• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.569-574
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• 2014

Inverted bulk hetero-junction polymer solar cells (iPSC) composed of P3HT/PC61BM blends on the ZnO modified with benzoic acid derivatives-based self-assembled monolayers (SAM) are fabricated. Compared with the device using the pristine ZnO, the devices with ZnO surface modified SAMs derived from benzoic acid such as 4-(diphenylamino)benzoic acid (DPA-BA) and 4-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)benzoic acid (Cz-BA) as an electron transporting layer show improved the performances. It is mainly attributed to the favorable interface dipole at the interface between ZnO and the active layer, the eective passivation of the ZnO surface traps, decrease of the work function and facilitating transport of electron from PCBM to ITO electrode. The power conversion eciency (PCE) of iPSCs based on DPA-BA and Cz-BA treated ZnO reaches 2.78 and 2.88%, respectively, while the PCE of the device based on untreated ZnO is 2.49%. The open circuit voltage values ($V_{oc}$) of the devices with bare ZnO and SAM treated ZnO are not much different. Whereas, higher the fill factor (FF) and lower the series resistance ($R_s$) are obtained in the devices with SAMs modification.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.423-429
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• 2002

RuOx thin films were fabricated by the method of liquid delivery MOCVD using Ru(C$_{8}$ $H_{13}$ $O_2$)$_3$ as the precursor and their thermal effects and conductivity were investigated. Ru films deposited at 25$0^{\circ}C$ were annealed at $650^{\circ}C$ for 1min with Ar, $N_2$ or N $H_3$ ambient. The changes of the micro-structure, the surface morphology and the electrical resistivity of the Ru films after annealing were studied. Ar gas was more effective than $N_2$ and N $H_3$ gases as an ambient gas for the post annealing of the Ru films, because of smaller resistivity and denser grains. The X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that the Ru $O_2$ phase and the silicidation are not observed regardless of the ambient gases. The minimum resistivity of the Ru film is found to have the value of 26.35 $\mu$Ω-cm in Ar ambient. Voids were formed at Ru/TiN interface of the Ru layer after annea1ing in $N_2$ ambient. The $N_2$ gas generated due to the oxidation of the TiN layer accumulated at the Ru/TiN interface, forming bubbles; consequently, the stacked film may peel off the Ru/TiN interface.e.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.145-159
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• 2021

Light soaking (LS) stability in polymer solar cells (PSCs) has always been a challenge to achieve due to unstable photoactive layer-electrode interface. Especially, the electron transport layer (ETL) and photoactive layer interface limits the LS stability of PSCs. Herein, we have modified the most commonly used and robust zinc oxide (ZnO) ETL-interface using an organic dye molecule and a co-adsorbent. Power conversion efficiencies have been slightly improved but when these PSCs were subjected to long term LS stability chamber, equipped with heat and humidity (45℃ and 85% relative humidity), an outstanding stability in the case of ZnO/dye+co-adsorbent ETL containing devices have been achieved. The enhanced LS stability occurred due to the suppressed interfacial defects and robust contact between the ZnO and photoactive layer. Current density as well as fill factors have been retained after LS with the modified ETL as compared to un-modified ETL, owing to their higher charge collection efficiencies which originated from higher electron mobilities. Moreover, the existence of less traps (as observed from light intensity-open circuit voltage measurements and dark currents at -2V) are also found to be one of the reasons for enhanced LS stability in the current study. We conclude that the mitigation ETL-surface traps using an organic dye with a co-adsorbent is an effective and robust approach to enhance the LS stability in PSCs.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.870-877
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• 1998

With impedance spectrum measurements, impedance was studied in the interface between sample solutions for $K^+-ion$ selective PVC membrane electrode containing neutral carriers [dibenzo-18-crown-6 (D18Cr6) and valinomycine (Val)]. Response characteristics of electrode were examined by measuring AC impedance spectra that were resulted from the chemical structure and the content of carrier, variation of plasticizer, membrane thickness, doping of base electrolytes, and concentration variation of sample solution. Transport characteristics of PVC membrane electrode were also studied. It was found that the equivalent circuit for the membrane in $K^+$ solution could be expressed by a series combination of solution resistance and a parallel circuit consisting of the bulk resistance and geometric capacitance of the membrane system. But the charge transfer resistance and Warburg resistance were overlapped a little in the low concentration and low frequency ranges. The carrier, D18Cr6 was best for electrode and impedance characteristics, and ideal electrode characteristics were appeared especially in case of doping of the base electrolyte[potassium tetraphenylborate(TPB)]. The optimum carrier content was about 3.23 wt% in case of D18Cr6 and Val. DBP was best as a plasticizer. As membrane thickness decreased the impedance characteristics was improved, but electrode characteristics were lowered for membrane thickness below the optimum. In the case of D18Cr6, the selectivity coefficients by the mixed solution method for the $K^+$ ion were the order of $NH_4{^+}>Ca^{2+}>Mg^{2+}>Na^+$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.404-411
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• 2012

The reliability of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) particularly depends on the high quality of solid oxide electrolytes. The application of thinner electrolytes and multi electrolyte layers requires a more reliable characterization method. Most of the investigations on thin film solid electrolytes have been made for the parallel transport along the interface, which is not however directly related to the fuel cell performance of those electrolytes. In this work an array of ion-blocking metallic Ti/Au microelectrodes with about a $160{\mu}m$ diameter was applied on top of an ultrathin ($1{\mu}m$) yttria-stabilized-zirconia/gadolinium-doped-ceria (YSZ/GDC) heterolayer solid electrolyte in a micro-SOFC prepared by PLD as well as an 8-${\mu}m$ thick YSZ layer by screen printing, to study the transport characteristics in the perpendicular direction relevant for fuel cell operation. While the capacitance variation in the electrode area supported the working principle of the measurement technique, other local variations could be related to the quality of the electrolyte layers and deposited electrode points. While the small electrode size and low temperature measurements increaseed the electrolyte resistances enough for the reliable estimation, the impedance spectra appeared to consist of only a large electrode polarization. Modulus representation distinguished two high frequency responses with resistance magnitude differing by orders of magnitude, which can be ascribed to the gadolinium-doped ceria buffer electrolyte layer with a 200 nm thickness and yttria-stabilized zirconia layer of about $1{\mu}m$. The major impedance response was attributed to the resistance due to electron hole conduction in GDC due to the ion-blocking top electrodes with activation energy of 0.7 eV. The respective conductivity values were obtained by model analysis using empirical Havriliak-Negami elements and by temperature adjustments with respect to the conductivity of the YSZ layers.

• Clean Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2007

Direct coating of catalyst layer on the $Nafion^{(R)}$ membrane has been optimized in the process of fabrication of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to enhance the performance of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). In this method, the contact resistance at the interface of the catalyst layer and the membrane was found to be low. The effect of catalyst loading, thickness of membrane and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) with or without the presence of micro-porous layer (MPL) on the performance of the MEA was also investigated. The MEA fabricated by the above-mentioned method exhibited a performance of $147\;mW/cm^2$ and $100\;mW/cm^2$ at $80^{\circ}C$ and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively, with the catalysts loading of $4\;mg/cm^2$.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1995.07c
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• pp.1061-1065
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• 1995

To improve dielectric and mechanical properties of insulating composite by plasma surface treatment, new plasma surface treatment process is designed with concentric and hemi-circle electrodes system, the plasma, which is generated between anode and cathode, is induced to the upper side of the electrode system and treats the surface of the insulators. The optimal surface treatment condition is that pressure : 0.5[torr], flux density 100[gauss], discharge current : 500[mA] and treatment time : 3 minutes. The composite filled with glass cloth surface-treated by plasma shows the improvement in electric and mechanical properties, comparing non- and coupling agent-treated samples.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.143-145
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• 2016

In order to find suitable source and drain (S/D) electrodes for amorphous InGaZnO thin film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs), the specific contact resistance of interface between the channel layers and various S/D electrodes, such as Ti/Au, a-IZO and multilayer of a-IGZO/Ag/a-IGZO, was investigated using the transmission line model. The a-IGZO TFTs with a-IGZO/Ag/a-IGZO of S/D electrodes had good performance and low contact resistance due to the homo-junction with channel layer. The stability was measured with different electrodes by a positive bias stress test. The result shows the a-IGZO TFTs with a-IGZO/Ag/a-IGZO electrodes were more stable than other devices.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2000.06b
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• pp.64-67
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• 2000

Tungsten silicide(WSi$_2$) is proposed for the alternate gate electrode of ULSI MOS devices. Good structural property and low resistivity of WSi$_2$ deposited by a low pressure chemical vapor deposition(LPCVD) method directly on SiO$_2$ is obtained after annealing. Especially, WSi$_2$-SiO2 interface remains flat after annealing tungsten silicide at high temperature. Electrical characteristics of annealed WSi$_2$-SiO$_2$-Si(MOS) capacitors were improved in view of charge trapping.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2004.06b
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• pp.363-366
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• 2004

PZT thin films were formed by rf-magnetron sputtering on $Pt/Ti/SiO_2/Si$ substrate. Bulk PZT target containing $5\%$ excess PbO was used. They were formed with in-situ process at $650^{\circ}C$ as total thickness of 175 and 250 nm after the depositing of thin PZT films at room temperature, i. e. 2-step Sputtering. It was found that the ferroelectric perovskite phase is formed at $650^{\circ}C$ by XRD and the interface between room temp.-layer and $650^{\circ}C$ -layer is not existent. In the samples undergoing 2-step sputtering the dielectric constant was 600 or more and the leakage current density was $2{\times}10^{-7}A/cm^2$. So, we found that the room temp.-layer on the bottom electrode stabilize the underlaid layers.