• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.478.1-478.1
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• 2014

We investigated $MoO_3$ graded ITO electrodes for organic solar cells (OSCs) without PEDOT:PSS buffer layer. The effect of $MoO_3$ thickness on the electrical, optical, and structural properties of $MoO_3$ graded ITO anodes prepared by RF/DC magnetron co-sputtering system using $MoO_3$ and ITO targets was investigated. At optimized conditions, we obtained $MoO_3$ graded ITO electrodes with a low sheet resistance of 13 Ohm/square, a high optical transmittance of 83% and a work function of 4.92 eV, comparable to conventional ITO films. Due to the existence of $MoO_3$ on the ITO electrodes, OSCs fabricated on $MoO_3$ graded ITO electrode without buffer layer successfully operated. Although OSCs fabricated on ITO anode without buffer layer showed a low power conversion efficiency of 1.249%, OSCs fabricated on $MoO_3$ graded ITO electrode without buffer layer showed a outstanding cell performance of 2.545%. OSCs fabricated on the $MoO_3$ graded ITO electrodes exhibited a fill factor of 61.275%, a short circuit current of 7.439 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 0.554 V, and a power conversion efficiency of 2.545%. Therefore, $MoO_3$ graded ITO electrodes can be considered a promising transparent electrode for cost efficient and reliable OSCs because it could eliminate the use of acidic PEDOT:PSS buffer layer.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.571-575
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• 2005

In order to improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), $TiO_2$ electrode screen-printed on transparent conducting oxide (TCO) substrate was sintered in variation with different temperature$(350\;to\;550^{\circ}C)$. $TiO_2$ electrode on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass was assembled with Pt counter electrode on FTO glass. I-V properties of DSSCs were measured under solar simulator. Also, effect of sintering temperature on surface morphology of $TiO_2$ films was investigated to understand correlation between its surface morphology and sintering temperature. Such surface morphology was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Below sintering temperature of $500^{\circ}C$, efficiency of DSSCs was relatively lower due to lower open circuit voltage. Oppositely, above sintering temperature of $500^{\circ}C$, efficiency of DSSCs was relatively higher due to higher open circuit voltage. In both cases, lower fill factor (FF) was observed. However, at sintering temperature of $500^{\circ}C$, both efficiency and fill factor of DSSCs were mutually complementary, enhancing highest fill factor and efficiency. Such results can be explained in comparison of surface morphology with schematic diagram of energy states on the $TiO_2$ electrode surface. Consequently, it was considered that optimum sintering temperature of a-terpinol included $TiO_2$ paste is at $500^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.396-402
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• 2015

The organic binder-free paste for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been investigated using peroxo titanium complex. The crystal structure of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles, morphology of $TiO_2$ film and electrical properties are analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electrochemical Impedance Spectra (EIS), and solar simulator. The synthesized $TiO_2$ nanopowders by the peroxo titanium complex at 150, 300, $400^{\circ}C$, and $450^{\circ}C$ have anatase phase and average crystal sizes are calculated to be 4.2, 13.7, 16.9, and 20.9 nm, respectively. The DSSC prepared by the peroxo titanium complex binder have higher $V_{oc}$ and lower $J_{sc}$ values than that of the organic binder. It can be attributed to improvement of sintering properties of $TCO/TiO_2$ and $TiO_2/TiO_2$ interface and to formation of agglomerate by the nanoparticles. As a result, we have investigated the organic binder-free paste and 3.178% conversion efficiency of the DSSC at $450^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2009

Indium tin oxide(ITO) thin films were deposited on the glass substrates by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. The influence of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment on the optical and electrical properties of the films were investigated for the purpose of fabricating plasma display signboard. Structural properties, surface roughness, sheet resistance and transmittance of the ITO film were analysed by using x-ray diffraction method, atomic force microscopy (AFM), four point prove, and ultraviolet-visible spectrometer, respectively. It was found that the RTA treatment increased the transmittance and decreased the resistivity of the ITO film, respectively. Furthermore, we successfully demonstrated the direct-current plasma signboard by using ITO electrode and phosphors.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2017

Conductive $Sn_xO_y$ thin films were fabricated via RF reactive sputtering using SnO:Sn (80:20 mol%) composite target. The composite target was used to produce a chemically stable composition of $Sn_xO_y$ thin film while controlling structural defects by chemical reaction between tin and oxygen. During sputtering pressure, RF power, and substrate temperature were fixed, and oxygen partial pressure was varied from 0% to 12%. Annealing process was carried out at $300^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in vacuum. Except $P_{O2}=0%$ sample, all samples showed the transmittance of 80~90% and amorphous phase before and after annealing. Electrically stable p-type $Sn_xO_y$ thin film with high transmittance was only obtained from the oxygen partial pressure at 12%. The carrier concentration and mobility for the $P_{O2}=12%$ were $6.36{\times}10^{18}cm^{-3}$ and $1.02cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$ respectively after annealing.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1213-1218
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• 2013

In this study, Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films were fabricated on transparent sapphire substrate by RF magnetron sputtering method and then investigated the effect of various substrate temperature on the electrical, optical properties and characteristic of crystallization of the GZO thin films. The electrical property indicated that the lowest resistivity ($4.18{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}cm$), the highest carrier concentration ($6.77{\times}10^{20}cm^{-3}$) and Hall mobility ($22cm^2/Vs$) were obtained in the GZO thin film fabricated at $300^{\circ}C$. And for this condition, the highest c-axis orientation and (002) diffraction peak which exhibits a FWHM of $0.34^{\circ}$ were obtained. From the results of AFM measurements, it is known that the highest crystallinity is observed at $300^{\circ}C$. The transmittance spectrum in the visible range was approximately 80 % regardless of substrate temperature. The optical band-gap showed the blue-shift as increasing the substrate temperature to $300^{\circ}C$, and they are all larger than the band gap of bulk ZnO (3.3 eV). It can be explained by the Burstein-Moss effect.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.42.2-42.2
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• 2010

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are of significant importance for their applications in various devices, such as light-emitting diodes, thin-film solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, and so on. In order for TCOs to contribute to the performance improvement of these devices, TCOs should have high transmittance and good electrical properties simultaneously. Sn-doped $In_2O_3$ (ITO) is the most commonly used TCO. However, indium is toxic and scarce in nature. Thus, ZnO has attracted a lot of attention because of the possibility for replacing ITO. In particular, group III impurity-doped ZnO showed the optoelectronic properties comparable to those of ITO electrodes. Al-doped ZnO exhibited the best performance among various doped ZnO films because of the high substitutional doping efficiency. However, in order for the Al-doped ZnO to replace ITO in electronic devices, their electrical and optical properties should further significantly be improved. In this connection, different ways such as a variation of deposition conditions, different deposition techniques, and post-deposition annealing processes have been investigated so far. Among the deposition methods, RF magnetron sputtering has been extensively used because of the easiness in controlling deposition parameters and its fast deposition rate. In addition, when combined with post-deposition annealing in a reducing ambient, the optoelectronic properties of Al-doped ZnO films were found to be further improved. In this presentation, we deposited Al-doped ZnO (ZnO:$Al_2O_3$ = 98:2 wt%) thin films on the glass and sapphire substrates using RF magnetron sputtering as a function of substrate temperature. In addition, the ZnO samples were annealed in different conditions, e.g., rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at $900^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ ambient for 1 min, tube-furnace annealing at $500^{\circ}C$ in $N_2:H_2$=9:1 gas flow for 1 hour, or RTA combined with tube-furnace annealing. It is found that the mobilities and carrier concentrations of the samples are dependent on growth temperature followed by one of three subsequent post-deposition annealing conditions.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 2011

This study has lowered the specific resistance by coating a thin film layer of Ag, playing the role of the electron donor on the ZnO that is used usefully for the transparent conductive oxides. Presently, this study has examined the transmittance and electric characteristics according to the thickness of the Ag thin film layer. Also, this study has observed the transmittance and electric characteristics according to the uppermost ZnO thin film layer of ZnO/Ag/ZnO symmetric film and has conducted the theoretical investigation. In order to observe the transmittance and electric characteristics according to the thickness of the Ag thin film layer and the uppermost ZnO thin film layer, this study conducted the film deposition at room temperature while making use of the DC magnetron sputtering system. In order to see the changes in the thickness of the Ag thin film layer, this study coated a thin film while increasing by 4nm; and, in order to see the changes in the thickness of uppermost ZnO thin film layer, it performed the thin film coating by increasing by 5nm. From the experimental result, the researchers observed that the best transmittance could be obtained when the thickness of the Ag thin film layer was 8nm, but the resistance and mobility increased as the thickness got larger. On the other hand, when the thickness of the uppermost ZnO thin film layer was 20nm, the experiment yielded the best transmittance with excellent electric characteristics. Also, when compared the ZnO/Ag asymmetric film with the ZnO/Ag/ZnO symmetric film, the ZnO/Ag asymmetric film showed better transmittance and electric characteristics.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.110-115
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• 2010

Transparent conducting gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) thin films which were deposited on Corning glass substrate using an Gun-type rf magnetron sputtering deposition technology. The GZO thin films were fabricated with an GZO ceramic target (Zn : 97[wt%], $Ga_2O_3$ : 3[wt%]). The GZO thin films were deposited by varying the growth conditions such as the substrate temperature, oxygen pressure. Among the GZO thin films fabricated in this study, the one formed at conditions of the substrate temperature of 200[$^{\circ}C$], Ar flow rate of 50[sccm], $O_2$ flow rate of 5[sccm], rf power of 80[W] and working pressure of 5[mtorr] showed the best properties of an electrical resistivity of $2.536{\times}10^{-4}[{\Omega}{\cdot}cm]$, a carrier concentration of $7.746{\times}10^{20}[cm^{-3}]$, and a carrier mobility of 31.77[$cm^2/V{\cdot}S$], which indicates that it could be used as a transparent electrode for thin film transistor and flat panel display applications.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.15-20
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• 2010

In this study, AZO (Al: 3 wt%) thin films have been prepared on PES Plastic substrates at various working pressure (5~20 mTorr), $O_2$ gas flow rate(0~3%) and the fixed substrate temperature of 200 f by using the RF magnetron sputtering and their optical and electrical properties have been studied. The XRD measurement shows that AZO thin films exhibit c-axis preferred orientation. From the results of AFM measurements, it is known that the lowest surface roughness (3.49 nm) is obtained for the AZO thin film fabricated at 5 mTorr of working pressure and 3% of $O_2$ gas flow rate. The optical transmittance of AZO thin films is measured as 80% in the visible region. We observe that the energy band gap of AZO thin films increases with decreasing the working pressure and the $O_2$ gas flow rate. This phenomenon is due to the Burstein-Moss effect. Hall measurement shows that the maximum carrier concentration ($2.63\;{\times}\;10^{20}\;cm^{-3}$) and the minimum resistivity ($4.35\;{\times}\;10^{-3}\;{\Omega}cm$) are obtained for the AZO thin film fabricated at 5mTorr of working pressure and 0% of $O_2$ gas flow rate.