• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2009년도 제38회 동계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.276-276
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• 2010

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) has been explored recently as a promising approach to increase energy conversion efficiency in photovoltaic devices, particularly for thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells. The LSPR is frequently excited via an electromagnetic (EM) radiation in proximate metallic nanostructures and its primary con sequences are selective photon extinction and local EM enhancement which gives rise to improved photogeneration of electron-hole (e-h) pairs, and consequently increases photocurrent. In this work, high-dielectric-constant (k) $ZrO_2$ (refractive index n=2.22, dielectric constant $\varepsilon=4.93$ at the wavelength of 550 nm) is proposed as spacing layer to enhance the LSPR for application to the thin film silicon solar cells. Compared to excitation of the LSPR using $SiO_2$ (n=1.46, $\varepsilon=2.13$ at the wavelength of 546.1 nm) spacing layer with Au nanoparticles of the radius of 45nm, that using $ZrO_2$ dielectric shows the advantages of(i) ~2.5 times greater polarizability, (ii) ~3.5 times larger scattering cross-section and ~1.5 times larger absorption cross-section, (iii) 4.5% higher transmission coefficient of the same thickness and (iv) 7.8% greater transmitted electric filed intensity at the same depth. All those results are calculated by Mie theory and Fresnel equations, and simulated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations with proper boundary conditions. Red-shifting of the LSPR wavelength using high-k $ZrO_2$ dielectric is also observed according to location of the peak and this is consistent with the other's report. Finally, our experimental results show that variation of short-circuit current density ($J_{sc}$) of the LSPR enhanced a-Si:H solar cell by using the $ZrO_2$ spacing layer is 45.4% higher than that using the $SiO_2$ spacing layer, supporting our calculation and theory.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제31권10호
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• pp.954-959
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• 2021

세포 사멸은 항상성을 유지하기 위해 세포군을 조절하는 중요한 메커니즘이며 시스테인 단백질분해효소 중 하나인 카스파제는 세포 사멸 경로의 중요한 중재자이다. Caspase-8은 세포외 자극에 의해 시작되는 외인성 세포자멸 경로의 개시자 카스파제이다. Caspase-8에는 보존된 도메인인 N-말단의 두개의 죽음 이펙터 도메인(DED)과 C-말단의 2개의 촉매 도메인을 가지며, 이는 이러한 외인성 세포자멸 경로에 중요하게 작용한다. 외인성 세포멸사 경로에서, TNF 슈퍼패밀리인 죽음 수용체는 세포 외부로부터의 죽음 수용체 특이적 리간드의 결합에 의해 활성화된다. 활성화된 죽음 수용체가 어댑터 단백질인 Fas-associated death domain 단백질(FADD)을 모집한 후, 죽음 수용체와 FADD의 죽음 도메인(DD)이 서로 결합하고 죽음 수용체와 결합한 FADD가 caspase-8의 전구체 형태인 procaspase-8을 모집한다. FADD와 procaspase-8의 죽음 이펙터 도메인은 서로 결합하고 FADD에 결합된 procaspase-8은 prodomain의 절단에 의해 활성화된다. 이 죽음 수용체-FADD-caspase-8 복합체는 세포사멸 유도 신호복합체(DISC)라고 한다. 세포 FLICE 억제 단백질(c-FLIPs)은 세포사멸을 억제하는 역할과 촉진하는 역할을 모두 수행하여 caspase-8의 활성화를 조절하고 caspase-8 활성화는 caspase-3와 같은 작동자 카스파제를 활성화를 시킨다. 마지막으로 활성화된 작동자 카스파제는 DNA 분해, 핵 응축, 세포막 수포 및 카스파제 기질의 단백질 분해에 작용하여 세포사멸을 완료한다.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.251-255
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• 2021

a-Si is commonly considered as a primary candidate for the formation of passivation layer in heterojunction (HIT) solar cells. However, there are some problems when using this material such as significant losses due to recombination and parasitic absorption. To reduce these problems, a wide bandgap material is needed. A wide bandgap has a positive influence on effective transmittance, reduction of the parasitic absorption, and prevention of unnecessary epitaxial growth. In this paper, the adoption of a-SiO_x:H as the intrinsic layer was discussed. To increase lifetime and conductivity, oxygen concentration control is crucial because it is correlated with the thickness, bonding defect, interface density (D_it), and band offset. A thick oxygen-rich layer causes the lifetime and the implied open-circuit voltage to drop. Furthermore the thicker the layer gets, the more free hydrogen atoms are etched in thin films, which worsens the passivation quality and the efficiency of solar cells. Previous studies revealed that the lifetime and the implied voltage decreased when the a-SiOx thickness went beyond around 9 nm. In addition to this, oxygen acted as a defect in the intrinsic layer. The D_it increased up to an oxygen rate on the order of 8%. Beyond 8%, the D_it was constant. By controlling the oxygen concentration properly and achieving a thin layer, high-efficiency HIT solar cells can be fabricated.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

염료감응형 태양전지 촉매층으로 CoSi의 신뢰성을 확인하기 위해 전자빔증착기를 이용하여 100 nm-Co/300 nm-Si/quartz의 적층구조를 형성하고, $700^{\circ}C$-60분의 진공열처리하여 약 350 nm-CoSi를 형성하였다. 이때 잔류 Co를 제거하기 위해 $80^{\circ}C$-30%의 황산처리를 진행하였다. 또한 비교를 위해 100 nm-Pt/glass 상대전극을 준비하였다. CoSi 상대전극이 채용된 DSSC 소자의 신뢰성을 확인하기 위해 $80^{\circ}C$ 온도조건에서 0, 168, 336, 504, 672, 840시간동안 유지하였다. 이들을 채용한 DSSC 소자의 광전기적 특성을 분석하기 위해 solar simulator와 potentiostat을 이용하였다. CoSi 상대전극의 촉매활성도, 미세구조, 그리고 조성 분석을 확인하기 위해 CV, FE-SEM, FIB-SEM, EDS를 이용하여 분석하였다. 시간에 따른 에너지변환효율 결과, Pt와 CoSi 상대전극 모두 에너지변환효율이 504시간까지는 유지되다가 672시간 경과 후 처음의 50%로 감소하는 특성을 보였다. 촉매활성도 분석 결과, 시간이 지남에 따라 Pt와 CoSi 상대전극 모두 촉매활성도가 감소하여 각각 64%, 57%의 촉매활성도를 보였다. 미세구조 분석 결과, CoSi층은 전해질에 대한 안정성은 우수하였으나, 하부 쿼츠 기판과 CoSi층의 접촉면에 스트레스가 집중되어 국부적으로 크렉이 형성되며, 궁극적으로 ${\mu}m$급의 박리현상을 확인하였다. 따라서 CoSi 상대전극은 실리사이드화 되는 과정에서 잔류응력 때문에 열화가 일어나므로 신뢰성의 확보를 위해서는 이러한 잔류응력의 대책이 필요하였다.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2012년도 제42회 동계 정기 학술대회 초록집
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• pp.100-101
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• 2012

The plasma damage free and room temperature processedthin film deposition technology is essential for realization of various next generation organic microelectronic devices such as flexible AMOLED display, flexible OLED lighting, and organic photovoltaic cells because characteristics of fragile organic materials in the plasma process and low glass transition temperatures (Tg) of polymer substrate. In case of directly deposition of metal oxide thin films (including transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS)) on the organic layers, plasma damages against to the organic materials is fatal. This damage is believed to be originated mainly from high energy energetic particles during the sputtering process such as negative oxygen ions, reflected neutrals by reflection of plasma background gas at the target surface, sputtered atoms, bulk plasma ions, and secondary electrons. To solve this problem, we developed the NBAS (Neutral Beam Assisted Sputtering) process as a plasma damage free and room temperature processed sputtering technology. As a result, electro-optical properties of NBAS processed ITO thin film showed resistivity of $4.0{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}m$ and high transmittance (>90% at 550 nm) with nano- crystalline structure at room temperature process. Furthermore, in the experiment result of directly deposition of TCO top anode on the inverted structure OLED cell, it is verified that NBAS TCO deposition process does not damages to the underlying organic layers. In case of deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) thin film on the plastic polymer substrate, the room temperature processed sputtering coating of high quality TCO thin film is required. During the sputtering process with higher density plasma, the energetic particles contribute self supplying of activation & crystallization energy without any additional heating and post-annealing and forminga high quality TCO thin film. However, negative oxygen ions which generated from sputteringtarget surface by electron attachment are accelerated to high energy by induced cathode self-bias. Thus the high energy negative oxygen ions can lead to critical physical bombardment damages to forming oxide thin film and this effect does not recover in room temperature process without post thermal annealing. To salve the inherent limitation of plasma sputtering, we have been developed the Magnetic Field Shielded Sputtering (MFSS) process as the high quality oxide thin film deposition process at room temperature. The MFSS process is effectively eliminate or suppress the negative oxygen ions bombardment damage by the plasma limiter which composed permanent magnet array. As a result, electro-optical properties of MFSS processed ITO thin film (resistivity $3.9{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, transmittance 95% at 550 nm) have approachedthose of a high temperature DC magnetron sputtering (DMS) ITO thin film were. Also, AOS (a-IGZO) TFTs fabricated by MFSS process without higher temperature post annealing showed very comparable electrical performance with those by DMS process with $400^{\circ}C$ post annealing. They are important to note that the bombardment of a negative oxygen ion which is accelerated by dc self-bias during rf sputtering could degrade the electrical performance of ITO electrodes and a-IGZO TFTs. Finally, we found that reduction of damage from the high energy negative oxygen ions bombardment drives improvement of crystalline structure in the ITO thin film and suppression of the sub-gab states in a-IGZO semiconductor thin film. For realization of organic flexible electronic devices based on plastic substrates, gas barrier coatings are required to prevent the permeation of water and oxygen because organic materials are highly susceptible to water and oxygen. In particular, high efficiency flexible AMOLEDs needs an extremely low water vapor transition rate (WVTR) of $1{\times}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$. The key factor in high quality inorganic gas barrier formation for achieving the very low WVTR required (under ${\sim}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$) is the suppression of nano-sized defect sites and gas diffusion pathways among the grain boundaries. For formation of high quality single inorganic gas barrier layer, we developed high density nano-structured Al2O3 single gas barrier layer usinga NBAS process. The NBAS process can continuously change crystalline structures from an amorphous phase to a nano- crystalline phase with various grain sizes in a single inorganic thin film. As a result, the water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film have improved order of magnitude compared with that of conventional $Al_2O_3$ layers made by the RF magnetron sputteringprocess under the same sputtering conditions; the WVTR of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film was about $5{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2/day$ by just single layer.