• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.612-616
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• 2009

Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films have been widely used in the field of flat panel display industry. Transparent conductive indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films with excellent chemical stability have attracted much attention as an alternative material for indium tin oxide (ITO) films. In this study, using a $In_2O_3$ and ZnO powder mixture with a ratio of 90 : 10wt% as a target, IZO films were prepared on polynorbornene (PNB) substrates by electron beam evaporation. The effect of substrate temperature and $O_2$ introduction flow rate were investigated in terms of electrical and optical properties of deposited IZO films. The best electrical and optical properties we obtained from this study were sheet resistance value of $5.446{\times}10^2{\Omega}/{\boxempty}$ and optical transmittance of 87.4% at 550 nm at $O_2$ introduction flow rate of 4 sccm, deposition rate of $2{\AA}$/sec, thickness of 1000 $\AA$ and substrate temperature of $150^{\circ}C$.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2010

Indium tin oxide (ITO) provides high electrical conductivity and transparency in the visible and near IR (infrared) wavelengths. Thus, it is widely used as a transparent electrode for the fabrication of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light emitting diode displays (OLRDs), photovoltaic devices, and other optical applications. Lasers have been used for removing coating on polymer substrate for flexible display and electronic industry. In selective removal of ITO layer, laser wavelength, pulse energy, scan speed, and the repetition rate of pulses determine conditions, which are efficient for removal of ITO coating without affecting properties of the polymer substrate. ITO coating removal with a laser is more environmentally friendly than other conventional etching methods. In this paper, pattering of ITO film from polymer substrates is described. The Yb:KGW femtosecond laser processing system with a pulse duration of 250fs, a wavelength of 1030nm and a repetition rate of 100kHz was used for removing ITO coating in air. We can remove the ITO coating using a scanner system with various pulse energies and scan speeds. We observed that the amount of debris is minimal through an optical and a confocal microscope, and femtosecond laser pulses with 1030nm wavelength are effective to remove ITO coating without the polymer substrate ablation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.563-567
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• 2006

Indium tin oxide (ITO) used as an electrode in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) was modified by a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). For device fabrication, surface of the ITO was modified by immersion in a solution including various phosphonic acid at room temperature in order to increase work function of an electrode. The work function of ITO with SAM was measured by Kelvin probe. Work function increase of 0.88 eV was observed in ITO with various SAM. Therefore, ohmic contact is achieved in an interface between ITO and organic semiconductors (pentacene). We analyzed the origin of work function increase of ITO with SAM by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We confirmed that increase of oxygen bonding energy attributed to increase the work function of ITO. These results suggested that ITO with the SAM gives a high possibility for high performance of OLEDS and OTFTs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2015

Silver nanowire (AgNW) is a material that is increasingly being used for transparent electrodes, as a substitute for indium tin oxide (ITO), owing to its flexibility, high transmittance to sheet resistance ratio, and simple production process. This study involves manufacturing large-area organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) deposited on AgNW electrodes. We compared the efficiency of OPVs with ITO and AgNW electrodes. The results verified that an OPV with an AgNW electrode performed better than that with an ITO electrode. Furthermore, by using the knife coating method, we successfully fabricated large-area OPVs without the loss of efficiency. Use of AgNW instead of ITO demonstrated that an OPV could be produced on various substrates by the solution process method, dropping the productions costs significantly. Additionally, by using the knife coating method, the process time and amount of wasted solution are reduced. This leads to an increase in the efficient fabrication of the OPV.

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.52-60
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• 2001

The electrical and mechanical properties in indium-tin-oxide films deposited on polymer substrate were examined. The materials of substrates were polyethersulfone (PES) which have gas barrier layer and anti-glare coating for plastic-based devices. The experiments were performed by rf-magnetron sputtering using a special instrument and buffer layers. Therefore, we obtained a very flat polymer substrate deposited ITO film and investigated the effects of buffer layers, and the instrument. Moreover, the influences of an oxygen partial pressure and post-deposition annealing in ITO films deposited on polymer substrates were clarified. X-ray diffraction observation, measurement of electrical property, and optical microscope observation were performed for the investigation of micro-structure and electro-mechanical properties, and they indicated that as-deposited ITO thin films are amorphous and become quasi-crystalline after adjusting oxygen partial pressure and thermal annealing above $180^{\circ}C$. As a result, we obtained 20-25 ${\Omega}/sq$ of ITO films with good transmittance (above 80 %) of oxygen contents with under 0.2 % and vacuum annealing. Furthermore, using organic buffer layer, we obtained ITO films which have a rather high electrical resistance (40-45 ${\Omega}/sq$) but have improved optical (more than 85 %) and mechanical characteristics compared to the counterparts. Consequently, a prototype reflective color plastic film LCD was fabricated using the PES polymer substrates to confirm whether the ITO films could be realized in accordance with our experimental results.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2008

The electrical, optical, structural and surface properties of an indium tin oxide (ITO) film grown on a flexible PET substrate using a specially designed roll-to-roll (R2R) sputtering system as a function of the DC power, $Ar/O_2$ flow ratio, and rolling speed is reported. It was observed that both the electrical and optical properties of the ITO film on the PET substrate were critically dependent on the $Ar/O_2$ flow ratio. In addition, x-ray diffraction examination results showed that the structure of the ITO film on the PET substrate was an amorphous structure regardless of the DC power and the $Ar/O_2$ flow ratio due to a low substrate temperature, which was maintained constant by a main cooling drum. Under optimized conditions, ITO film with resistivity of $6.44{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}-cm$ and transparency of 86% were obtained, even when prepared at room temperature. Furthermore, bending test results exhibited that R2R-grown ITO film had good flexibility which would be applicable to flexible displays and solar cells.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.8 no.4B
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• pp.565-571
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• 1999

In this study, high-density plasma etching characteristics of ITO(indium tin oxide) films used for transparent electrode in dispaly devices were investigated. Plasma diagnostic and surface analysis tools were used to understand etch reaction mechanism. The etch rate of ITO was increased by the increase of reactive radicals such as H and $CH_3$ with the addition of moderate amount of $CH_4$ to Ar. However, the addition of excess amount of $CH_4$ decreased possibly due to the increased polymer formation on the ITO surface being etched. The increase of source power and bias boltage increased ITO etch rates but it decreased selectivities over under-layers $(SiO_2, Si_3N_4)$. The increase of working pressure up to 20mTorr also increased ITO etch rates, however the further increased of the pressure decreased ITO etch rates. From the analysis of XPS, a peak related to the polymer of hydrocarbon was observed on the etched ITO surface especially for high $CH_4$ conditions and it appears to affect ITO etch rates.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.276-276
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• 2008

Transparent and conducting indium tin oxide (ITO) and ITO/Nickel/ITO(INI) multilayered films were prepared on glass substrates by a magnetron sputtering without intentional substrate heating. The RF(13.56MHz) and DC power were applied to ITO and Nickel target, respectively. The thickness of ITO, Ni and ITO films were kept constantly at 50, 5 and 45 nm. In order to consider the effect of post deposition vacuum annealing in vacuum on the physical and optoeletrical properties of INI films, optical transmittance, electrical resistivity, crystallinity of the films were analyzed. From the observed result, it may conclude that the optoelectrical properties of the INI films were dependent on the post deposition annealing. For the INI films annealed at $300^{\circ}C$, the films have a polycrystalline structure with (110), (200), (210), (211) and (300). The resistivity of the films were $4.0\times10^{-4}{\Omega}cm$ at room temperature. As the annealing($300^{\circ}C$), resistivity decreased to $2.8\times10^{-4}{\Omega}cm$. And also the optical transmittance decreased from 79 to 70 % at 550nm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.99-99
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• 1999

투명전도막인 Ito(Indium Tin Oxide)는 flat panel display 와 solar cell 같은 optoelectronic 이나 microelectronic device에서 널리 이용되어 지고 있다. 현재 상용화되고 있는 거의 대부분의 ITO 박막은 sputtering법에 의해 제조되고 있으나 공정상의 이유로 15$0^{\circ}C$이상의 기판온도가 요구되어진다. 그런, 실제 display device 제조공정에서는 비정질 실리콘 박막이나 유기막 위에 ITO박막을 제작할 필요성이 증대되어 지고 있고, 또한 다른 전자소자에 있어서도 상온 ITO 박막 형성 공정에 대한 필요성이 증대되고 있다. 이러한 이유로 본 실험에서는 IBAE(Ion Beam Assisted Evsporation)을 이용하여 저온 ITO박막을 유기막 위에 증착하는 공정에 대한 연구를 수행하였다. 이렇게 증착된 ITO 박막의 결정성은 비정질이었다. 또한, 모든 display device 제작에는 식각공정이 필수인데 기존에 사용되고 있는 wet etching 법은 등방성 식각특성 때문에 미세 pattern 형성에 부적합？, 따라서 비등방성 식각에 용이한 plasma etching법을 사용하여 저온 증착된 ITO 박막의 식각특성을 알아보았다. 실험에 사용된 식각장비는 자장 강화된 유도결합형 플라즈마 식각장비(MEICP)를 사용하였으며, 13.56MHz의 RF power를 사용하였다. 식각조건으로 source power는 600W~1000W, 기판 bias boltage는 -100V~-250V를 가하였으며, Ar, CH4, O2, H2, BCl3의 식각 gases, 5mTorr~30mTorr의 working pressure 변화 그리고 기판 온도에 따른 식각특성을 관찰하였다. ITO 가 증착된 기판으로는 유기물 중 투명전도성 박막에 기판으로서 사용가능성이 클 것으로 기대되어지는 PET(polyethylene-terephtalate), PC(polycarbonate), 아크릴을 사용하여 기판 변화가 식각특성에 미치는 영향에 대해서 각각 관찰하였다. 식각속도의 측정은 stylus profiler를 이용하여 측정하였으며 식각후에 표면상태는 scanning electron spectroscopy(SEM)을 이용하여 관찰하였다.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.146-151
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• 2004

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is widely used to make a transparent conducting film for various display devices and opto-electric devices. In this study, ITO films on glass substrate were fabricated by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) assisted dc magnetron sputtering. A two-turn rf coil was inserted in the process chamber between the substrate and magnetron for the generation of ICP. The substrates were not heated intentionally. Subsequent post-annealing treatment for as-deposited ITO films was not performed. Low-temperature deposition technique is required for ITO films to be used with heat sensitive plastic substrates, such as the polycarbonate and acrylic substrates used in LCD devices. The surface roughness of the ITO films is also an important feature in the application of OLEDs along with the use of a low temperature deposition technique. In order to obtain optimum ITO thin film properties at low temperature, the depositions were carried out at different condition in changing of Ar and $O_2$ gas mixtures, ICP power. The electrical, optical and structural properties of the deposited films were characterized by four-point probe, UV/VIS spectrophotometer, atomic force microscopy(AFM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrical resistivity of the films was -l0$^{-4}$ $\Omega$cm and the optical transmittance in the visible range was ＞85%. The surface roughness ( $R_{rms}$) was -20$\AA$.>.