• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.99.1-99.1
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• 2012

The thin-film photovoltaic absorbers (CdTe and $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$) can achieve solar conversion efficiencies of up to 20% and are now commercially available, but the presence of toxic (Cd,Se) and expensive elemental components (In, Te) is a real issue as the demand for photovoltaics rapidly increases. To overcome these limitations, there has been substantial interest in developing viable alternative materials, such as $Cu_2ZnSnS_4$ (CZTS) is an emerging solar absorber that is structurally similar to CIGS, but contains only earth abundant, non-toxic elements and has a near optimal direct band gap energy of 1.4 - 1.6 eV and a large absorption coefficient of ~104 $cm^{-1}$. The CZTS absorber layers are grown and investigated by various fabrication methods, such as thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation with a post sulfurization, sputtering, non-vacuum sol-gel, pulsed laser, spray-pyrolysis method and electrodeposition technique. In the present work, we report an alternative aqueous chemical approach based on chemical bath deposition (CBD) method for large area deposition of CZTS thin films. Samples produced by our method were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, absorbance and photoluminescence. The results show that this inexpensive and relatively benign process produces thin films of CZTS exhibiting uniform composition, kesterite crystal structure, and some factors like triethanolamine, ammonia, temperature which strongly affect on the morphology of CZTS film.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.491-495
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• 2005

(Zn,Mg)O (ZMO) thin films doped with Ga $(0\~0.03mol\%)$ in the target source were prepared by pulsed laser deposition on c-plane sapphire substrates at $500^{\circ}C$, and the effect of Ga contents on the properties of the electrical, optical and crystal properties of the deposited films was investigated. From X-ray diffraction patterns, ZMO film doped with $0.02 mol\%$ Ga showed crystal structure with c-axis preferred orientation, showing only the (0002) and (0004) diffraction peaks. In contrast, ZMO film doped with $Ga=0.03 mol\%$ showed a randomly oriented crystal structure. All the samples were highly transparent, showing the transmittance values of above $85\%$ in the visible region. For all the Ga doped ZMO films, the value of energy band gap was found to be about 3.5 eV, regardless of their Ga contents. From the Hall measurements, the resistivity and the carrier density for the ZMO film doped with $0.01 mol\%$ Ga were about $5\times10^{-4}\Omega-cm$ and $2\times10^{21}cm^{-3}$, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.461-461
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• 2013

Over the last decade, zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films have attracted considerable attention owing to large band gap of 3.37 eV and large exciton binding energy of 60 meV at room temperature [1-3]. Recent interest in ZnO related researches has been switched into the fabrication and characterization of low-dimensional nanostructures, such as nano-wires and nano-dots that can be applicable to manufacture the optoelectronic devices such as ultraviolet lasers, light-emitting-diodes and detectors. Since the optical properties of ZnO nano-structures might be distinct from those of bulk materials or thin films, the low-dimensional phenomena should be examined further. In order to utilize such advanced optoelectronic devices, one of the challenges is how to control the surface state related emissions that are drastically increased with increasing the density of the nano-structures and the surface-to-volume ratio. This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of self-assembled ZnO hexagonal nano-disks grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction data and scanning electron microscopy data showed that ZnO hexagonal nano-disks were nucleated on top of the flat surfaces as the film thickness reached to 1.56 ${\mu}m$ and then the number of nano-disks increased with increasing the film thickness. The lateral size of hexagonal nano-disks was ~720 nm and height was ~74 nm. The strong photo luminescence spectra obtained at 10 K was also observed, which was assigned to a surface exciton emission at 3.3628 eV arising from the surface sites of hexagonal nano-disks.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.274-284
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• 2001

A stoichimetric mixture of evaporating materials for $AgInS_2$ single crystal thin films was prepared from horizontal furnace. To obtain the single crystal thin films. $AgInS_2$mixed crystal was deposited on thorughly etched semi-insulating GaAs(100) substrate by the Hot wall Epitaxy (HWE) system. The source and substrate temperatures were $680^{\circ}C$ and $410^{\circ}C$, respectively. The crystalline structure of the single thin films was investigated by the photoluminescence and double crystal X-ray diffraction(DCXD). The carrier density and mobility of $AgInS_2$ single crystal the films measured from Hall effect by van der Pauw method are $9.35\times 10^{16}/\terxtm{cm}^3$ and $294\terxtm{cm}^2$/V.s at 293 K, respectively. From the optical absorption measurement the temperature dependence of the energy band gap on AgInS$_2$ single crystal thin film was found to be $E_g$(T)= 2.1365eV-($9.89\times 10^{-3}eV/T^2$/(2930+T). After the as-grown $AgInS_2$ single crystal thin films was annealed in $Ag^-S^-$ and In-atmospheres, the origin of point defects of AgInS$_2$ single crystal the films has been investigated by using the photoluminescence(PL) at 10K. The native defects of $V_{Ag},V_s, Ag_{int}$ and $S_{int}$ int/ obtained from PL measurements were classified as a donors or acceptors type. And we concluded that the heat-treatment in the S-atmosphere converted $AgInS_2$ single crystal thin films to an optical p-type. Also, we confirmed that In in $AgInS_2$ /GaAs did not form the native defects because In is $AgInS_2$ single crystal thin films did exist in the form of stable bonds.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.2849-2853
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• 2010

A method to improve the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide by modification with a sensitizer and a metal oxide is proposed. To achieve this goal, we used metal oxides as dopants. In particular, $CaWO_4$ and $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb were used because their 2.6 eV and 2.2 eV band gap energy and optical properties have a large positive effect on photocatalysis. The improvement in the photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ modified with $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb under ultraviolet light irradiation is described in a previous study. The present work focuses on the sensitization of metal oxide-modified $TiO_2$. Having observed the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra of 3,4,9,10-Perylenetetracarboxylic diimide in the wide visible-light region from 400 nm to 650 nm and the broad peaks in its photoluminescence spectra at 695 nm and 717 nm, we decided to use this perylene dye to sensitize modified $TiO_2$ to enhance its activity as a visible-light harvesting photocatalyst. We also explored the positive effects thin-film surface changes stemming from ultraviolet pre-treatment have on photocatalytic activity. Finally, we subjected several metal oxide-modified $TiO_2$ products sensitized by the perylene dye to ultraviolet pre-treatment, obtaining the most active photocatalysts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.131-131
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• 2008

Silicon carbide (SiC) has attracted significant attention for high frequency, high temperature and high power devices due to its superior properties such as the large band gap, high breakdown electric field, high saturation velocity and high thermal conductivity. We performed Al ion implantation processes on n-type 4H-SiC substrate using a SILVACO ATHENA numerical simulator. The ion implantation model used a Monte-Carlo method. We studied the effect of channeling by Al implantation simulation in both 0 off-axis and 8 off-axis n-type 4H-SiC substrate. We have investigated the Al distribution in 4H-SiC through the variation of the implantation energies and the corresponding ratio of the doses. The implantation energies controlled 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 keV and the implantation doses varied from $2\times10^{14}$ to $1\times10^{15}cm^{-2}$. In the simulation results, the Al ion distribution was deeper as increasing implantation energy and the doping level increased as increasing implantation doses. After the post-implantation annealing, the electrical properties of Al-implanted p-n junction diode were investigated by SILV ACO ATLAS numerical simulator.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Purpose: Fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) bottom electrode for $Ta_2O_5$ based RRAM was studied to apply for transparent resistive switching memory devices owing to its superior transparency, good conductivity and chemical stability. Methods: $ITO/Ta_2O_5/FTO$ (ITF) and $ITO/Ta_2O_5/Pt$ (ITP) devices were fabricated on glass and Si substrate, respectively. UV-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy was used to examine transparency of the ITF device and its band gap energy was determined by conventional Tauc plot. Electrical properties, such as electroforming and voltage-induced RS characteristics were measured and compared. Results: The device with an FTO bottom electrode showed good transparency (>80%), low forming voltage (~-2.5V), and reliable bipolar RS behavior. Whereas, the one with Pt electrode showed both bipolar and unipolar RS behaviors unstably with large forming voltage (~-6.5V). Conclusion: Transparent and conducting FTO can successfully realize a transparent RRAM device. It is concluded that FTO electrode may form a stable interface with $Ta_2O_5$ switching layer and plays as oxygen ion reservoir to supply oxygen vacancies, which eventually facilitates a stable operation of RRAM device.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.113-118
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the growth of single-crystallinity α-Ga₂O₃ thin films on c-plane sapphire substrates using halide vapor pressure epitaxy. We also found the optimal growth conditions to suppress the phase transition of α-Ga₂O₃. Our results confirmed that the growth temperature and partial pressure of the reactive gas greatly influenced the crystallinity. The optimal growth temperature range was about 460~510℃, and the α-Ga₂O₃ thin films with the highest crystallinity were obtained at a III/VI ratio of 4. The thickness and surface morphology of the thin films was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The film thickness was 6.938 ㎛, and the full width at half maximum of the ω-2θ scan rocking curve was as small as 178 arcsec. The optical band gap energy obtained was 5.21 eV, and the films were almost completely transparent in the near-ultraviolet and visible regions. The etch pit density was found to be as low as about 6.0 × 10⁴ cm^-2.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.24.1-24.1
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• 2009

The zinc oxide (ZnO) material as the II-VI compound semiconductor is useful in various fields of device applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells and gas sensors due to its wide direct band gap of 3.37eV and high exciton binding energy of 60meV at room temperature. In this study, the ZnO nanorods were deposited onto homogenous buffer layer/Si(100) substrates by a hydrothermal synthesis. The Effects of the buffer layer annealing and post annealing temperature on the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods grown by a hydrothermal synthesis were investigated. For the buffer layer annealing case, the annealed buffer layer surface became rougher with increasing of annealing temperature up to $750^{\circ}C$, while it was smoothed with more increasing of annealing temperature due to the evaporation of buffer layer. It was found that the roughest surface of buffer layer improved the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods. For the post annealing case, the hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods were annealed with various temperatures ranging from 450 to $900^{\circ}C$. Similarly in the buffer layer annealing case, the post annealing enhanced the properties of ZnO nanorods with increasing of annealing temperature up to $750^{\circ}C$. However, it was degraded with further increasing of annealing temperature due to the violent movement of atoms and evaporation. Finally, the buffer layer annealing and post annealing treatment could efficiently improve the properties of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods. The morphology and structural properties of ZnO nanorods grown by the hydrothermal synthesis were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical properties were also analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) measurement.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.16.1-16.1
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• 2009

We have fabricated solution processed oxide semiconductor active layer for thin film transistors (TFTs). The oxide semiconductor layers were prepared by ink-jet printing the sol-gel precursor solution based on doped-ZnO. Inorganic ZnO-based thin films have drawn significant attention as an active channel layer for TFTs applications alternative to conventional Si-based materials and organic semiconducting materials, due to their wide energy band gap, optical transparency, high mobility, and better stability. However, in spite of such excellent device performances, the fabrication methods of ZnO related oxide active layer involve high cost vacuum processes such as sputtering and pulsed laser deposition. Herein we introduced the ink-jet printing technology to prepare the active layers of oxide semiconductor. Stable sol-gel precursor solutions were obtained by controlling the composition of precursor as well as solvents and stabilizers, and their influences on electrical performance of the transistors were demonstrated by measuring electrical parameters such as off-current, on-current, mobility, and threshold voltage. Microstructure and thermal behavior of the doped ZnO films were investigated by SEM, XRD, and TG/DTA. Furthermore, we studied the influence of the ink-jet printing conditions such as substrate temperature and surface treatment on the microstructure of the ink-jet printed active layers and electrical performance. The mobility value of the device with optimized condition was about 0.1-1.0 $cm^2/Vs$ and the on/off current ratio was about $10^6$. Our investigations demonstrate the feasibility of the ink-jet printed oxide TFTs toward successful application to cost-effective and mass-producible displays.