• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.297.2-297.2
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• 2016

Photoacoustic generation of ultrasound is an effective approach for development of high-frequency and high-amplitude ultrasound transmitters. This requires an efficient energy converter from optical input to acoustic output. For such photoacoustic conversion, various light-absorbing materials have been used such as metallic coating, dye-doped polymer composite, and nanostructure composite. These transmitters absorb laser pulses with 5-10 ns widths for generation of tens-of-MHz frequency ultrasound. The short optical pulse leads to rapid heating of the irradiated region and therefore fast thermal expansion before significant heat diffusion occurs to the surrounding. In this purpose, nanocomposite thin films containing gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), or carbon nanofibers have been recently proposed for high optical absorption, efficient thermoacosutic transfer, and mechanical robustness. These properties are necessary to produce a high-amplitude ultrasonic output under a low-energy optical input. Here, we investigate carbon nanotube (CNT)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite transmitters and their nanostructure-originated characteristics enabling extraordinary energy conversion. We explain a thermoelastic energy conversion mechanism within the nanocomposite and examine nanostructures by using a scanning electron microscopy. Then, we measure laser-induced damage threshold of the transmitters against pulsed laser ablation. Particularly, laser-induced damage threshold has been largely overlooked so far in the development of photoacoustic transmitters. Higher damage threshold means that transmitters can withstand optical irradiation with higher laser energy and produce higher pressure output proportional to such optical input. We discuss an optimal design of CNT-PDMS composite transmitter for high-amplitude pressure generation (e.g. focused ultrasound transmitter) useful for therapeutic applications. It is fabricated using a focal structure (spherically concave substrate) that is coated with a CNT-PDMS composite layer. We also introduce some application examples of the high-amplitude focused transmitter based on the CNT-PDMS composite film.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2022

Micro-LED is a light-emitting diode smaller than 100 ㎛ in size. It attracts much attention due to its superior performance, such as resolution, brightness, etc., and is considered for various applications like flexible display and VR/AR. Micro-LED display requires a mass transfer process to move micro-LED chips from a LED wafer to a target substrate. In this study, we proposed a vacuum chuck method as a mass transfer technique. The vacuum chuck was fabricated with MEMS technology and PDMS micro-mold process. The spin-coating approach using a dam structure successfully controlled the PDMS mold's thickness. The vacuum test using solder balls instead of micro-LED confirmed the vacuum chuck method as a mass transfer technique.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.489.2-489.2
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• 2014

The planar type flexible piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEH) based on PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) thin films on the flexible substrates are demonstrated to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. The planar type energy harvesters have been realized, which have an electrode pair on the PZT thin films. The PZT thin films were deposited on double side polished sapphire substrates using conventional RF-magnetron sputtering. The PZT thin films on the sapphire substrates were transferred by PDMS stamp with laser lift-off (LLO) process. KrF excimer laser (wavelength: 248nm) were used for the LLO process. The PDMS stamp was attached to the top of the PZT thin films and the excimer laser induced onto back side of the sapphire substrate to detach the thin films. The detached thin films on the PDMS stamp transferred to adhesive layer coated on the flexible polyimide substrate. Structural properties of the PZT thin films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To measure piezoelectric power generation characteristics, Au/Cr inter digital electrode (IDE) was formed on the PZT thin films using the e-beam evaporation. The ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties were measured by a ferroelectric test system (Precision Premier-II) and piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM), respectively. The output signals of the flexible PEHs were evaluated by electrometer (6517A, Keithley). In the result, the transferred PZT thin films showed the ferroelectric and piezoelectric characteristics without electrical degradation and the fabricated flexible PEHs generated an AC-type output power electrical energy during periodically bending and releasing motion. We expect that the flexible PEHs based on laser transferred PZT thin film is able to be applied on self-powered electronic devices in wireless sensor networks technologies. Also, it has a lot of potential for high performance flexible piezoelectric energy harvester.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2019

We report on stretchable electrochromic films of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) fabricated on silver nanowire (AgNW) electrodes. AgNWs electrodes are prepared on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates using a spray coater for stretchable electrochromic applications. On top of the AgNW electrode, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is introduced to ensure a stable resistance over the electrode under broad strain range by effectively suppressing the protrusion of AgNWs from PDMS. This bilayer electrode exhibits a high performance as a stretchable substrate in terms of sheet resistance increment by a factor of 1.6, tensile strain change to 40 %, and stretching cycles to 100 cycles. Furthermore, P3HT film spin-coated on the bilayer electrode shows a stable electrochromic coloration within an applied voltage, with a color contrast of 28.6 %, response time of 4-5 sec, and a coloration efficiency of $91.0cm^2/C$. These findings indicate that AgNWs/PEDOT:PSS bilayer on PDMS substrate electrode is highly suitable for transparent and stretchable electrochromic devices.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2016

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is used as a scaffold for cell culture. Because both the stress and strain acting on the substrate and the hemodynamic environment are important for studying mechano-transduction of cellular function, the traction force of the surface of a substrate has been measured using fluorescence images of particle distribution. In this study, deformation of the cross-sectional plane of a PDMS block was measured by correlating particle image distributions to validate the particle image strain measurement technique. Deformation was induced by a cone indentor and a shearing parallel plate. Measured deformations from particle image distributions were in agreement with the results of a computational structure analysis using the finite-element method. This study demonstrates that the particle image correlation method facilitates measurement of deformation of a polymer scaffold in the cross-sectional plane.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.499-505
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• 2017

The increasing number of natural disasters resulting from anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions has prompted the development of a gas separation membrane. Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is the main cause of global warming. Organic polymeric membranes with inherent flexibility are good candidates for use in gas separation membranes and poly(dimethyl siloxane)(PDMS) specifically is a promising material due to its inherently high $CO_2$ diffusivity. In addition, poly(vinyl pyrrolidine)(PVP) is a polymer with high $CO_2$ solubility that could be incorporated into a gas separation membrane. In this study, poly(dimethyl siloxane)-poly(vinyl pyrrolidine)(PDMS-PVP) comb copolymers with different compositions were synthesized under mild conditions via a simple one step free radical polymerization. The copolymerization of PDMS and PVP was characterized by FTIR. The morphology and thermal behavior of the produced polymers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Composite membranes composed of PDMS-PVP on a microporous polysulfone substrate layer were prepared and their $CO_2$ separation properties were subsequently studied. The $CO_2$ permeance and $CO_2/N_2$ selectivity through the PDMS-PVP composite membrane reached 140.6 GPU and 12.0, respectively.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
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• v.4C no.4
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• pp.137-141
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• 2004

In this paper, a thermopneumatic PMDS (polydimethlysiloxane) micropump with nozzle/diffuser elements is presented. The micropump is composed of nozzle/diffuser elements as dynamic valves, an actuator consisting of a circular PDMS diaphragm and a Cr/Au heater on a glass substrate. Four PDMS layers are used for fabrication of an actuator chamber, actuator diaphragm by a spin coating process, spacer layer, and nozzle/diffuser by the SU-8 molding process. The radius and thickness of the actuator diaphragm is 2 mm and 30 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, respectively. The length and the conical angle of the nozzle/diffuser elements are 3.5 mm and 20$^{\circ}$, respectively. The actuator diaphragm is driven by the air cavity pressure variation caused by ohmic heating and natural cooling. The flow rate of the micropump in the frequency domain is measured for various duty cycles of the square wave input voltage. When the square wave input voltage of 5 V DC is applied to the heater, the maximum flow rate of the micropump is 44.6 ${mu}ell$/min at 100 Hz with a duty ratio of 80% under the zero pressure difference.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.88-92
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• 2006

We present a microfluidic system with microvalves and a micropump that are easily integrated on the same substrate using the same fabrication process. The fabricated microfluidic system is suitable for use as a disposable device and its characteristics are optimized for use as a micro chemical analysis system (micro-TAS) and lab-on-a-chip. The system is realized by means of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-glass chip and an indium tin oxide (ITO) heater. We demonstrate the integration of the micropump and microvalves using a new thermopneumatic-actuated PDMS-based microfluidic system. A maximum pumping rate of about 730 nl/min is observed at. a duty ratio of 1 $\%$ and a frequency of 2 Hz with a fixed power of 500 mW. The measured power at flow cut-off is 500 mW for the microvalve whose channel width, depth and membrane thickness were 400 $\mu$m, 110 $\mu$m, and 320 $\mu$m, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.274.1-274.1
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• 2013

We report the circumferential alignment of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in an orthogonally micropatterned circular microfluidic channel to form an in vivo-like smooth muscle cell layer. To realize a biomimetic smooth muscle cell layer which is aligned perpendicular to the axis of blood vessel, we first fabricated a half-circular polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel by soft lithography using a convex PDMS mold. The orthogonally micro wrinkle patterns were generated inside the half-circular microchannel by stretching-releasing operation under UV irradiation. Upon UV treatment with uniaxial 40 % stretch of a PDMS substrate and releasing process, the microwrinkle patterns perpendicular to the axial direction of the circular microchannel were generated, which could guide the circumferential alignment of HASMCs successfully during cultivation. The analysis of orientation angle, shape index, and contractile protein marker expression indicates that the cultured HASMCs revealed the in vivo-like cell phenotype. Finally, we produced circular microchannels by bonding two half-circular microchannels, and cultured the HASMCs circumferentially with high alignment and viability for 5 days. These results are the first demonstration for constructing an in vivo-like 3D smooth muscle cell layer in the circular microfluidic channel which can provide novel bioassay platforms for in-depth study of HASMC biology and vascular function.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.297-303
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• 2019

A triple-layered $PMMA/Ni_{64}Zr_{36}/PDMS$ hydrogen gas sensor using hydrogen permeable alloy and flexible polymer layers is fabricated through spin coating and DC-magnetron sputtering. PDMS(polydimethylsiloxane) is used as a flexible substrate and PMMA(polymethylmethacrylate) thin film is deposited onto the $Ni_{64}Zr_{36}$ alloy layer to give a high hydrogen-selectivity to the sensor. The measured hydrogen sensing ability and response time of the fabricated sensor at high hydrogen concentration of 99.9 % show a 20 % change in electrical resistance, which is superior to conventional Pd-based hydrogen sensors, which are difficult to use in high hydrogen concentration environments. At a hydrogen concentration of 5 %, the resistance of electricity is about 1.4 %, which is an electrical resistance similar to that of the $Pd_{77}Ag_{23}$ sensor. Despite using low cost $Ni_{64}Zr_{36}$ alloy as the main sensing element, performance similar to that of existing Pd sensors is obtained in a highly concentrated hydrogen atmosphere. By improving the sensitivity of the hydrogen detection through optimization including of the thickness of each layer and the composition of Ni-Zr alloy thin film, the proposed Ni-Zr-based hydrogen sensor can replace Pd-based hydrogen sensors.