the side-wall slope of the bridge insulator low and depositing the conformal AZO film with atomic layer deposition. With an extended exposure time of photolithography, the lower part of the SU-8 layer around the region uncovered by the photomask can be exposed enough to the UV light scattered from the substrate. This leads to the low side-wall slope of the bridge insulator. The fabricated TSP sample showed a large capacitance change of 22.71% between with and without touching. Our work supplies the technological clue for ensuring long-term reliability to the highly flexible and transparent TSP made by using conventional fabrication processes.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.07a
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• pp.1260-1261
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• 2008

Aluminium doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) thin film has emerged as one of the most promising transparent conducting electrode in flat panel displays(FPD) and in photovoltaic devices since it is inexpensive, mechanically stable, and highly resistant to deoxidation. In this paper ZnO:Al thin film was deposited on the polyethylene terephthalate(PET) substrate by the capacitively coupled r.f. magnetron sputtering method. Wide ranges of bias voltage, -30V${\sim}$45V, was applied to the growing films as an additional energy instead of substrate heating, and the effect of positive and negative bias on the film structure and electrical properties of ZnO:Al films was studied and discussed. The results showed that a bias applied to the substrate during sputtering contributed to the improvement of electrical properties of the film by attracting ions and electrons in the plasma to bombard the growing films. These bombardments provided additional energy to the growing ZnO film on the substrate, resulting in significant variations in film structure and electrical properties. The film deposited on the PET substrate at r. f. discharge power of 200 W showed the minimum resistivity of about $2.4{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}-cm$ and a transmittance of about 87%.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2009

The optimal condition of low temperature deposition of transparent conductive Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films is studied by RF magnetron sputtering method. To achieve enhanced-electrical property and good crystallites quality, we tried to deposit on glass using a two-step growth process. This process was to deposit AZO buffer layer with optimal growth condition on glass in-situ state. The AZO film grown at rf 120 W on buffer layer prepared at RF $50{\sim}60\;W$ shows the electrical resistivity $3.9{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}cm$, Carrier concentration $1.22{\times}10^{21}/cm^3$, and mobility $9.9\;cm^2/Vs$ in these results, The crystallinity of AZO film on buffer layer was similar to that of AZO film on glass with no buffer later but the electrical properties of the AZO film were 30% improved than that of the AZO film with no buffer layer. Therefore, the cause of enhanced electrical properties was explained to be dependent on degree of crystallization and on buffer layer's compressive stress by variation of $Ar^+$ ion impinging energy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.340-340
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• 2016

We have prepared alumina (Al2O3) doped zinc oxide (AZO) films by DC magnetron sputtering (MS) technique and obtained higher self surface texturing at a high target angle (f). We have characterized the films and applied it as a front electrode of a single junction amorphous silicon solar cell. At a lower f the deposited films show higher values of optical gap (Eg), charge carriers mobility & concentration, crystallite grain size and wider wavelength range of transmission. At higher target angle the sheet resistance, surface roughness, haze factor etc for the films increase. For f=72.5o the haze factor for diffused transmission becomes 6.46% at 540 nm wavelength. At f=72.5o the material shows a reduction in crystallinity and evolution of a hemispherical-type sub-micron surface textures. A Monte Carlo method (MCM) of simulation of the AZO film deposition shows that such an enhanced self-surface texturing of the films at higher f is possible.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.280-286
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• 2010

We have investigated the influence of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) temperature on properties of Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films deposited on glass substrate by using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The RTA is performed in a nitrogen ambient in the temperature range from 300 to $600^{\circ}C$ for 1 minute in a rapid thermal annealer after growing the AZO thin films. The crystallographic structure and the surface morphology of AZO thin film are measured by using X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The optical transmittance of the deposited thin films is examined in the wavelength range of 300-1100 nm, where the average transmittance is above the 90% in the visible and near-infrared regions. The optical bandgap is calculated from the Tauc's model, and it shows a significant dependence on the RTA temperature. As for the electrical properties of the thin films, the AZO thin film annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ shows the lowest electrical resistivity of $8.6{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$ and the Hall mobility of $11.3cm^2$/V-sec. These results suggest that the RTA temperature is an important parameter to influence on the structural, electrical, and optical properties of AZO thin films.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.259-259
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• 2011

염료감응형 태양전지(Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells:DSSC)는 환경 친화적이며, 저가의 공정에 대한 가능성으로 기존의 고가의 결정질 실리콘 태양전지의 경제적인 대안으로 각광을 받고 있다. 최근 염료감응형 태양전지는 투명 전도성 산화막(Transparent Conducting Oxide : TCO)으로 사용되는 Fluorine Tin Oxide (FTO)가 증착된 유리기판 위에 주로 제작된다. FTO는 낮은 비저항과 가시광선 영역에서 높은 투과도를 가지는 우수한 전기-광학적 특성을 갖지만, 비교적 공정이 까다로운 Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)법으로 제조하며, 전체 공정비용의 60%를 차지하는 높은 생산단가로 인해 현재 FTO를 대체할 재료개발 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 그 중 ZnO (Zinc Oxide)는 우수한 전기-광학적 특성과 비교적 저렴한 가격으로 새로운 TCO로써 주목받고 있다. ZnO는 넓은 energy band gap (3.4 [eV])의 육방정계 울자이트(hexagonal wurtzite) 결정 구조를 가지는II-VI족 n형 반도체 물질이며, III족 금속원소인 Al, Ga 및 In 등의 불순물을 첨가하면 TCO로서 우수한 전기-광학적 특성과 안정성을 나타낸다. 이들 물질중 $Zn^{2+}$ (0.060 nm)의 이온반경과 유사한 $Ga^{2+}$0.062 nm) 이온이 ZnO의 격자반경을 최소화 시킬 수 있다는 장점으로 최근 주목 받고 있다. 하지만 Ga-doped ZnO (GZO)의 경우 DSC에 사용되는 루테늄 계열의 산성 염료 하에 장시간 두면 표면이 파괴되는 문제가 발생하며, $TiO_2$ paste를 Printing 후 열처리하는 과정에서도 박막의 파괴가 발생할 수 있다. 이를 방지하기 위해 $TiO_2$ Blocking Layer를 GZO 투명전극 위에 증착하였다. 또한, $TiO_2$ Blocking Layer를 적용한 GZO 박막을 전면전극으로 이용하여 DSC를 제작하여 효율을 확인하였다. 2wt%의 $Ga_2O_3$가 도핑된 ZnO 박막은 20mTorr 400$^{\circ}C$에서 Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)에 의해 성장되었고, $TiO_2$박막은 Ti 금속을 타겟으로 이용하여 30mTorr 400$^{\circ}C$에서 증착되었다. Scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM)을 이용한 박막 분석 결과 $TiO_2$가 증착된 GZO 박막의 경우 표면 파괴가 일어나지 않았다. Solar Simulator을 이용하여 I-V특성 측정결과 상용 FTO를 사용한 DSC 수준의 효율을 나타내었다. 이에 따라 Pulsed Laser Deposition을 이용해 제작된 GZO 기판은 $TiO_2$ Blocking Layer를 이용하여 표면 파괴를 방지할 수 있었으며, 이는 향후 염료감응형 태양전지의 투명전극에 적용 가능 할 것으로 판단된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.262.1-262.1
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• 2013

ZnO 나노구조는 전기적 성질과 화학적인 안정성 때문에 가스센서, 투명 전극 및 태양전지와 같은 전자소자와 광소자에 널리 사용되고 있다. ZnO 박막을 증착하는 방법은 Physical Vapor Deposition과 Chemical Vapor Deposition이 있으나 나노 구조를 가진 SnO2를 형성하기 어렵다. 전기 화학적 증착(Electrochemical Deposition: ECD)은 낮은 온도에서 진공 공정이 필요하지 않기 때문에 경제적이며 빠른 성장 속도를 가지고 있기 때문에 ZnO 나노 구조를 효과적으로 형성 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) 기판 위에 ZnO 나노 구조를 형성시켜 전기적 및 구조적 특성을 관찰하였다. 0.1 M zinc nitrate와 0.1 M potassium chloride를 용매에 각각 용해하여 ZnO 나노구조를 성장하였다. ZnO 나노구조를 성장하기 위하여 인가전압을 -0.75 V부터 -2.5 V까지 0.5 V 간격으로 변화하였다. X-선 회절 분석결과에서 ZnO의 피크의 크기가 큰 전기화적적 성장 전압구간과, 주사전자현미경 분석결과에서 나노 구조가 가장 잘 나타난 성장 전압구간을 다시 0.1 V 간격으로 세분화하여 최적화 조건을 분석하였다. X-선 회절 실험으로 형성한 ZnO 나노구조의 피크가 (110) (002)로 나타났다. X-선 회절 분석의 intensity의 값이 (002)방향이 가장 크게 나타났으므로 우선적으로 (002) 방향으로 ZnO 나노구조가 성장됨을 알 수 있었다. 주사전자현미경상은 grain size가 200~300 nm 사이의 ZnO 나노구조가 형성되며, grain size가 전기화학적 증착 장치의 성장전압이 커짐에 따라 커지는 것을 알 수 있었다.