• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.449-454
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• 2002

The use of a thin film of indium between the ITO and the $n^+-lnP$ contact layers for InP/InGaAs HPTs was studied without degrading its excellent optical transmittance properties. $ITO/n^+-lnP$ ohmic contact was successfully achieved by the deposition of indium and annealing. The specific contact resistance of about $6.6{\times}10^{-4}\Omega\textrm{cm}^2$ was measured by use of the transmission line method (TLM). However, as the thermal annealing was just performed to $ITO/n^+-lnP$ contact without the deposition of indium between ITO and $n^+-lnP$, it exhibited Schottky characteristics. In the applications, the DC characteristics of InP/InGaAs HPTs with ITO emitter contacts was compared with those of InP/InGaAs HBTs with the opaque emitter contacts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.301-301
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• 2010

In order to enhance the efficiency of the organic solar cells, the effects of plasma surface treatment with using $CF_4$ and $O_2$ gas on the anode ITO were studied. The polymer solar cell devices were fabricated on ITO glasses an active layer of P3HT (poly-3-hexylthiophene) and PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester) mixture, without anode buffer layer, such as PEDOT:PSS layer. The metallic electrode was formed by thermally evaporated Al. Before the coating of organic layers, ITO surface was exposed to plasma made of $CF_4$ and $O_2$ gas, with/without heat treatment. In order to identify the effect the surface treatment, the current density and voltage characteristics were measured by solar simulator and the chemical composition of plasma treated ITO surface was analyzed by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). In addition, the work function of the plasma treated ITO surface was measured by using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy(UPS). The effects of plasma surface treatment can be attributed to the removal organic contaminants of the ITO surface, to the improvement of contact between ITO and buffer layer, and to the increase of work function of the ITO.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.292-292
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• 2007

To apply PDP panel, Soda lime glass(SLG) is cheeper than Non-alkali glass and PD-200 glass but has problems such as low strain temperature and ion diffusion by alkali metal oxide. In this paper suggest the methode that prohibits ion diffusion by deposing barrier layer on SLG. Indium thin oxide(ITO) thin films and barrier layers were prepared on SLG substrate by Rf-magnetron sputtering. These films show a high electrical resistivity and rough uniformity as compared with PD-200 glass due to the alkali ion from the SLG on diffuse to the ITO film by the heat treatment. However these properties can be improved by introducing a barrier layer of $SiO_2\;or\;Al_2O_3$ between ITO film and SLG substrate. The characteristics of films were examined by the 4-point probe, SEM, UV-VIS spectrometer, and X-ray diffraction. GDS analysis confirmed that barrier layer inhibited Na and Ka ion diffusion from SLG. Especially ITO films deposited on the $Al_2O_3$ barrier layer had higher properties than those deposited on the $SiO_2$ barrier layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.345-346
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• 2013

InGaN material is being studied increasingly as a prospective material for solar cells. One of the merits for solar cell applications is that the band gap energy can be engineered from 0.7 eV for InN to 3.4 eV for GaN by varying of indium composition, which covers almost of solar spectrum from UV to IR. It is essential for better cell efficiency to improve not only the crystalline quality of the epitaxial layers but also fabrication of the solar cells. Fabrication includes transparent top electrodes and surface texturing which will improve the carrier extraction. Surface texturing is one of the most employed methods to enhance the extraction efficiency in LED fabrication and can be formed on a p-GaN surface, on an N-face of GaN, and even on an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer. Surface texturing method has also been adopted in InGaN-based solar cells and proved to enhance the efficiency. Since the texturing by direct etching of p-GaN, however, was known to induce the damage and result in degraded electrical properties, texturing has been studied widely on ITO layers. However, it is important to optimize the ITO thickness in Solar Cells applications since the reflectance is fluctuated by ITO thickness variation resulting in reduced light extraction at target wavelength. ITO texturing made by wet etching or dry etching was also revealed to increased series resistance in ITO film. In this work, we report a new way of texturing by deposition of thickness-optimized ITO films on ITO nano dots, which can further reduce the reflectance as well as electrical degradation originated from the ITO etching process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.798-801
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• 2007

Multilayer transparent electrodes, having a much lower electrical resistance than the widely used transparent conducting oxide electrodes, were prepared by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The multilayer structure consisted of five layers, indium tin oxided (ITO)/zinc oxide (ZnO)/Ag/zinc oxide (ZnO)/ITO. With about 50 nm thick ITO films, the multilayer showed a high optical transmittance in the visible range of the spectrum and had color neutrality. The electrical and optical properties of ITO/ZnO/Ag/ZnO/ITO multilayer were changed mainly by Ag film properties, which were affected by the deposition process of the upper layer. Especially ZnO layer was improved to adhesion of Ag and ITO. A high quality transparent electrode, having a resistance as low as and a high optical transmittance of 91% at 550 nm, was obtained. It could satisfy the requirement for the flexible OLED and LCD.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.397-397
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• 2007

Multilayer transparent electrodes, having a much lower electrical resistance than the widely used transparent conducting oxide electrodes, were prepared by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The multilayer structure consisted of five layers, indium tin oxided(ITO)/zinc oxide(ZnO)/Ag/oxide(ZnO)/ITO. With about 50nm thick ITO films, the multilayer showed a high optical transmittance in the visible range of the spectrum and had color neutrality. The electrical and optical properties of ITO/ZnO/Ag/ZnO/ITO multilayer were changed mainly by Ag film properties, which were affected by the deposition process of the upper layer. Especially ZnO layer was improved to adhesion of Ag and ITO. A high quality transparent electrode, having a resistance as low as and a high optical transmittance of 91% at 550nm, was obtained. It could satisfy the requirement for the flexible OLED and LCD.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.239.2-239.2
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• 2016

Numerous studies and approaches have been performed for solar cells to improve their photoelectric conversion efficiencies. Among them, the study for electrode containing transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layers is one of issues as well as for the cell structure based on band theory. In this study, we focused on an interfacial layer between p-type silicon and indium tin oxide (ITO) well-known as TCO materials. According to current-voltage characteristics for the sample with the interfacial layers, the improvement of band alignment between p-type silicon and ITO was observed, and their ohmic properties were enhanced in the proper condition of deposition. To investigate cause of this improvement, spectroscopic ellipsometry and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy were utilized. Using these techniques, band alignment and defect in the band gap were examined. The major materials of the interfacial layer are vanadium oxide and tungsten oxide, which are notable as a hole transfer layer in the organic solar cells. Finally, the interfacial layer was applied to silicon solar cells to see the actual behavior of carriers in the solar cells. In the case of vanadium oxide, we found 10% of improvement of photoelectric conversion efficiencies, compared to solar cells without interfacial layers.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.49-52
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• 2009

We have investigated the effect of the surface roughness of TCO substrate on the characteristics of OLED (organic light emitting diodes) devices. In order to control the surface roughness of ITO thin films, we have processed photolithography and reactive ion etching. The micro-size patterned mask was used, and the etching depth was controlled by changing etching time. The surface morphology of the ITO thin film was observed by FESEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM). And then, organic materials and cathode electrode were sequentially deposited on the ITO thin films. Device structure was ITO/$\alpha$-NPD/DPVB/Alq3/LiF/Al. The DPVB was used as a blue emitting material. The electrical characteristics such as current density vs. voltage and luminescence vs. voltage of OLED devices were measured by using spectrometer (minolta CS-1000A). The current vs. voltage and luminance vs. voltage characteristics were systematically degraded with increasing surface roughness. Furthermore, the retention test clearly presented that the reliability of OLED devices was directly influenced with the surface roughness, which could be interpreted in terms of the concentration of the electric field on the weak and thin organic layers caused by the poor step coverage.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.69-72
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• 2005

ITO-Al-ITO multi-layers were deposited at room temperature by RF magnetron sputtering on polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The films were deposited at various pressures of $8\times10^{-4},\;1\times10^{-3},\;4\times10^{-3},\;8\times10^{-3}\;and\;1\times10^{-2}$ Torr. A correlation between microstructure and electro-optical properties was studied. Films deposited? at low pressure have higher transmission, and lower reflectance and resistance than film deposited at high pressure. Sheet resistance, transmission, and reflectance were $141.6\Omega/\Box\;88\%\;and\;6.8\%$ resectively when the deposition pressure was $8\times10^{-4}$ torr, that was the optimum condition.