• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.547-553
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• 2017

This study focused on the difference of photocatalytic performance by the incorporation of Pd into the $TiO_2$ framework and suggested five different catalysts composed of $TiO_2$ and x mol% $Pd-TiO_2$ (x = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0). A typical sol-gel method was used to synthesize catalysts, and the phenol photodegradation performance of each catalysts was evaluated. The physicochemical and optical properties of catalysts were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS), ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy (UV/Vis), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and photocurrent measurements. With the addition of Pd ions, the band gap of catalysts was shortened and the charge separation between photogenerated electrons and holes easily also occurred. As a result, the phenol photo-destruction performance over 0.75 mol% $Pd-TiO_2$ catalyst was 3 times higher than that of pure $TiO_2$. This is believed to be due to Pd ions acted as an electron capturing function during photocatalysis.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.65-65
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• 2012

Copper zinc tin sulfide ($Cu_2ZnSnS_4$, CZTS) is a very promising material as a low cost absorber alternative to other chalcopyrite-type semiconductors based on Ga or In because of the abundant and economical elements. In addition, CZTS has a band-gap energy of 1.4~1.5eV and large absorption coefficient over ${\sim}10^4cm^{-1}$, which is similar to those of $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$(CIGS) regarded as one of the most successful absorber materials for high efficient solar cell. Most previous works on the fabrication of CZTS thin films were based on the vacuum deposition such as thermal evaporation and RF magnetron sputtering. Although the vacuum deposition has been widely adopted, it is quite expensive and complicated. In this regard, the solution processes such as sol-gel method, nanocrystal dispersion and hybrid slurry method have been developed for easy and cost-effective fabrication of CZTS film. Among these methods, the hybrid slurry method is favorable to make high crystalline and dense absorber layer. However, this method has the demerit using the toxic and explosive hydrazine solvent, which has severe limitation for common use. With these considerations, it is highly desirable to develop a robust, easily scalable and relatively safe solution-based process for the fabrication of a high quality CZTS absorber layer. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a high quality CZTS absorber layer with a thickness of 1.5~2.0 ${\mu}m$ and micrometer-scaled grains using two different non-vacuum approaches. The first solution-processing approach includes air-stable non-toxic solvent-based inks in which the commercially available precursor nanoparticles are dispersed in ethanol. Our readily achievable air-stable precursor ink, without the involvement of complex particle synthesis, high toxic solvents, or organic additives, facilitates a convenient method to fabricate a high quality CZTS absorber layer with uniform surface composition and across the film depth when annealed at $530^{\circ}C$. The conversion efficiency and fill factor for the non-toxic ink based solar cells are 5.14% and 52.8%, respectively. The other method is based on the nanocrystal dispersions that are a key ingredient in the deposition of thermally annealed absorber layers. We report a facile synthetic method to produce phase-pure CZTS nanocrystals capped with less toxic and more easily removable ligands. The resulting CZTS nanoparticle dispersion enables us to fabricate uniform, crack-free absorber layer onto Mo-coated soda-lime glass at $500^{\circ}C$, which exhibits a robust and reproducible photovoltaic response. Our simple and less-toxic approach for the fabrication of CZTS layer, reported here, will be the first step in realizing the low-cost solution-processed CZTS solar cell with high efficiency.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.15-20
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• 2010

In this study, AZO (Al: 3 wt%) thin films have been prepared on PES Plastic substrates at various working pressure (5~20 mTorr), $O_2$ gas flow rate(0~3%) and the fixed substrate temperature of 200 f by using the RF magnetron sputtering and their optical and electrical properties have been studied. The XRD measurement shows that AZO thin films exhibit c-axis preferred orientation. From the results of AFM measurements, it is known that the lowest surface roughness (3.49 nm) is obtained for the AZO thin film fabricated at 5 mTorr of working pressure and 3% of $O_2$ gas flow rate. The optical transmittance of AZO thin films is measured as 80% in the visible region. We observe that the energy band gap of AZO thin films increases with decreasing the working pressure and the $O_2$ gas flow rate. This phenomenon is due to the Burstein-Moss effect. Hall measurement shows that the maximum carrier concentration ($2.63\;{\times}\;10^{20}\;cm^{-3}$) and the minimum resistivity ($4.35\;{\times}\;10^{-3}\;{\Omega}cm$) are obtained for the AZO thin film fabricated at 5mTorr of working pressure and 0% of $O_2$ gas flow rate.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.491-499
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• 2015

Silicon Carbide(SiC) has large advantage in high temperature and high voltage applications because of its high thermal conductivity and large band gap energy. When using SiC to design power semiconductor devices, edge termination techniques have to be adjusted for its maximum breakdown voltage characteristics. Many edge termination techniques have been proposed, and the most appropriate technique for SiC device is Junction Termination Extension(JTE). In this paper, the change of breakdown voltage efficiency ratio according to the change of doping concentration and passivation oxide charge of each JTE techniques is demonstrated. As a result, the maximum breakdown voltage ratio of Single Zone JTE(SZ-JTE), Double Zone JTE(DZ-JTE), Multiple Floating Zone JTE(MFZ-JTE), and Space Modulated JTE(SM-JTE) is 98.24%, 99.02%, 98.98%, 99.22% each. MFZ-JTE has the smallest and SZ-JTE has the largest sensitivity of breakdown voltage ratios according to the change of JTE doping concentration. Additionally the degradation of breakdown voltage due to the passivation oxide charge is analyzed, and the sensitivity is largest in SZ-JTE and smallest in MFZ-JTE, too. In this paper, DZ-JTE and SM-JTE is the best efficiency JTE techniques than MFZ-JTE which needs large doping concentration in short JTE width.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.214-218
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• 2020

In this study, Mg_xZn_1-xO thin films, which can be applied not only to active layers of light-emitting devices (LEDs), such as UV-LEDs, but also to solar cells, high mobility field-effect transistors, and power semiconductor devices, are fabricated using the sol-gel method. ZnO and Mg_0.3Zn_0.7O solution synthesized by the sol-gel method and the thin film were grown by spin coating on a Si (100) substrate and sapphire substrate. The solutions are synthesized by dissolving precursor materials in 2-methoxyethanol (2-ME) solvent, and then monoethanolamine (MEA) was added to the mixed solution as a sol stabilizer. Zinc acetate dihydrate is used as a ZnO precursor, while Mg nitrate hexahydrate and Mg acetate tetrahydrate are used as an MgO precursor. Then, the optical and structural characteristics of the fabricated thin films are compared. The molar concentration of the Zn precursor in the solvent is fixed at 0.3 M, and the amount of the Mg precursor is 30% of Mg²⁺/Zn²⁺. The optical characteristics are measured using an UV-vis spectrophotometer, and the transmittance of each wavelength is measured. Structural characteristics are measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Composition analyses are performed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The Mg_0.3Zn_0.7O thin film was well formed at the ratio of the Mg precursor added regardless of the type of Mg precursor, and the c-axis of the thin film was decreased, while the band gap was increased to 3.56 eV.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.442-450
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• 2014

Concern has grown over a presence of micropollutants in natural water since sulfonamide antibiotic substances such as sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfathiazole have been frequently detected in Nakdong River, Korea. The current work investigates the degradation of the three sulfonamide substances by using quantum chemistry calculations of density functional theory (DFT) and experimental measurement techniques of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS). DFT calculations demonstrate that the lowest energy gap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) lies in sulfanilamide functional group of sulfonamide, implying that the sulfanilamide functional group would be the most active site for ozone oxidation. Also, UV-VIS spectra and FT-IR analysis reveal that 260 nm band originated from sulfanilamide group was absent after ozone oxidation, indicating that a functional group of amine (N-H) was removed from sulfanilamide. Both theoretical and experimental observations agree well with each other, demonstrating the DFT calculation tool can be an alternative tool for the prediction of chemical reactions in purification treatment processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.107-107
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• 2000

최근 반도체 소자의 고집적화 및 대용량화의 경향에 다라 MOSFET 소자 제작에 이동되는 게이트 산화막의 두께가 수 nm 정도까지 점점 얇아지는 추세이고 Giga-DRAM급 차세대 UNSI소자를 제작하기 위해 5nm이하의 게이트 절연막이 요구된다. 이런 절연막의 두께감소는 게이트 정전용량을 증가시켜 트랜지스터의 속도를 빠르게 하며, 동시에 저전압동작을 가능하게 하기 때문에 게이트 산화막의 두께는 MOS공정세대가 진행되어감에 따라 계속 감소할 것이다. 따라서 절연막 두께는 소자의 동작 특성을 결정하는 중요한 요소이므로 이에 대한 정확한 평가 방법의 확보는 공정 control 측면에서 필수적이다. 그러나, 절연막의 두께가 작아지면서 게이트 산화막과 crystalline siliconrksm이 계면효과가 박막의 두께에 심각한 영향을 주기 때문에 정확한 두께 계측이 어렵고 계측방법에 따라서 두께 계측의 차이가 난다. 따라서 차세대 반도체 소자의 개발 및 양산 체계를 확립하기 위해서는 산화막의 두께가 10nm보다 작은 1nm-5nm 수준의 박막 시료에 대한 두께 계측 방법이 확립이 되어야 한다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 습식 산화 공정으로 제작된 3nm-7nm 의 게이트 절연막을 현재까지 알려진 다양한 두께 평가방법을 비교 연구하였다. 절연막을 MEIS (Medim Energy Ion Scattering), 0.015nm의 고감도를 가지는 SE (Spectroscopic Ellipsometry), XPS, 고분해능 전자현미경 (TEM)을 이용하여 측정 비교하였다. 또한 polysilicon gate를 가지는 MOS capacitor를 제작하여 소자의 Capacitance-Voltage 및 Current-Voltage를 측정하여 절연막 두께를 계산하여 가장 좋은 두께 계측 방법을 찾고자 한다.다. 마이크로스트립 링 공진기는 링의 원주길이가 전자기파 파장길이의 정수배가 되면 공진이 일어나는 구조이다. Fused quartz를 기판으로 하여 증착압력을 변수로 하여 TiO2 박막을 증착하였다. 그리고 그 위에 은 (silver)을 사용하여 링 패턴을 형성하였다. 이와 같이 공진기를 제작하여 network analyzer (HP 8510C)로 마이크로파 대역에서의 공진특서을 측정하였다. 공진특성으로부터 전체 품질계수와 유효유전율, 그리고 TiO2 박막의 품질계수를 얻어내었다. 측정결과 rutile에서 anatase로 박막의 상이 변할수록 유전율은 감소하고 유전손실은 증가하는 결과를 나타내었다.의 성장률이 둔화됨을 볼 수 있다. 또한 Silane 가스량이 적어지는 영역에서는 가스량의 감소에 의해 성장속도가 둔화됨을 볼 수 있다. 또한 Silane 가스량이 적어지는 영역에서는 가스량의 감소에 의해 성장속도가 줄어들어 성장률이 Silane가스량에 의해 지배됨을 볼 수 있다. UV-VIS spectrophotometer에 의한 비정질 SiC 박막의 투과도와 파장과의 관계에 있어 유리를 기판으로 사용했으므로 유리의투과도를 감안했으며, 유리에 대한 상대적인 비율 관계로 투과도를 나타냈었다. 또한 비저질 SiC 박막의 흡수계수는 Ellipsometry에 의해 측정된 Δ과 Ψ값을 이용하여 시뮬레이션한 결과로 비정질 SiC 박막의 두께를 이용하여 구하였다. 또한 Tauc Plot을 통해 박막의 optical band gap을 2.6~3.7eV로 조절할 수 있었다. 20$0^{\circ}C$이상으로 증가시켜도 광투과율은 큰 변화를 나타내지 않았다.부터 전분-지질복합제의 형성 촉진이 시사되었다.이것으로 인하여 호화억제에 의한 노화 방지효과가 기대되었지만 실제로 빵의 노화는 현저히 진행되었다

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2013

Recently, Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSS), which is one of the In- and Ga- free absorber materials, has been attracted considerable attention as a new candidate for use as an absorber material in thin film solar cells. The CZTSS-based absorber material has outstanding characteristics such as band gap energy of 1.0 eV to 1.5 eV, high absorption coefficient on the order of 104 cm-1, and high theoretical conversion efficiency of 32.2% in thin film solar cells. Despite these promising characteristics, research into CZTSS based thin film solar cells is still incomprehensive and related reports are quite few compared to those for CIGS thin film solar cells, which show high efficiency of over 20%. I will briefly overview the recent technological development of CZTSS thin film solar cells and then introduce our research results mainly related to sputter based process. CZTSS thin film solar cells are prepared by sulfurization of stacked both metallic and sulfide precursors. Sulfurization process was performed in both furnace annealing system and rapid thermal processing system using S powder as well as 5% diluted H2S gas source at various annealing temperatures ranging from $520^{\circ}C$ to $580^{\circ}C$. Structural, optical, microstructural, and electrical properties of absorber layers were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Hall-measurement, TRPL, etc. The effects of processing parameters, such as composition ratio, sulfurization pressure, and sulfurization temperature on the properties of CZTSS absorber layers will be discussed in detail. CZTSS thin film solar cell fabricated using metallic precursors shows maximum cell efficiency of 6.9% with Jsc of 25.2 mA/cm2, Voc of 469 mV, and fill factor of 59.1% and CZTS thin film solar cell using sulfide precursors shows that of 4.5% with Jsc of 19.8 mA/cm2, Voc of 492 mV, and fill factor of 46.2%. In addition, other research activities in our lab related to the formation of CZTS absorber layers using solution based processes such as electro-deposition, chemical solution deposition, nano-particle formation will be introduced briefly.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2021

Recently, there has been increasing demand for advancing photocatalytic techniques that are capable of the efficient removal of organic pollutants in water. TiO₂, a representative photocatalytic material, has been commonly used as an effective photocatalyst, but it is rather expensive and an alternative is required that will fulfill the requirements of both high performing photocatalytic activities and cost-effectiveness. In this work, ZnO, which is more cost effective than TiO₂, was synthesized by using a microreactor-assisted nanomaterials (MAN) process. The process enabled a continuous production of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with a flower-like structure with high uniformity. In order to resolve the limited light absorption of ZnO arising from its large band gap, Ag NPs were uniformly decorated on the flower-like ZnO surface by using the MAN process. The plasmonic effect of Ag NPs led to a broadening of the absorption range toward visible wavelengths. Ag NPs also helped inhibit the electron-hole recombination by drawing electrons generated from the light absorption of the flower-like ZnO NPs. As a result, the Ag-ZnO nanocomposites showed improved photocatalytic activities compared with the flower-like ZnO NPs. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag-ZnO nanocomposites with high uniformity. Ag-ZnO nanocomposites synthesized via the MAN process offer the potential for cost-effective and scalable production of next-generation photocatalytic materials.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.29-34
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• 2019

Silicon carbide is considered to be a potentially useful material for high-temperature electronic devices, as its large energy band gap and the p-type and/or n-type conduction can be controlled by impurity doping. Particularly, electric conductivity of porous n-type SiC semiconductors fabricated from ${\beta}-SiC$ powder at $2000^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ atmosphere was comparable to or even larger than the reported values of SiC single crystals in the temperature region of $800^{\circ}C$ to $1000^{\circ}C$, while thermal conductivity was kept as low as 1/10 to 1/30 of that for a dense SiC ceramics. In this work, for the purpose of decreasing sintering temperature, it was attempted to fabricate porous reaction-sintered bodies at low temperatures ($1400-1600^{\circ}C$) by thermal decomposition of polycarbosilane (PCS) impregnated in n-type ${\beta}-SiC$ powder. The repetition of the impregnation and sintering process ($N_2$ atmosphere, $1600^{\circ}C$, 3h) resulted in only a slight increase in the relative density but in a great improvement in the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. However the power factor which reflects the thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the present work is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower than that of the porous SiC semiconductors fabricated by conventional sintering at high temperature, it can be stated that thermoelectric properties of SiC semiconductors fabricated by the present reaction-sintering process could be further improved by precise control of microstructure and carrier density.