• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.545-548
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• 2012

The optical and electronic properties of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin films deposited on a RF-plasma treated glass substrate were investigated by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Ultra-violet Photoelectron Spectroscopy (UPS), Reflected Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (REELS). The modification of glass substrates was carried out by varying the time of the plasma surface treatment in an oxygen atmosphere. The focus of this research was to examine how the optical and electronic properties of ITO thin films change with the plasma treatment time. The surface energy increased since the carbon bonds were removed from the surface after the glass substrate received the surface treatment. The ITO thin films produced on the glass substrate with surface treatment showed that the high optical transmittance was approximately 85%. The measured band gap energy was as high as 3.23 eV when the plasma treatment time was 60 s and the work function after the treatment was increased by 0.5 eV in comparison to that before the treatment of 60 s. The ITO thin film exhibited an excellent sheet resistance of $2.79{\Omega}/{\Box}$. We found that the optical and electronic properties of ITO thin films can be improved by RF-plasma surface treatment.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.261-266
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• 2003

We investigated the effect of oxygen plasma treatment of indium-tin oxide(ITO) surface on the performance of electroluminescence(EL) devices. ITO surface treated oxygen plasma has been analyzed using atomic force microscope(AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), to investigate the relations between the properties of the ITO surface and the properties of the current-voltage-luminance(I-V-L) characteristics of the fabricated OLED with the structure of ITO(plasma treatment) / TPD / Alq$_3$/ Al. It is found that the oxygen plasma treatment of ITO anode improve the hole injection of the OLED due to the modification of the surface states. The treated ITO anode nay be low voltage with high luminance efficiency.

• 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 the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.6 s.301
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• pp.313-318
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• 2007

ITO (Indium-tin oxide) thin films have been prepared by a sol-gel spinning coating method and fired and annealed in the temperature range of $450-600^{\circ}C$. The XRD patterns of the films indicated the main peak of (222) plane and showed higher crystallinity with increasing an annealing temperature. The surface of the ITO thin films were treated with 0.1 N HCl 20% solution at room temperature. The effects of surface treatment on electrical properties and surface morphologies of the ITO films were investigated with the results of sheet resistance and FE-SEM, AFM images. The samples, subsequently treated with acidic solution for 40 sec showed the sheet resistance of $0.982\;k{\Omega}/square$. The surface treatment using acidic solution diminished the RMS (root mean square) value and the residual carbon content of the ITO films. It seemed that the acid-cleaning of the ITO thin films lead to the decrease of surface roughness and sheet resistance.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2002

The change in work function was studied on Indium-Tin-Oxide(ITO) surface after O-plasma treatment using $\gamma$-Focused ion Beam($\gamma$-FIB). As the surface of ITO experienced more O-plasma treatment, both the surface resistivity and the work function got higher. Auger Electron Spectroscopy identified the increase of oxygen as well as the decrease of Sn. The rise of work function and surface resistivity is considered to be due to the change in oxygen and Sn on the surface of ITO.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.320-321
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• 2006

In this work, impedance Spectroscopic analysis was applied to study the effect of plasma treatment on the surface of indium-tin oxide (ITO) anodes using $CF_4g$ as and to model the equivalent circuit for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with the $CF_4$ plasma treatment of ITO surface at the anodes. This device with ITO/TPD/$Alq_3$/LiF/Al structure can be modeled as a simple combination of a resistor and a capacitor. The $CF_4$ plasma treatment on the surface of ITO shifts the vacuum level of the ITO as a result of which the barrier height for hole injection at the ITO/organic interface is reduced. The Impedance spectroscopy measurement of the devices with the $CF_4$ plasma treatment on the surface of ITO anodes shows change of values in parallel resistance ($R_p$) and parallel capacitance ($C_p$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.436-437
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• 2006

In this work, impedance Spectroscopic analysis was applied to study the effect of plasma treatment on the surface of indum-tin oxide (ITO) anodes using $O_2$ gas and to model the equivalent circuit for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with the $O_2$ plasma treatment of ITO surface at the anodes. This device with ITO/TPD/Alq3/LiF/Al structure can be modeled as a simple combination of a resistor and a capacitor. The $O_2$ plasma treatment on the surface of ITO shifts the vacuum level of the ITO as a result of which the barrier height for hole injection at the ITO/organic interface is reduced. The impedance spectroscopy measurement of the devices with the $O_2$ plasma treatment on the surface of ITO anodes shows change of values in parallel resistance ($R_p$) and parallel capacitance ($C_p$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.314-315
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• 2008

We have studied a property change of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED)s due to a surface reformation of indium-tin-oxide(ITO) substrate. An ITO is widely used as a transparent electrode in light-emitting diodes, and the OLEDs device performance is sensitive to the surface properties of the ITO. The ITO surface reformation could reduce the Schottky barrier at the ITO/organic interface and increase the adhesion of the organic layer onto the electrode. We have studied the characteristics of OLEDs with a treatment by a wet processing of the ITO substrate. The self-assembled monolayer(SAM) was used for wet processing. The characteristics of OLEDs were improved by SAM treatment of an ITO in this work. The OLEDs with a structure of ITO/TPD(50nm)/$Alq_3$(70nm)/LiF(0.5nm)/Al(100nm) were fabricated, and the surface properties of ITO were investigated by using seneral characterization techniques. Self-assembled monolayer introduced at the anode/organic interface gave an improvement in turn-on voltage, luminance and external quantum efficiency compared to the device without the SAM layer. SAM-treatment time of the ITO substrate was made to be 0/10/15/20/25min. The current efficiency of the device with 15min. treated SAM layer was increased by 3 times and the external quantum efficiency by 2.6 times.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.13 no.spc2
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• pp.193-197
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• 2012

Oxygen plasma has been treated on the surface of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) to improve the efficiency of the organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) device. The plasma treatment was expected to inject the holes effectively due to the control of an ITO work-function and the reduction of surface roughness. To optimize the treatment condition, a surface resistance and morphology of the ITO surface were investigated. The effect on the electrical properties of the OLEDs was evaluated as a function of oxygen plasma powers (0, 200, 250, 300, and 450 W). The electrical properties of the devices were measured in a device structure of ITO/TPD/Alq3/BCP/LiF/Al. It was found the plasma treatment of the ITO surface affects on the efficiency of the device. The efficiency of the device was optimized at the plasma power of 250 W and decreased at higher power than 250 W. The maximum values of luminance, luminous power efficiency, and external quantum efficiency of the plasma treated devices increase by 1.4 times, 1.4 times, and 1.2 times, respectively, compared to those of the non-treated ones.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.8-12
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• 2005

Indium tin oxide(ITO) surface treated by Oxygen plasma has been in situ analyzed using XPS(X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) and EDS(Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy), to investigate the relations between the properties of the ITO surface and the properties of OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diode). We measured electrical resistivity using Four-Point-Probe and calculated sheet resistance, and ITO surface roughness was measured by AFM(Atomic Force Microscope). We fabricated OLED using substrate that was treated optimum ITO surface. The plasma treatment of the ITO surface lowered the operating voltage of the OLED. We have obtained an improvement of luminance and decrease of turn-on voltage.