• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 1999

Thermally evaporated ZnTe films were investigated as a back contact material for CdS/CdTe solar cells. Two deposition methods, coevaporation and double-layer methods, were used for Cu doping in ZnTe films. ZnTe layers (0.2$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick) were deposited either on glass or on CdS/CdTe substrates without intentional heating of the substrates. Post-deposition annealing was performed at 200,300 and $400^{\circ}C$ for 3,6 and 9 minutes, respectively. Band gap of 2.2eV was measured for both undoped and doped films and a slight change in the shape of absorption spectra was observed in Cu-doped samples after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$. The resistivity of as-deposited ZnTe decreased from 10\ulcorner~10\ulcornerΩcm down to 10\ulcornerΩcm as Cu concentration increased from 0 to 14 at.%. There was not a noticeable change in less of annealing temperature up to $300^{\circ}C$ whereas films annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ revealed hexagonal (101) orientations as well. Some of Cu-doped ZnTe revealed x-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks related with Cu\ulcornerTe(x=1.75~2). Grain growth was observed from about 20nm in as-deposited films to 50nm after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$ by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cu distribution in ZnTe films was not uniform according to Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) measurements.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2017

Recently, three-dimensional (3D) light harvesting structures are highly attracted because of their high light harvesting capacity and charge collection efficiencies. In this study, we have fabricated $Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ based 3D thin film solar cells on PR patterned Molybdenum (Mo) substrates using photolithography technique. Specifically, Mo patterns were deposited on PR patterned Mo substrates by sputtering and the thin Cu-Zn-Sn stacked layer was deposited over this Mo patterns by sputtering technique. The stacked Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films were sulfo-selenized to form CZTSSe pattern. Finally, CZTSSe absorbers were coated with thin CdS layer using chemical bath deposition and ZnO window layer was deposited over CZTSSe/CdS using DC sputtering technique. Fabricated 3-D solar cells were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) to study their structural, compositional and morphological properties, respectively. The 3% efficiency is achieved for this kind of solar cell. Further efforts will be carried out to improve the performance of solar cell through various optimizations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.158-168
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• 2023

Natural products have been used to mitigate the effects of cancer and infectious diseases, as they feature diverse bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Here, we chose 10 natural products that are well-known as pulmonary enhancers and investigated their bactericidal effects on Streptococcus pneumoniae. In the disk diffusion assay, the growth of S. pneumoniae was significantly regulated by G. fructus treatment regardless of extraction method used. We first adopted spraying as a novel delivery method for G. fructus. Interestingly, mice exposed to G. fructus three times a day for 2 weeks were resistant to S. pneumoniae intranasal infection (shown both through body weight loss and survival rates compared to the control group). Moreover, we confirmed that exposure to G. fructus regulated the colonization of the bacteria despite the sustained inflammation in the lung after exposure to S. pneumoniae, indicating that migrated inflammatory immune cells may involve a host defense mechanism against pulmonary infectious diseases. While a similar number of granulocytes (CD11b⁺Ly6C⁺Ly6G⁺), neutrophils (CD11b⁺Ly6C^intLy6G⁺), and monocytes (CD11b⁺Ly6C^intLy6G^-) were found between groups, a significantly increased number of alveolar macrophages (CD11b⁺CD11c^hiF4/80⁺) was detected in BAL fluids of mice pre-exposed to G. fructus at 5 days after S. pneumonia infection. Taken together, our data suggest that this usage of G. fructus can induce protective immunity against bacterial infection, indicating that facial spray may be helpful in enhancing the defense mechanism against pulmonary inflammation and in evaluating the efficacy of natural products as immune enhancers against respiratory diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.142-150
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• 2012

In this Study, Mo back electrode were deposited as the functions of various working pressure, deposition time and plasma per-treatment on sodalime glass (SLG) for application to CIGS thin film solar cell using by DC sputtering method, and were analyzed Mo change to $MoSe_2$ layer through selenization processes. And finally Mo back electrode characteristics were evaluated as application to CIGS device after Al/AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG fabrication. Mo films fabricated as a function of the working pressure from 1.3 to 4.9mTorr are that physical thickness changed to increase from 1.24 to 1.27 ${\mu}m$ and electrical characteristics of sheet resistance changed to increase from 0.195 to 0.242 ${\Omega}/sq$ as according to the higher working pressure. We could find out that Mo film have more dense in lower working pressure because positive Ar ions have higher energy in lower pressure when ions impact to Mo target, and have dominated (100) columnar structure without working pressure. Also Mo films fabricated as a function of the deposition time are that physical thickness changed to increase from 0.15 to 1.24 ${\mu}m$ and electrical characteristics of sheet resistance changed to decrease from 2.75 to 0.195 ${\Omega}/sq$ as according to the increasing of deposition time. This is reasonable because more thick metal film have better electrical characteristics. We investigated Mo change to $MoSe_2$ layer through selenization processes after Se/Mo/SLG fabrication as a function of the selenization time from 5 to 40 minutes. $MoSe_2$ thickness were changed to increase as according to the increasing of selenization time. We could find out that we have to control $MoSe_2$ thickness to get ohmic contact characteristics as controlling of proper selenization time. And we fabricated and evaluated CIGS thin film solar cell device as Al/AZO/ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo/SLG structures depend on Mo thickness 1.2 ${\mu}m$ and 0.6 ${\mu}m$. The efficiency of CIGS device with 0.6 ${\mu}m$ Mo thickness is batter as 9.46% because Na ion of SLG can move to CIGS layer more faster through thin Mo layer. The adhesion characteristics of Mo back electrode on SLG were improved better as plasma pre-treatment on SLG substrate before Mo deposition. And we could expect better efficiency of CIGS thin film solar cell as controlling of Mo thickness and $MoSe_2$ thickness depend on Na effect and selenization time.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1479-1484
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• 2010

Photosynthesis uses light energy to drive the oxidation of water at an oxygen-evolving catalytic site within photosystem II (PSII). Chlorophyll binding by the photosystem II subunit S protein, PsbS, was found to be necessary for energy-dependent quenching (qE), the major energy-dependent component of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in Arabidopsis thaliana. It is proposed that PsbS acts as a trigger of the conformational change that leads to the establishment of nonphotochemical quenching. However, the exact structure and function of PsbS in PSII are still unknown. Here, we clone and express the recombinant PsbS gene from Arabidopsis thaliana in E. coli and purify the resulting homogeneous protein. We used various biochemical and biophysical techniques to elucidate PsbS structure and function, including circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence, and DSC. The protein shows optimal stability at $4^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.5. The CD spectra of PsbS show that the conformational changes of the protein were strongly dependent on pH conditions. The CD curve for PsbS at pH 10.5 curve had the deepest negative peak and the peak of PsbS at pH 4.5 was the least negative. The fluorescence emission spectrum of the purified PsbS protein was also measured, and the ${\lambda}_{max}$ was found to be at 328 nm. PsbS revealed some structural changes under varying temperature and oxygen gas condition.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.151-155
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• 2014

We have developed quantum dot light emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) using a InP/ZnSe/ZnS multi-shell QD emission layer. The hybrid structure of organic hole transport layer/QD/organic electron transport layer was used for fabricating QD-LEDs. Poly(4-butylphenyl-diphenyl-amine) (poly-TPD) and tris[2,4,6-trimethyl-3-(pyridin-3-yl)phenyl]borane (3TPYMB) molecules were used as hole-transporting and electron-transporting layers, respectively. The emission, current efficiency, and driving characteristics of QD-LEDs with 50, 65 nm thick 3TPYMB layers were investigated. The QD-LED with a 50 nm thick 3TPYMB layer exhibited a maximum current efficiency of 1.3 cd/A.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.672-672
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• 2013

본 연구에서는 수열합성법을 기반으로 한 3차원 ZnO 나노구조의 합성을 통해 효율적인 양자점 감응형 태양전지로의 응용을 하고 그 특성을 평가하였다. 기존의 1차원 ZnO 나노구조의 경우 높은 전자이동도와 구조적으로 얻을 수 있는 방향성 있는 전자의 효율적인 전달을 통해 효과적인 광전극으로 많은 관심을 받아왔다. 하지만 나노파티클 기반의 필름에 비해 표면적이 크게 떨어지기 때문에 효과적인 흡광이 어렵다는 단점이 존재하여 높은 효율특성을 내지는 못하였다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 단점을 극복하면서 기존 ZnO 나노선의 장점을 극대화 하기 위해 성장시킨 ZnO 나노선 위에 추가적으로 가지를 형성하여 표면적 향상과 효과적인 전자전달 특성을 얻고자 하였다. 3차원 ZnO 나노구조는citrate 계열의 capping agent의 첨가를 통한 수열 합성법을 통해 1차원의 ZnO 나노선 위에 nanosheet 형식의 가지를 형성하였고 이는 빛의 효과적인 산란특성 및 표면적 향상을 통한 CdS, CdSe의 양자점 증착량을 증가시키는 효과를 얻을 수 있었다. 이러한 태양전지의 소자 특성은 SEM, TEM을 통한 구조 특성평가 및 DRS, J-V curve 및 IPCE를 통한 광학적 특성평가를 통해 확인하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.459.1-459.1
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• 2014

Because both $TiO_2$ and ZnO has superior characteristic optically and electrically, there are various of research for these materials. However, they have large band gap energy which correspond with not visible light, but UV light. To make up for this disadvantage, Quantum dots (CdS, CdSe) which can absorb the visible light could be deposited on $ZnO/TiO_2$ nanostructure so that the the photoelectrochecmical cell can absorb the light that has larger region of wavelength. Both $TiO_2$ and ZnO can be grown to one-dimensional nanowire structure at low temperature through solutional method. Three-dimensional hierarcical $ZnO/TiO_2$ nanostructure is fabricated by applying these process. Large surface area of this structure make the light absorbed more efficiently. Through type 2 like-cascade energy band structure of nanostructure, the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs is expected. Photoelectrochemical charateristics are found by using these nanostructure to photoelectrode.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.64-77
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• 2021

Objective: Biological monitoring of trace elements in human blood samples has become an important indicator of the health environment. The purpose of this study was to detect and evaluate multiple metal items in blood samples based on ICP-MS, to perform comparative evaluation with the existing analysis method, and to develop and verify a new method. Methods: 100 μL of whole blood from 80 healthy subjects was used to analyze ten metals (Sb, tAs, Cd, Pb, Mn, Hg, Mo, Ni, Se, Tl) using ICP-MS. Verification of the analysis method included calculation of linearity, accuracy, precision and detection limits. In addition, a comparative test with the conventional graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS) method was performed. In the case of Pb, Cd, and Hg in whole blood, cross-analysis between Pb, Cd, and Hg analysis methods was performed to confirm the difference between the existing method and the new method (ICP-MS). Results: The coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.999 or higher in seven items and 0.995 or higher in three items. The Pb result showed that Pearson's correlation coefficient was very high at 0.983, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.966. The Cd result showed that Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.917 between the existing method and the new analysis concentration value. Its intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.960, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. Hg had a low correlation at 0.687, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.761, which was lower than that of Pb and Cd. The intra-day and inter-day accuracy of Pd and Cd were satisfactory, but Hg did not meet the criteria for both accuracy and precision when compared with the conventional analysis method. Conclusion: This study can be meaningful in that it proposes a more efficient and feasible analysis method by verifying a blood heavy metal concentration experiment using multiple simultaneous analyses. All samples were processed and analyzed using the new ICP-MS. It was confirmed that the agreement between the two methods was very high, with the agreement between the current and new methods being 0.769 to 0.998. This study proposes an efficient simultaneous methodology capable of analyzing multiple elements with small samples. In the future, studies of various applications and the reliability of ICP-MS analysis methods are required, and research on the verification of accurate, precise, and continuous analysis methods is required.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.191-198
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• 2021

Background: Most clinical studies of immune responses activated by Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) have been conducted exclusively in patients. However, there is still a lack of clinical research on immune-boosting benefits of KRG for healthy persons. This study aims to confirm how KRG boosts the immune system of healthy subjects. Methods: A total of 100 healthy adult subjects were randomly divided into two groups that took either a 2 g KRG tablet or a placebo per day for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy evaluation variables included changes in T cells, B cells, and white blood cells (WBCs) before and after eight weeks of KRG ingestion. Cytokines (TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-2 and IL-4), WBC differential count, and incidence of colds were measured in the secondary efficacy evaluation variables. Safety evaluation variables were used to identify changes in laboratory test results that incorporated adverse reactions, vital signs, hematological tests, blood chemistry tests, and urinalysis. Results: Compared to the placebo group, the KRG intake group showed a significant increase in the number of T cells (CD3) and its subtypes (CD4 and CD8), B cells, and the WBC count before and after eight weeks of the intake. There were no clinically significant adverse reactions or other notable results in the safety evaluation factors observed. Conclusion: This study has proven through its eight-week intake test and subsequent analysis that KRG boosts the immune system through an increase in T cells, B cells, and WBCs, and that it is safe according to the study's safety evaluation.