• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1121-1128
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• 1997

In this study, the Ar plasma treatment was used to improve the surface roughness of Poly-Si1-xGex thin film deposited by RTCVD. The surface roughness and the resistivity of Si1-xGex thin film were investigated with variation of Ar plasma treatment parameters (electrode distance, working pressure, time, substrate temperature and R.F power). When the Ar plasma treatment was used, the cluster size decreased by the surface etching effect due to the increasing surface collision energy of particles (ion, neutral atom) in plasma under the conditions of decreasing electrode distance and increasing pressure, time, temperature, and R. F power. Although the surface roughness value decreased by the reduction of the cluster size due to surface etching effect, however, the resistivity increased. This may be due to the surface damage caused by the increasing surface collision energy. It was concluded that the surface roughness could be improved by the Ar plasma treatment, while the resistivity was increased by the surface damage on the substrate.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.740-746
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• 2002

In this study, the polycarbonate surface was treated by $O_2$/ Ar gases plasma for the enhancement of adhesion with Cu electrode. From the point of view of hydrophilicity and the functionality, the micro-roughness, new functional groups and oxygen content of the polycarbonate surface were increased by the $O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment. The Cu films deposited on the as-received polycarbonate were easily detached while, after the$ O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment the adhesive Cu films on polycarbonate could be obtained. These results can be explained that the polycarbonate had a hydrophilic surface with uniform micro-roughness and new functional groups by $O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment. Therefore,$O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment is a promising method for improvement of adhesion between polycarbonate and Cu electrode.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.387-392
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• 2003

The ablation effects of Ar-plasma treatment and alkali-decomposition behavior in NaOH solution of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film were investigated. The modifications were evaluated by analysis of atomic force microscopy topographical changes, and by the measurement of decomposition yield in conjunction with heats of formation and electron densities of acyl carbon calculated by Parameterization Method 3 method. It has shown that the alkali-decomposition is hampered by plasma treatment and its decomposition yield is closely related with plasma treatment conditions such as exposure time to plasma. Plasma-treated PET films exhibited lower decomposition yield, compared to that of virgin PET. Increasing plasma exposure time contributes positively to decrease the decomposition yield. It has also shown that the topography of PET surface was affected by the base-promoted hydrolysis as well as Ar-plasma treatments. These behaviors are attributed to the decreased nucleophilicity of acyl carbon damaged by the ablation of Ar-plasma.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.67-68
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• 2008

A simple bi-layer structure of organic light emitting diode (OLED) was used to study the characteristics of anode preparation. Indium tin oxide (ITO) anode surface treatment of OLEDs was performed to get the optimum condition for the ITO anode. The ITO surface was treated by $O_2$ or $O_2$ / Ar mixed gas plasma with different processing time. The electrical characteristics of OLED were improved by plasma treatment. The operating voltage of OLED with $O_2$ or $O_2$/Ar mixed gas plasma treated anodes decreases from 8.2 to 3.4 V and 3.2V, respectively. The $O_2$ /Ar mixed gas plasma treatment results in better electrical property.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.291-295
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• 2002

Atomic force microscopy(AFM) was used to study the polyethylene(PE) surfaces grafted and immobilized with acrylic acid by Ar plasma treatment. The topographical images and parameters including RMS roughness and Rp-v value provided an appropriate means to characterize the surfaces. The plasma grafting and immobilization method were a useful tool for the preparation of surfaces with carboxyl group. However, the plasma immobilization method turned out to have a limitation to use as a means of preparation of PE surface with specific functionalities, due to ablation effect during the Ar plasma treatment process.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2010

To improve the antifouling characteristics of polypropylene hollow fiber microporous membranes in a submerged membrane-bioreactor for wastewater treatment, the surface-modification was conducted by Ar plasma treatment. Surface hydrophilicity was assessed by water contact angle measurements. The advancing and receding water contact angles reduced after the surface modification, and hysteresis between the advancing and receding water contact angles was enlarged after Ar plasma treatment due to the increased surface roughness after surface plasma treatment. After continuous operation in a submerged membrane-bioreactor for about 55 h, the flux recovery after water cleaning and the flux ratio after fouling were improved by 20.0 and 143.0%, while the reduction of flux was reduced by 28.6% for the surface modified membrane after 1 min Ar plasma treatment, compared to those of the unmodified membrane. Morphological observations showed that the mean membrane pore size after Ar plasma treatment reduced as a result of the deposition of the etched species; after it was used in the submerged membrane-bioreactor, the further decline of the mean membrane pore size was caused by the deposition of foulants. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy confirmed that proteins and polysaccharide-like substances were the main foulants in the precipitate.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.43-46
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of the post Ar plasma treatment at different RF powers for various durations on electrical, structural, and optical properties of relatively thin Al-doped zinc oxide films. The sheet resistance was observed to decrease rapidly for the first 5min, beyond which the resistance apparently saturated. As the RF power increased, the grain size and the interplanar distance of (002) planes also increased. The observed decrease in sheet resistance was stated to be a consequence of Al and/or Zn interstitials as well as grain growth. It was also found that Ar plasma treatment increased the transmittance of Al-doped zinc oxide films in most of the visible light range below the blue light.

• 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.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.886-893
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• 2009

Surface modifications using a radio frequency Ar-plasma treatment were performed on a polypropylene (PP) blend used for automotive bumper fascia. The surface characterization and morphology were examined. With increasing aging time, there was an increase in wettability, oxygen containing polar functional groups (i.e., C-O, C=O and O-C=O) due to oxidation, the amount of tale, and bearing depth and roughness on the PP surface, while there was a decrease in the number of hydrocarbon groups (i.e., C-C and C-H). AFM indicated that the Ar-plasma-treatment on a PP blend surface transforms the wholly annular surface into a locally dimpled surface, leading to an improvement in wettability. SEM showed that the PP layer observed in the non-plasma-treated sample was removed after the Ar-plasma treatment and the rubber particles were exposed to the surface. The observed surface characterization and morphologies are responsible for the improved wettability and interfacial adhesion between the PP blend substrate and bumper coating layers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.486-491
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• 2008

The plasma processing is applied to many industrial fields as thin film deposition or surface treatment technique. In this study, we investigated large-area uniformed surface treatment of PET film at low temperature by using Scanning Plasma Method(SPM). Then, we measured difference and distribution of temperature on film's surface by setting up a thermometer. We studied the condition of plasma for surface treatment by examining intensity of irradiation of uniformed plasma. And we compared contact angles of treated PET film by using Ar and $O_2$ plasma based low temperature. In our result, surface temperature of 3-point of treating is low temperature about $22^{\circ}C$, in other hands, there is scarcely any variation of temperature on film's surface. And by using Ar plasma treatment, contact angle is lower than untreatment or $O_2$ plasma treatment. In case of PET film having thermal weak point, low temperature processing using SPM is undamaged method in film's surface and uniformly treated film's surface. As a result, Ar plasma surface treatment using SPM is suitable surface treatment method of PET film.