• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.88-97
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• 1996

The metallization is the key to determining cell costs, cell performance, and system reliability. Screen printing technology suffers from several limitations affecting mainly the front grid. The buried contact solar cell (BCSC) was specifically desinged to be compatible with low cost, mass production techniques and avoid the conventional metallization problem. By using electroless plating technique, we performed this metallization inexpensively and reliably. This paper presents the details of the optimization procedure of metallization schemes on laser grooved cell surfaces. Commercially available Ni, Cu and Ag plating solutions were applied for the cell metallization. The application of those solutions on the buried contact front metallization has resulted in an cell efficiency of 18.8%. The cell parameters are an open circuit voltage of 651 mV, short circuit current density of 37.1 mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, and fill factor of 77.8 %. The efficiency of over 18 % was achieved in the above 90% of the batch.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.61-68
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• 2023

In this study, Sn-3.5Ag-15.0Fe composite solder was manufactured and applied to TLP bonding to change the entire joint into a Sn-Fe IMC(intermetallic compound), thereby applying it as a high-temperature solder. The FeSn₂ IMC formed during the bonding process has a high melting point of 513℃, so it can be stably applied to power modules for power semiconductors where the temperature rises up to 280℃ during use. As a result of applying ENIG surface treatment to both the chip and substrate, a multi-layer IMC structure of Ni₃Sn₄/FeSn₂/Ni₃Sn₄ was formed at the joint. During the shear test, the fracture path showed that cracks developed at the Ni₃Sn₄/FeSn₂ interface and then propagated into FeSn₂. After 2hours of the TLP joining process, a shear strength of over 30 MPa was obtained, and in particular, there was no decrease in strength at all even in a shear test at 200℃. The results of this study can be expected to lead to materials and processes that can be applied to power modules for electric vehicles, which are being actively researched recently.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 2015

The effects of electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and organic solderability preservative (OSP) surface finishes on the in-situ intermetallics reaction and the electromigration (EM) reliability of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder bump were systematically investigated. After as-bonded, $(Cu,Ni)_6Sn_5$ intermetallic compound (IMC) was formed at the interface of the ENIG surface finish at solder top side, while at the OSP surface finish at solder bottom side,$ Cu_6Sn_5$ and $Cu_3Sn$ IMCs were formed. Mean time to failure on SAC305 solder bump at $130^{\circ}C$ with a current density of $5.0{\times}10^3A/cm^2$ was 78.7 hrs. EM open failure was observed at bottom OSP surface finish by fast consumption of Cu atoms when electrons flow from bottom Cu substrate to solder. In-situ scanning electron microscope analysis showed that IMC growth rate of ENIG surface finish was much lower than that of the OSP surface finish. Therefore, EM reliability of ENIG surface finish was higher than that of OSP surface finish due to its superior barrier stability to IMC reaction.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2011

Shearing characteristics of Sn-3.0wt%Ag-0.5wt%Cu ball for standardization of high speed shear test were investigated. The solder ball of 450 ${\mu}m$ in diameter was reflowed at $245^{\circ}C$ on FR4 PCB (Printed Circuit Board) to prepare a sample for the high-speed shear test. The metal pads on the PCB were OSP (Organic Solderability Preservative, Cu pad) and ENIG (Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold, i.e CulNi/Au). Shearing speed was varied from 0.5 to 3.0 m/s, and tip height from 10 to 135 ${\mu}m$. As experimental results, for the OSP pad, a ductile fracture increased with tip height, and it decreased with shearing speed. In the case of ENIG pad, the ductile fracture increased with the tip height. The tip height of 10 ${\mu}m$ (2% of solder ball diameter) was unsuitable since the fracture mode was mostly pad lift. Shear energy increased with increasing shearing tip height from 10 to 135 ${\mu}m$ for both of OSP and ENIG pads.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.458-464
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• 2006

The Pd-Ni-Ag alloy composite membrane using modified porous stainless steel (PSS) as a substrate was prepared by a electroless plating technique. In this work, we have introduced the intermediate layer between Pd-based alloy and a metal substrate. As an intermediate layer, the mixtures of nickel powder and inorganic sol such as $SiO_{2}$ sol, $Al_{2}O_{3}$ sol, and $TiO_{2}$ sol were used. The intermediate layers were coated onto a PSS substrate according to various membrane preparation conditions and then $N_{2}$ fluxes through the membranes with different intermediate layers were measured. The surface morphology of the intermediate layer in the mixture of nickel powder and inorganic sol was analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Finally, the Pd-Ni-Ag alloy composite membrane using the support coated with the mixture of nickel powder and silica as an intermediate layer was fabricated and then the gas permeances for $H_{2}$ and $N_{2}$ through the Pd-based membrane were investigated. The selectivity of $H_2/N_2$ was infinite and the $H_{2}$ flux was $1.39{\times}10^{-2}mol/m^2{\cdot}s$ at the temperature of $500^{\circ}C$ and trans-membrane pressure difference of 1 bar.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2002

Effects of coating treatment of metallic Cu, Ni-P film on $SiC_p$, for $SiC_p$/iron aluminide composites were studied. Porous hybrid preforms were fabricated by reactive sintering after mixing the coated $SiC_p$, Fe and Al powders. Then the final composites were manufactured by squeeze casting after pouring AC4C Al alloy melts in preforms. The change of reactive temperature, density, microstructure of the preforms and microstructure of the composites were investigated. The exprimental results were summarized as follows. The thickness of Cu and Ni-P metallic layer formed on $SiC_p$ by electroless plating method were about $0.5{\mu}m$ and coated uniformly. There was no remakable change in the ignition temperature with variation of the mixing ratio of Fe and Al powder while in the case of coated $SiC_p$ it was lower about $20^{\circ}C$ than in the non-coated $SiC_p$. The maximum reaction temperature increased with increasing Al contents, but decreased with increasing $SiC_p$ contents. Expansion ratio of preform after reactive sintering increased with amount of Cu coated $SiC_p$. In the case of Fe-70at.%Al, the expansion ratio was about 7% up to 8wt.% of $SiC_p$, addition but further addition of $SiC_p$, increased the ratio significantly. And in the case of Fe-50 and 60at.%Al, it was about 20% up to 16wt.% of $SiC_p$ addition and about 28% in 24wt.% of $SiC_p$, addition. The microstructures of compounds showed that the grains became finer as amount of $SiC_p$, and mixing ratio of iron powder increased and the shape of compounds was changed gradually from irregular to spheroidal.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2010

Carbon fiber has many potential applications in a wide array of fields of solar cell, fuel cell, batteries, and polymer matrix composites due to an exceptional mechanical properties and chemical stability. In this study, the effects of catalysts on the property of carbon nanostructures grown on the carbon fiber were systematically investigated. The surface treatment of carbon fiber and catalysts synthesis for carbon nanostructures growth were carried out by one-pot ELP method and thermal CVD, respectively. The surface morphology and crystal structure of carbon nanostructures were examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Depending on the type of catalysts and the molar ratio, various types of carbon nanostructures like carbon nanotube, carbon nanofilament, carbon nanospring and etc. were synthesized on the surface of carbon fibers surface.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.61-67
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• 2005

Since lead (Pb)-free solders for electronics have higher melting points than that of eutectic Sn-Pb solder, they need higher soldering temperatures. In order to decrease the soldering temperature we tried to coat Sn-Bi layer on $Sn-3.5\%Ag$ solder by electroplating, which applies the mechanism of transient liquid phase bonding to soldering. During heating Bi will diffuse into the $Sn-3.5\%Ag$ solder and this results in decreasing soldering temperature. As bonding samples, the 1608 capacitor electroplated with Sn, and PCB, its surface was finished with electroless-plated Ni/Au, were selected. The $Sn-95.7\%Bi$ coated Sn-3.5Ag was supplied as a solder between the capacitor and PCB land. The samples were reflowed at $220^{\circ}C$, which was lower than that of normal reflow temperature, $240\~250^{\circ}C$, for the Pb-free. As experimental result, the joint of $Sn-95.7\%Bi$ coated Sn-3.5Ag showed high shear strength. In the as-reflowed state, the shear strength of the coated solder showed 58.8N, whereas those of commercial ones were 37.2N (Sn-37Pb), 31.4N (Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu), and 40.2N (Sn-8Zn-3Bi). After thermal shock of 1000 cycles between $-40^{\circ}C$ and $+125^{\circ}C$, shear strength of the coated solder showed 56.8N, whereas the previous commercial solders were in the range of 32.3N and 45.1N. As the microstructures, in the solder $Ag_3Sn$ intermetallic compound (IMC), and along the bonded interface $Ni_3Sn_4$ IMC were observed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2018.06a
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• pp.107-107
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• 2018

무전해 니켈도금 용액의 성분은 Ni(II)염, 환원제, 적합한 금속 배위 리간드, 안정제 및 특정 특성 요구에 대한 첨가제를 포함한다. 일반적으로 도금 욕에는 미량의 안정제가 함유되어 있다. 만약 적절한 안정화 시스템이 없는 도금 욕에서 도금 공정 시 도금 시작 직후에 많은 양의 니켈 플레이크(Ni flake)가 생성되어 빠르게 도금 용액이 분해되어 더 이상 도금이 어렵게 된다. 그러나 무전해 도금 욕에서 안정제의 역할 및 도금 층에 미치는 영향에 대한 연구는 여전히 부족한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 $Pb^{2+}$ 안정제 농도가 도금 층에 미치는 영향과 캐비테이션 침식 실험을 통해 그 내구성을 평가하고자 하였다. 무전해 니켈코팅을 위한 모재는 회주철(FC250)을 $19.5mm{\times}19.5mm{\times}5mm$의 크기로 가공하였다. 회주철의 인장강도는 $330N/mm^2$이며, 그 성분 조성(wt.%)은 3.23 C, 1.64 Si, 0.84 Mn, 0.016 P, 0.013 S 그리고 나머지는 Fe이다. 시험편은 SiC 페이퍼 #1200까지 연마하여 시험편의 표면 거칠기는 $1.6-2.1{\mu}m$ 범위 내로 제작하였다. 무전해 도금 전 시험편은 탈지를 위해 상온의 아세톤 용액에서 3분간 초음파 세척하고, $90^{\circ}C$의 알카리 수용액으로 5분간 세척하였다. 그리고 표면 활성화를 위한 산세척은 5% 황산용액에서 30초 동안 실시하였다. 도금조로 500mL 비커를 사용하였으며, 모든 시험편은 2시간 동안 무전해 니켈도금을 실시하였다. 그리고 니켈도금 층의 내식성과 내구성을 평가하기 위해 전기화학적 분극 실험을 통한 타펠분석과 ASTM G32 규정에 의거한 캐비테이션 침식 실험을 실시하였다. 그 결과 안정제 농도가 도금 속도와 도금 층의 성분 변화에 크게 영향을 미쳤으며, 그에 따라 도금 층의 내식성과 내구성이 크게 변화되었다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.1630-1634
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• 2011

Electroless plating of metallic nickel on carbon fiber surfaces was carried out to control specific electric resistivity of the fibers, and the effects of the nickel content and coating thickness on the electric properties were studied. The structural and surface properties of the carbon fibers were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The specific resistivity of the fibers was measured using a four-point probe testing method. From the XPS results, the oxygen and Ni atomic ratio of the fibers was greatly enhanced as the plating time increased. Additionally, it was observed that the specific electric resistivity decreased considerably in the presence of metallic nickel particles and with the formation of nickel layers on carbon fibers.