• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2008

We have studied the effect of heat treatment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) as a counter electrode on the electro-chemical properties of dye-snsitized solar cells. MWNTs on the p-type Si substrate were synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using Fe catalysts. We prepared the two types of MWNTs samples with the different diameters. The rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment for the MWNTs was carried out at the growth temperature ($900^{\circ}C$) for 1 minute with $N_2$ gas atmosphere. The structural, electrical and electrochemical properties of MWNTs were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Raman spectroscopy, 2-point probe station and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The I(D)/I(G) ratio of heat-treated MWNTs in Raman spectra was considerably decreased. It was also found that the heat-treated MWNTs showed better redox reaction of iodide at the interface between MWNTs surface and electrolyte than that of as-grown MWNTs. The redox resistance value of heat-treated electrodes was measured to be much lower than that of as-grown electrode at the interface. As a result, the counter electrode using the heat-treated MWNTs showed better electrochemical properties.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.575-579
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• 2006

Solid electrolyte interface is formed on a carbon electrode used as an anode in Li-ion battery, which can be of $Li^{+}$ intercalation/deintercalation during the first cycle. The passivation film formed by a solvent decomposition during the initial charge process affects cell performance and it was one of the main reason of an initial irreversible capacity. This paper describes the use, for the first time, of $Li_2CO_3$ as the additive for the formation of a passivation film on the carbon surface to suppress the initial irreversible reaction. Chronopotentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the effects of the $Li_{2}CO_{3}$ additive. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction were also used to monitor changes in the surface morphology and composition of the passivation film formed by solvent decomposition and the precipitation of $Li_{2}CO_{3}$. The addition of $Li_{2}CO_{3}$ to a solution of 1 M $LiPF_{6}$/EC:MA (1:3, v/v) resulted in a decrease in the initial irreversible capacity and it was due to the suppression of the solvent decomposition on the electrode surface.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.731-738
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to analyze the understandings of science high school students on the conception of chemical cell in relation to chemical equilibrium from the microscopic viewpoint at molecular level through questionnaires and follow-up interviews. The results show that they have high understandings on the chemical equilibrium states in the electrochemical cell and on the redox reaction taking place simultaneously when a metal electrode is immersed in the metal ion solution. However, they do not fully comprehend the development of electrical potential difference, electron movement, electrode potential measurement in the half-cells, and calculation of the net cell voltage between anode and cathode in the chemical cell because of difficulties in the microscopic understanding the interaction on the interface at the electrode and the electrolyte solution.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.19-33
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• 2010

The surface film, which is formed on graphite negative electrodes during the initial charging, is a key component in lithium secondary batteries. The battery reactions are strongly affected by the nature of the surface film. It is thus very important to understand the physicochemical properties of the surface film. On the other hand, the surface film formation is a very complicated interfacial phenomenon occurring at the graphite/electrolyte interface. In studies on electrode surfaces in lithium secondary batteries, in-situ experimental techniques are very important because the surface film is highly reactive and unstable in the air. In this respect electrochemical atomic force microscopy (ECAFM) is a useful tool for direct visualizing electrode/solution interfaces at which various electrochemical reactions occur under potential control. In the present review, mechanism of surface film formation and its correlation with electrolyte are summarized on the basis of in-situ ECAFM studies for understanding of the nature of the surface film on graphite negative electrodes.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartA
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• v.17A no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Most wearable system for mobile healthcare applications consists of three parts. The first part is the sensing elements based on bio-signal, the second is the circuit module for control, data acquisition and wireless communication and control and the third is garment with a built-in electrodes and circuits. The existing healthcare garment systems have to find a solution to signal-wire and uncomfortable and inappropriate electrode to long-term attachment. Even if the wireless communication is used for healthcare garment system, the interface between sensors and circuits have to use wires. To solve these problems, this paper use electrode using PEDOT coated PVDF nanoweb for ECG signal and PVDF film sensor for respiratory signal. And, we constructed garment network using digital yarn of 10um, and transmitted ECG and respiratory signal to mobile phone through the integrated circuit with bluetooth called station To evaluate feasibility of the proposed mobile healthcare garment system, we experimented with transmission and measurement of ECG and respiratory signal using nanoweb electrode and digital yarn. We got a successful result without noise and attenuation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.07a
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• pp.45-49
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• 2001

We have investigated physical and electrical properties of the Hf $O_2$/HfS $i_{x}$/ $O_{y}$ thin film for alternative gate dielectrics in the metal-oxide-semiconductor device. The oxidation of Hf deposited directly on the Si substrate results in the H $f_{x}$/ $O_{y}$ interfacial layer and the high-k Hf $O_2$film simultaneously. Interestingly, the post-oxidation N2 annealing of the H102/H1Si70y thin films reduces(increases) the thickness of an amorphous HfS $i_{x}$/ $O_{y}$ layer(Hf $O_2$ layer). This phenomenon causes the increase of the effective dielectric constant, while maintaining the excellent interfacial properties. The hysteresis window in C-V curves and the midgap interface state density( $D_{itm}$) of Hf $O_2$/HfS $i_{x}$/ $O_{y}$ thin films less than 10 mV and ~3$\times$10$^{11}$ c $m^{-2}$ -eV without post-metallization annealing, respectively. The leakage current was also low (1$\times$10-s A/c $m^2$ at $V_{g}$ = +2 V). It is believed that these excellent results were obtained due to existence of the amorphous HfS $i_{x}$/ $O_{y}$ buffer layer. We also investigated the charge trapping characteristics using Fowler-Nordheim electron injection: We found that the degradation of Hf $O_2$/HfS $i_{x}$/ $O_{y}$ gate oxides is more severe when electrons were injected from the gate electrode.e electrode.e.e electrode.e.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.42.2-42.2
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• 2011

$TiO_2$ films were modified by adding a glass frit as a light scattering particle and applied to an anode electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to enhance the adhesion between $TiO_2$ and fluorine doped transparent oxide (FTO). Low melting point glass frits at contents of (3 to 7wt%) were added to the nano crystalline $TiO_2$ films. The light scattering properties, photovoltaic properties and microstructures of the photo electrodes were examined to determine the role of the low glass transition temperature ($T_g$) glass frit. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and scratch test were conducted to support the results. The DSSC with the $TiO_2$ film containing 3wt% low Tg glass frit showed optimal performance (5.1%, energy conversion efficiency) compared to the $TiO_2$-based one. The photocurrent density slightly decreased by adding 3wt% of the frit due to its large size and non conductivity. However, the decrease of current density followed by the decrease of electron transfer due to the large frit in $TiO_2$ electrode was compensated by the scattering effect, high surface area and reduced the electron transfer impedance at the electrolyte-dye-$TiO_2$ interface. The stability of the photo electrodes was improved by the frit, which chemically promoted the sintering of $TiO_2$ at relatively low temperature ($450^{\circ}C$).

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.111-116
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• 2009

In this paper, a plasma-assisted patterning method for the organic layers of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and its effect on the OLED performances are reported. Oxygen plasma was used to etch the organic layers, using the top electrode consisting of lithium fluoride and aluminum as an etching mask. Although the current flow at low voltages increased for the etched OLEDs, there was no significant degradation of the OLED efficiency and lifetime in comparison with the conventional OLEDs. Therefore, this method can be used to reduce the ohmic voltage drop along the common top electrodes by connecting the top electrode with highly conductive bus lines after the common organic layers on the bus lines are etched by plasma. To further analyze the current increase at low voltages, the plasma patterning effect on the OLED performance was investigated by changing the device sizes, especially in one direction, and by changing the etching depth in the vertical direction of the device. It was found that the current flow increase at low voltages was not proportional to the device sizes, indicating that the current flow increase does not come from the leakage current along the etched sides. In the etching depth experiment, the current flow at low voltages did not increase when the etching process was stopped in the middle of the hole transport layer. This means that the current flow increase at low voltages is closely related to the modification of the hole injection layer, and thus, to the modification of the interface between the hole injection layer and the bottom electrode.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.358-361
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• 2002

Self-aligned MOSFETS using a polysilicon gate are widely fabricated in silicon technology. The polysilicon layer acts as a mask for the source and drain implants and does as gate electrode in the final product. However, the usage of polysilicon gate as a self-aligned mask is restricted in fabricating SiC MOSFETS since the following processes such as dopant activation, ohmic contacts are done at the very high temperature to attack the stability of the polysilicon layer. A metal instead of polysilicon can be used as a gate material and even can be used for ohmic contact to source region of SiC MOSFETS, which may reduce the number of the fabrication processes. Co-formation process of metal-source/drain ohmic contact and gate has been examined in the 4H-SiC based vertical power MOSFET At low bias region (<20V), increment of leakage current after RTA was detected. However, the amount of leakage current increment was less than a few tens of ph. The interface trap densities calculated from high-low frequency C-V curves do not show any difference between w/ RTA and w/o RTA. From the C-V characteristic curves, equivalent oxide thickness was calculated. The calculated thickness was 55 and 62nm for w/o RTA and w/ RTA, respectively. During the annealing, oxidation and silicidation of Ni can be occurred. Even though refractory nature of Ni, 950$^{\circ}C$ is high enough to oxidize it. Ni reacts with silicon and oxygen from SiO$_2$ 1ayer and form Ni-silicide and Ni-oxide, respectively. These extra layers result in the change of capacitance of whole oxide layer and the leakage current

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.343-343
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• 2014

We reported on the electrical, optical, structural and morphological properties fabricated by co-sputtering for use as an anode for organic solar cells (OSCs). By adjusting RF and DC power of $MoO_3$ and IZO targets during co-sputtering, we fabricated the $MoO_3$-IZO electrode with graded content of the $MoO_3$ on the IZO films. At optimized $MoO_3$ thickness of 20 nm, the $MoO_3$ graded IZO electrode showed a higher mobility ($33cm^2/V-Sec$) than directly deposited $MoO_3$ on IZO film ($26cm^2/V-Sec$). At visible range (400nm~800nm), optical transmittance of the $MoO_3$ graded IZO electrode is higher than that of directly deposited $MoO_3$ on IZO film. High mobility of $MoO_3$ graded on IZO is attributed to less interface scattering between $MoO_3$ and IZO. To investigate the feasibility of $MoO_3$ graded IZO films, we fabricated conventional P3HT:PCBM based OSCs with $MoO_3$ graded IZO as a function of MoO3 thickness. The OSC fabricated on the $MoO_3$ graded IZO anode showed a fill factor of 66.53%, a short circuit current of $8.121mA/cm^2$, an open circuit voltage of 0.592 V, and a power conversion efficiency of 3.2% comparable to OSC fabricated on ITO anode and higher than directly deposited $MoO_3$ on IZO film. We suggested possible mechanism to explain the high performance of OSCs with a $MoO_3$ graded IZO.