• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.7
• /
• pp.76-83
• /
• 2014

During PEMFC(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) operation monitoring and diagnosis are important issues for reliability and durability. Stack defect can be followed by a critical cell voltage drop in the stack. One method for monitoring the cell voltage is CVM(Cell Voltage Monitoring), where all cells in the stack are electrically connected to a voltage measuring system and monitored these voltages. The other methods are based on the EIS(Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy) and on nonlinear frequency response. In this paper, intermodulation(IM) method for diagnosis PEMFC stack is introduced. To detect one or more critical PEMFC cell voltage PEMFC stack is excited by two or more test sinusoid current, and the frequency response of the stack voltage is analyzed. If one or more critical cell voltage exists, higher harmonics on the voltage frequency spectrum will appear. For the proposed IM method, stack simulation and experiments are conducted.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.33 no.9
• /
• pp.3043-3047
• /
• 2012

To investigate the scattering layer effect of a $TiO_2$ multilayer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we designed a new DSSC system, assembled with a CdS-$TiO_2$ scattering layer electrode. A high-magnification SEM image exhibited hollyhock-like particles with a width of 1.5-2.0 ${\mu}m$ that were aggregated into 10-nm clumps in a hexagonal petal shape. The efficiency was higher in the DSSC assembled with a CdS-$TiO_2$ scattering layer than in the DSSC assembled with $TiO_2$-only layers, due to the decreased resistance in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The short-circuit current density ($J_{sc}$) was increased by approximately 7.26% and the open-circuit voltage ($V_{oc}$) by 2.44% over the 1.0 wt % CdS-$TiO_2$ composite scattering layer and the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) in the maximum peak was also enhanced by about 5.0%, compared to the DSSC assembled without the CdS-$TiO_2$scattering layer.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.237-243
• /
• 2011

Lithium batteries are widely used in mobile electronic devices due to their higher voltage and energy density, lighter weight and longer life cycle when compared to other secondary batteries. In particular, a high demand for lithium batteries is expected for electric cars. In the case of the lithium batteries used in electric cars, driving distance must be calculated accurately and discharging should not be done below a level that makes it impossible to crank. Therefore, accurate information on the state-of-charge (SOC) becomes an essential element for reliable driving. In this paper, a novel method for estimating the SOC of lithium polymer batteries using AC impedance is proposed. In the proposed method, the parameters are extracted by fitting the measured impedance spectrum on an equivalent impedance model and the variation in the parameter values at each SOC is used to estimate the SOC. Also to shorten the long length of time required for the measurement of the impedance spectrum, a novel method is proposed that can extract the equivalent impedance model parameters of lithium polymer batteries with the impedance measured at only two specific frequencies. Experiments are conducted on lithium polymer batteries, with similar capacities, made by different manufacturers to prove the validity of the proposed method.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.78-84
• /
• 2012

An in-situ optical monitoring method for real-time process monitoring of electrochemical copper deposition (CED) is presented. Process variables to be controlled in achieving desired process results are numerous in the CED process, and the importance of the chemical bath conditions cannot be overemphasized for a successful process. Conventional monitoring of the chemical solution for CED relies on the pH value of the solution, electrical voltage level for the reduction of metal cations, and gravity measurement by immersing sensors into a plating bath. We propose a nonintrusive optical monitoring technique using three types of optical sensors such as chromatic sensors and UV/VIS spectroscopy sensors as potential candidates as a feasible optical monitoring method. By monitoring the color of the plating solution in the bath, we revealed that optically acquired information is strongly related to the thickness of the deposited copper on the wafers, and that the chromatic information is inversely proportional to the ratio of $Cu$ (111) and {$Cu$ (111)+$Cu$ (200)}, which can used to measure the quality of the chemical solution for electrochemical copper deposition in advanced interconnection technology.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.461-466
• /
• 2011

In this study, the fluorine doped $TiO_2$ was prepared as a photoelectrode in order to improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells and estimated the electrochemical characterizations. The energy conversion efficiency of the prepared dye-sensitized solar cells using fluorine doped $TiO_2$ was calculated from a current-voltage curve. The efficiency of prepared dye-sensitized solar cells was improved by about maximum three times by F-doping on $TiO_2$. It was suggested that the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells was improved by hybrid semiconductors of $TiO_2/TiOF_2$ in photoelectrode based on reduced $TiOF_2$ energy level via fluorine doping. It can be confirmed that the electron transport was faster but the electron recombination was slower by doping fluorine on $TiO_2$ in photoelectrode through intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy analysis.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2009.05a
• /
• pp.29.1-29.1
• /
• 2009

Fabrication of good quality P-type GaN remained as a challenge for many years which hindered the III-V nitrides from yielding visible light emitting devices. Firstly Amano et al succeeded in obtaining P-type GaN films using Mg doping and post Low Energy Electron Beam Irradiation (LEEBI) treatment. However only few region of the P-GaN was activated by LEEBI treatment. Later Nakamura et al succeeded in producing good quality P-GaN by thermal annealing method in which the as deposited P-GaN samples were annealed in N2 ambient at temperatures above $600^{\circ}C$. The carrier concentration of N type and P-type GaN differs by one order which have a major effect in AlGaN based deep UV-LED fabrication. So increasing the P-type GaN concentration becomes necessary. In this study we have proposed a novel method of activating P-type GaN by electrochemical potentiostatic method. Hydrogen bond in the Mg-H complexes of the P-type GaN is removed by electrochemical reaction using KOH solution as an electrolyte solution. Full structure LED sample grown by MOCVD serves as anode and platinum electrode serves as cathode. Experiments are performed by varying KOH concentration, process time and applied voltage. Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) analysis is performed to determine the hydrogen concentration in the P-GaN sample activated by annealing and electrochemical method. Results suggest that the hydrogen concentration is lesser in P-GaN sample activated by electrochemical method than conventional annealing method. The output power of the LED is also enhanced for full structure samples with electrochemical activated P-GaN. Thus we propose an efficient method for P-GaN activation by electrochemical reaction. 30% improvement in light output is obtained by electrochemical activation method.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.526-529
• /
• 2008

The effect of air impurities on PEMFC performances were studied using electrochemical analysis, such as OCV monitoring, polarization, constant current operation, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The nitrogen dioxide in air lowered the operation voltage at 1 A/$cm^2$ by 160 mV (10 ppm) and 227 mV (100 ppm), while the carbon monoxide effect was relatively not significant (30 mV at 100 ppm). For both nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, the performances were largely recovered when pure air was provided again. Further study for additional air impurities and simulated air are under progress to provide fundamental data for the design of fuel cell vehicles.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2007.06a
• /
• pp.81-81
• /
• 2007

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) 공정은 deep 서브마이크론 집적회로의 다층배선구조률 실현하기 위해 inter-metal dielectric (IMD), inter-layer dielectric layers (ILD), pre-metal dielectric (PMD) 층과 같은 절연막 외에도 W, Al, Cu와 같은 금속층을 평탄화 하는데 효과적으로 사용되고 있으며, 다양한 소자 제작 및 새로운 물질 등에도 광범위하게 응용되고 있다. 하지만 Cu damascene 구조 제작으로 인한 CMP 응용 과정에서, 기계적으로 깨지기 쉬운 65 nm의 소자 이하의 구조에서 새로운 저유전상수인 low-k 물질의 도입으로 인해 낮은 하력의 기계적 연마가 필요하게 되었다. 본 논문에서는 전기화학적 기계적 연마 적용을 위해, I-V 특성 곡선을 이용하여 active, passive, transient, trans-passive 영역의 전기화학적 특성을 알아보았으며, Cu 막의 표면 형상을 알아보기 위해 scanning electron microscopy (SEM) 측정과 energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) 분석을 통해 금속 화학적 조성을 조사하였다.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.513-520
• /
• 2012

The electrochemical reaction of refuse derived fuel (RDF) and refuse plastic/paper fuel (RPF) was investigated in the direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) system. The open circuit voltage (OCV) of RPF was higher than RDF and other coals because of its thermal reactive characteristic under carbon dioxide. The thermal reactivity of fuels was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis method. and the reaction rate of RPF was higher than other fuels. The behavior of all sample's potential was analogous in the beginning region of electrochemical reactions due to similar functional groups on the surface of fuels analyzed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy experiments. The potential level of RDF and RPF decreased rapidly comparing to coals in the next of the electrochemical reaction because the surface area and pore volume investigated by nitrogen gas adsorption tests were smaller than coals. This characteristic signifies the contact surface between electrolyte and fuel is restricted. The potential of fuels was maintained to the high current density region over 40 $mA/cm^2$ by total carbon component. The maximum power density of RDF and RPF reached up to 45~70% comparing to coal. The obvious improvement of maximum power density by increasing operating temperature was observed in both refuse fuels.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.137-142
• /
• 2015

$Mn_{1+X}Co_{2-X}O_4$ solid solutions with various Mn/Co ratios were synthesized by a combustion method, and used as cathode catalysts for lithium/air secondary battery. Their electrochemical and physicochemical properties were investigated. The morphology was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the crystallinity was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. For the measurement of electrochemical properties, charge and discharge measurements were carried out at a constant current density of $0.2mA/cm^2$, monitoring the voltage change. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses were also employed to examine the change in charge transfer resistance during charge-discharge process. $Mn_{1+X}Co_{2-X}O_4$ solid solutions showed enhanced cycleability as a cathode of Li/air secondary battery, and the performance was found to be strongly dependent on Mn/Co ratio. Among synthesized catalysts, $Mn_{1.5}Co_{1.5}O_4$ exhibited the best performance and cycleability, due to high charge transfer rate.