• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.522-522
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• 2013

Plasma can be used to various applications such as sterilization, inactivation/removal of microorganisms, wound healing, tooth bleaching, cancer treatment, surface modification and plasma polymerization. In this research, we studied the effect of plasma irradiation on the structural, optical, and biological properties of the polymer films. Several polymers were synthesized and then deposited on the glass substrates. The polymer films were treated by oxygen and nitrogen plasmas. Plasma-treated films were investigated by contact angle, infrared absorption spectroscopy, cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Functional materials were prepared on plasma-treated surface, and their performances were investigated using various techniques. Next, we discuss relationship between the performance of functional materials and the structural properties of plasma-treated polymer films.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.645-649
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• 2009

We investigated the effects of a high density $O_2$ plasma treatment on the structural and electrical properties of Ga-, B- codoped ZnO (GZOB) films. The GZOB films were deposited on polymer substrate without substrate heating by DC magnetron sputtering. Prior to the GZOB film growth, we treated a polymer substrate with highly dense inductively coupled oxygen plasma. The optical transmittance of the GZOB film, about 80 %, was maintained regardless of the plasma pre-treatment. The resistivity of the GZOB film on PC substrate decreased from 9.08 ${\times}$ $10^{-3}$ ${\Omega}-cm$ without an $O_2$ plasma pre-treatment to 2.12 ${\times}$ $10^{-3}$ ${\Omega}-cm$ with an $O_2$ plasma pre-treatment. And PES substrate decreased from 1.14 ${\times}$ $10^{-2}$ ${\Omega}-cm$ without an $O_2$ plasma pre-treatment to 6.13 ${\times}$ $10^{-3}$ ${\Omega}-cm$ with an $O_2$ plasma pre-treatment.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.215-219
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• 2013

In this study, in order to investigate how consecutive treatments of glass surface with HF acid and water vapor/Ar plasma affect the quality of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane self-assembled monolayer (APS-SAM), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin films were vapor phase-polymerized immediately after spin coating of FeCl3 and poly-urethane diol-mixed oxidant solution on the monolayer surfaces prepared at various treatment conditions. For the film characterization, various poweful tools were used, e.g., FE-SEM, an optical microscope, four point probe, and a contact angle analyzer. The characterization revealed that a well prepared APS-SAM on a glass surface treated with water vapor/Ar plasma is very useful for uniform coating of FeCl3 and DUDO mixed oxidant solution, regardless of HF treatment. On the other hand, a bare glass surface without APS-SAM but treated with HF and water vapor/Ar plasma generally led to a very poor oxidant film. As a result, PEDOT films vapor phase-polymerized on APS-SAM surfaces are far superior to those on bare glass surfaces in the quality and electrical characteristics aspects.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.445-450
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• 2011

We studied the adhesion characteristics of polymer films (PC, PET, EVA) treated by atmospheric pressure plasma. The process parameters were the frequency, gas flow, and treatment time; we studied the effects of these parameters on the adhesion characteristics of the polymer materials. We used de-ionized water and diiodomethane as the polar and nonpolar solvents, respectively, for measuring the contact angles, and subsequently calculated the surface free energy of each polymer film. The adhesion characteristics were studied by carrying out a $180^{\circ}$ peel-off test. The polymer films treated with plasma developed a hydrophilic surface, which led to increased surface free energy and improved adhesion properties. From the results for contact angle, surface free energy, and adhesion strength, we obtained the optimal plasma-treatment conditions.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.110-114
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• 2011

Polymeric films of high chemical stability and mechanical strength covered with a thin metallic film have been extensively used in various fields as electric and electronic materials. In this study, we have chosen polypropylene (PP) as the polymer due to its outstanding chemical resistance and good creep resistance. We coated thin nickel film on PP films by the electroless plating process. The surfaces of PP films were pre-treated and modified to increase the adhesion strength of metal layer on PP films, prior to the plating process, by an environment-friendly process with atmospheric plasma generated using dielectric barrier discharges in air. The surface morphologies of the PP films were observed before and after the surface modification process using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The static contact angles were measured with deionized water droplets. The cross-sectional images of the PP films coated with thin metal film were taken with SEM to see the combined state between metallic and PP films. The adhesion strength of the metallic thin films on the PP films was confirmed by the thermal shock test and the cross-cutting and peel test. In conclusion, we made a composite material of metallic and polymeric films of high adhesion strength.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.475-480
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• 2001

Diffusion of Cu into the low-k para-xylene based plasma polymer (pXPP) thin films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using the para-xylene precursor was comparatively measured using various methods. Cu layer was deposited on the surfaces of pXPPs treated by $N_2$ plasma generated in a magnetically enhanced inductively coupled plasma reactor. Diffusion characteristics of Cu into pXPPs were measured using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM), and current-voltage (I-V) measurements for the vacuum-annealed Cu/pXPPs for 1 hour at $450^{\circ}C$ and were compared. The results showed a correlation between the I-V measurement and SIMS data are correlated and have a sensitivity enough to evaluate the dielectric properties but the RBS or XTEM measurements are not sufficient to conclude the electrical properties of low-k dielectrics with Cu in the film bulk. The additional results indicate that the pXPP layers are quite resistant to Cu diffusion at the annealing temperature of $450^{\circ}C$ compared to the other previously reported organic low-k materials.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.282-288
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• 2010

Experiment on the surface characteristics of polymer films treated by atmospheric pressure plasma has been conducted. We chose the process parameters as frequency, gas flow, treatment time, and scrutinized the effects of the process parameters on the surface characteristics of polymer materials by measuring the contact angle and examining SEM. As the result, the surface characteristics highly depends on frequency, reaction gas and treatment time. In the case of PC substrate, the contact angle was changed from $83.5^{\circ}$ (before plasma treatment) to $30^{\circ}$ (after plasma treatment) at 30 kHz, CDA 0.6%, and number of repeat 7. In the case of PET substrate, the contact angle change was found from $59^{\circ}$ to $23.5^{\circ}$ at 20 kHz, CDA 0.6%, and number of repeat 7. In the case of EVA substrate, it shows from $84^{\circ}$ to $44.2^{\circ}$ at 30 kHz, CDA 0.6%, and number of repeat 7.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.133-138
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• 2013

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic is a polymer material extensively used in electrical and electronic applications. Nickel (Ni) thin film was deposited on ABS by electroless plating, after its surface was treated and modified with atmospheric plasma generated by means of dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) in air. The method in this study was developed as a pre-treatment for electroless plating using DBDs, and is a dry process featuring fewer processing steps and more environmentally friendliness than the chemical method. After ABS surfaces were modified, surface morphologies were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to check for any physical changes of the surfaces. Cross-sectional SEM images were taken to observe the binding characteristics between metallic films and ABS after metal plating. According to the SEM images, the depths of ABS by plasma are shallow compared to those modified by chemically treatment. The static contact angles were measured with deionized (DI) water droplets on the modified surfaces in order to observe for any changes in chemical activities and wettability. The surfaces modified by plasma showed smaller contact angles, and their modified states lasted longer than those modified by chemical etching. Adhesion strengths were measured using 3M tape (3M 810D standard) and by 90° peel-off tests. The peel-off test revealed the stronger adhesion of the Ni films on the plasma-modified surfaces than on the chemically modified surfaces. Thermal shock test was performed by changing the temperature drastically to see if any detachment of Ni film from ABS would occur due to the differences in thermal expansion coefficients between them. Only for the plasma-treated samples showed no separation of the Ni films from the ABS surfaces in tests. The adhesion strengths of metallic films on the ABS processed by the method developed in this study are better than those of the chemically processed films.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.211-214
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• 2013

In this study, in order to investigate how consecutive treatments of glass surface with HF acid and water vapor/Ar plasma affect the quality of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane self-assembled monolayer (APS-SAM), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin films were vapor phase-polymerized immediately after spin coating of FeCl3 and poly-urethane diol-mixed oxidant solution on the monolayer surfaces prepared at various treatment conditions. For the film characterization, various poweful tools were used, e.g., FE-SEM, an optical microscope, four point probe, and a contact angle analyzer. The characterization revealed that HF treatment is not desirable for the synthesis of a high quality PEDOT thin film via vapor phase polymerization method. Rather, sole treatment with plasma noticeably improved the quality of APS-SAM on glass surface. As a result, a highly dense and smooth PEDOT thin film was grown on uniform oxidant film-coated APS monolayer surface.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.387-392
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• 2003

The ablation effects of Ar-plasma treatment and alkali-decomposition behavior in NaOH solution of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film were investigated. The modifications were evaluated by analysis of atomic force microscopy topographical changes, and by the measurement of decomposition yield in conjunction with heats of formation and electron densities of acyl carbon calculated by Parameterization Method 3 method. It has shown that the alkali-decomposition is hampered by plasma treatment and its decomposition yield is closely related with plasma treatment conditions such as exposure time to plasma. Plasma-treated PET films exhibited lower decomposition yield, compared to that of virgin PET. Increasing plasma exposure time contributes positively to decrease the decomposition yield. It has also shown that the topography of PET surface was affected by the base-promoted hydrolysis as well as Ar-plasma treatments. These behaviors are attributed to the decreased nucleophilicity of acyl carbon damaged by the ablation of Ar-plasma.