• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.73-77
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• 2021

Flexible electrodes for wearable devices have been actively studied in not only achieving mechanical/electrical stability, but also providing various functionalities for extending its industrial application. In this study, a flexible carbon/PDMS composite is prepared by addition of carbon black (CB) as a conductive filler, and effect of CB with different contents on electrical properties of the composite was investigated for the application of flexible electrodes, temperature sensor and heater. With increase of CB contents, resistivity of the carbon/PDMS was increased, and excellent durability was observed, confirmed by repetitive stretching deformation test. Resistance increase of the carbon/PDMS with temperature reveals the property of positive temperature coefficient, which can be applied for temperature sensor. Also, joule heating on the carbon/PDMS was observed when electrical potential was applied, indicating the applicability of the carbon/PDMS for heater.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.155-161
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• 2018

A Si chip with the Cu/Au bumps of $100-{\mu}m$ diameter was flip-chip bonded using different anisotropic conductive adhesives (ACAs) onto the local stiffness-variant stretchable substrate consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The average contact resistances of the flip-chip joints processed with ACAs containing different conductive particles were evaluated and compared. The specimen, which was flip-chip bonded using the ACA with Au-coated polymer balls as conductive particles, exhibited a contact resistance of $43.2m{\Omega}$. The contact resistance of the Si chip, which was flip-chip processed with the ACA containing SnBi solder particles, was measured as $36.2m{\Omega}$, On the contrary, an electric open occurred for the sample bonded using the ACA with Ni particles, which was attributed to the formation of flip-chip joints without any entrapped Ni particles because of the least amount of Ni particles in the ACA.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2022

To date, various techniques have been utilized to assess the contractility of cardiomyocytes and their response to drug-induced toxicity. However, these techniques are either invasive or involve complex fabrication methods and expertise. Here, we introduce the use of video-based analysis software to track the motion of cardiomyocytes and assess their contractility. The software, called "Tracker", is freely available and this is the first attempt at using it for cardiac contractility measurement. We used the software to measure the contractile properties of cells cultured on a rigid substrate and two flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates having different elastic moduli day-wise up to eight days. Contractility was found to be highest in the most flexible substrate. Subsequently, the cardiotoxicity response of the cells on three different substrates was analyzed with verapamil. It was observed that the cells on rigid substrate were primarily affected by drug-induced toxicity, while the drug had a lesser impact on cells on the more flexible PDMS substrate. Evidently, the flexible substrate aided the maturation of cells and had lower drug toxicity, while the cells on PS could not fully mature. The assessment of cardiomyocytes using "Tracker" proved to be simple and reliable.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.671-675
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• 2014

This paper presents a fabrication of hydrophilic Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) with periodic wrinkling surface. The proposed periodic wrinkling surface was fabricated using the sequential processes of typical curing process of PDMS, cutting process, platinum deposition process, and wrinkling transfer process. The surface morphology of the fabricated wrinkling surface was observed by using optical and dynamic atomic force microscopy and discussed. The measured period and amplitude of wrinkling was about $2.2{\mu}m$ and $0.31{\mu}m$, respectively. And, the contact angles of water droplets on the wrinkled surface were measured in order to understand effect of the wrinkling surface on surface modification of hydrophobic PDMS. Our new finding was that the proposed wrinkling surface was hydrophilic and the measured contact angle was about $62^{\circ}$. Moreover, it was found out from the simple cell culture test that the fabricated wrinkling surface was more effective for cell spreading and adhesion than the case of native PDMS substrate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.624-627
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• 2003

Microcontact printing (uCP) of alkanethiols on gold was the first representative of soft-lithography processes. This is an attempt to enhance the accuracy of classical to a precision comparable with optical lithography, creating a low-cost, large-area, and high-resolution patterning process. Microcontact printing relies on replication of a pattered PDMS stamp from a master to form an elastic stamp that can be inked with a SAM solution(monolayer -forming ink) using either immersion inking or contact inking. The inked PDMS stamp is then used to print a pattern that selectively protects the gold substrate during the subsequent etch.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2004

A normally open thermopneumaticc-actuated microvalve has been fabricated and their properties are investigated. The advantages of the proposed microvalve are of the low cost fabrication process and the transparent optical property using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. The fabricated microvalves with in-channel configuration are easily integrated with other microfluidic devices on the same substrate. The fabrication process of thermopneumatic-actuated microvalvesusing PDMS is very simple and its performance is very suitable for a disposable lab-on-a-chip. The PDMS membrane deflection increases and the flow rates of the microchannel with microvalvels decrease as the applied power to the ITO heater increases. The powers at flow-off are dependent on the membrane thickness and the applied inlet pressure but are independent of the channel width of microvalves. The flow rate is well controlled by the switching function of ITO heater and the closing/opening times are around 20 sec and 25 sec, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.356-356
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• 2010

Tribological behaviors of the hard film on soft substrate system were explored using the hard thin film of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated the soft polymer of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS). A DLC film with the Young's modulus of 100 GPa was coated on PDMS substrate with Young's modulus of 10 MPa using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique. The deposition time was varied from 10 sec to 10 min, resulting in nanoscale roughness of wrinkle patterns with the thickness of 20 nm to 510 nm, respectively, at a bias voltage of $400\;V_b$, working pressure 10 mTorr. Nanoscale wrinkle patterns with 20-100 nm in width and 10-30 nm height were formed on DLC coating due to the residual stress in compression and difference in Young's modulus. Nanoscale roughness effect on tribological behaviors was observed by performing a tribo-experiment using the ball-on-disk type tribometer with a steel ball of 6 mm in diameter at the sliding speed of 220 rpm, normal load of 1N and 25% humidity at ambient temperature of $25^{\circ}C$. Friction force were measured with respect to thickness change of coated DLC thin film on PDMS. It was found that with increases the thickness of DLC coating on PDMS, the coefficient of friction decreased by comparison to that of the uncoated PDMS. The wear tracks before and after tribo-test were analyzed using SEM and AFM.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.167.1-167.1
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• 2014

We report a facile method to fabricate superhydrophobic, transparent and conductive film using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) which are coated by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). In order to prepare a film, PDMS coated MWCNTs were dispersed in solvents and the solution was drop-casted on substrates. It was demonstrated that the PDMS coating enhanced the dispersion of MWCNTs in diverse solvents such as dimethyl formamide(DMF) and acetone without the use of acids or surfactants, which are the common methods. In the case of DMF solvent, dispersion of MWCNT was improved by 40 % upon PDMS-coating of MWCNT. Enhanced dispersion of MWCNTs made it possible to fabricate transparent and conductive film homogeneously on the substrate and PDMS-coating on MWCNTs also made the surface hydrophobic. We can fabricate a uniform and multifunctional MWCNT film (transparent, conductive, superhydrophobic and flexible) which is applicable on large area without any physical damage and expensive equipment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.30 no.10 s.253
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• pp.1261-1268
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• 2006

This paper reports low-cost microreactor $(10{\mu}{\ell})$ biochip for the DNA PCR (polymerase chain reaction). The microbiochip $(20mm{\times}28mm)$ is a hybrid type which is composed of PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) layer with serpentine micochannel $(360{\mu}m{\times}100{\mu}m)$ chamber and glass substrate integrated with microheater and thermal microsensor. Undesirable bubble is usually created during sample loading to PMDS-based microchip because of hydrophobic chip surface. Created bubbles interrupt stable biochemical reaction. We designed improved microreactor chamber using microfluidic simulation. The designed reactor has a coner-rounded serpentine channel architecture, which enables stable injection into hydrophobic surface using micropipette only. Reactor temperature needed to PCR reaction is controlled within ${\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$ by PID controller of LabVIEW software. It is experimentally confirmed that SRY gene PCR by the fabricated microreactor chip is performed for less than 54 min.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2006

In this paper, we fabricated and evaluated polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)-based flexible and implantable micro electrodes. The electrode patterning was carried out with the photolithography and chemical etching process after e-beam evaporation of 100 ATi and 1000 A Au. The PDMS substrate was treated by oxygen plasma using reactive ion etching(RIE) system to improve the adhesiveness of PDMS and metal layers. The minimum line width of fabricated micro electrode was 20 $\mu$m. After finished patterning, we did packaging with PDMS and then brought up the electrode's part about 40 $\mu$m with gold electroplating. The Hank's balanced salt solution(HBSS) test was carried out for 6 month for endurance of fabricated micro electrode. We carried out in-vivo test for the evaluation of biocompatibility by implanting electrodes under the ICR mouse skin for 42 days.