• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2013.08a
• /
• pp.299.2-299.2
• /
• 2013

We investigated the potassium remaining on a crystalline silicon solar cell after potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching and its effect on the lifetime of the solar cell. KOH etching is generally used to remove the saw damage caused by cutting a Si ingot; it can also be used to etch the rear side of a textured crystalline silicon solar cell before atomic layer-deposited Al2O3 growth. However, the potassium remaining after KOH etching is known to be detrimental to the efficiency of Si solar cells. In this study, we etched a crystalline silicon solar cell in three ways in order to determine the effect of the potassium remnant on the efficiency of Si solar cells. After KOH etching, KOH and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) were used to etch the rear side of a crystalline silicon solar cell. To passivate the rear side, an Al2O3 layer was deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). After ALD Al2O3 growth on the KOH-etched Si surface, we measured the lifetime of the solar cell by quasi steady-state photoconductance (QSSPC, Sinton WCT-120) to analyze how effectively the Al2O3 layer passivated the interface of the Al2O3 layer and the Si surface. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) was also used to measure how much potassium remained on the surface of the Si wafer and at the interface of the Al2O3 layer and the Si surface after KOH etching and wet cleaning.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.233-237
• /
• 2015

In order to investigate the potassium (K) gettering, Al-1%Si/$SiO_2$/PSG multilevel thin films were fabricated. Al-1%Si thin films and $SiO_2$/PSG passivations were deposited by using DC magnetron sputter techniques and APCVD (atmosphere pressure chemical vapor deposition), respectively. Heat treatment was carried out at $300^{\circ}C$ for 5 h in air. SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) depth profiling analysis was used to determine the distribution of K, Al, Si, P, and other elements throughout the $SiO_2$/PSG passivated Al-1%Si thin film interconnections. Potassium peaks were observed throughout the $SiO_2$/PSG passivation layers, and especially the interface gettering at the $SiO_2$/PSG and at the Al-1%Si/$SiO_2$ interfaces was observed. Potassium gettering in Al-1%Si/$SiO_2$/PSG multilevel thin films is considered to be caused by a segregation type of gettering.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.96-103
• /
• 2012

Kv 4.2 ion channel protein has an ability to open at subthreshold membrane potentials and to recover quickly from inactivation. That is very important for neuronal signal transmission in vertebrate brain. In order to purify Kv 4.2 protein, the novel purification methods were experimented. The purification procedure utilized chromatography on DE-52 ion exchange column and affinity chromatography on a WGA-Sepharose 4B, and Kv 4.2 affinity column chromatography. It was found that 0.5% (wt./vol.) Triton X-100 detergent in lysis buffer worked well for Kv 4.2 protein solubilization from rat brain membrane. Protein quantitative determination was conducted by BCA method at 562 nm for each purification step to avoid determination interference of protein at 280 nm by detergent. The confirmation of Kv 4.2 existence and amount is performed using by SDS-PAGE/immunoblotting or 96-well dot blotting. The Kv 4.2 without interacting protein that contains carbohydrate, was purified from novel biochemical 3-steps purification method for further research.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.83-94
• /
• 1997

Stomatal closing by ozone and water stress could reduce further ozone injury by inhibition of ozone influx to the tissue. Direct effect of ozone on stomata can be explained from two aspects which are a stimulation of stomatal closing and an inhibition of stomatal opening. An increase of $Ca^{2+}$ influx into cytoplasm by ozone could stimulate potassium efflux ion channel and inhibits inward potassium ion channels. By this mechanism ozone could induce stomatal closing. On the other hand, ozone could inhibit stomatal opening by affecting the activity of $H^{+}$ dependent ATPase of the membrane in guard cells. This would inhibit proton efflux which precede stomatal opening. It is also possible that ozone could reduce the activity of photosynthesis in guard cells which lead to affect the production of osmotically active sugars and energy. Indirect effect of ozone to stomata is through the effect of $CO_2$ elevation as a result of damage of the photozynthetic machinery. This indirect effect is slower than the direct effect.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.615-622
• /
• 2015

East Asia is characterized by anthropogenic emissions resulting from the large population and fast economic growth of this region. Since the prevailing wind is westerly and northwesterly, emissions from Ul-jin can be expected to contribute to acidic deposition increase in downwind direction. Aerosols collected at the near coast site, Uljin geun, gyungbook and were analyzed for $NH_4{^+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Na^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $Cl^-$, $SO_4{^{2-}}$, and $NO_3{^-}$ from Aug. 2012 to Feb. 2013. The seasonal averaged aerosol concentration showed the highest potassium and calcium ion in winter and the highest ammonium ion due to a meadow and high solar intensity in summer. Sodium and chloride ion showed the same ratio all seasons and sulfate and nitrate species showed the maximum value in winter Chemical components of aerosols collected at the near coast site, Uljin geun, gyungbook were lower by 16 to 73% than those collected at other similar environment site such as kanghwa, yangyang. Comparing air quality data at the near coast site, Uljin geun, gyungbook, There was found that Uljin coast site is less influenced by the sea salts(potassium, magnesium, calcium) and nss-$SO_4{^{2-}}$ percentage is 3~13% higher than similar condition site.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.627-633
• /
• 2004

Lithium titanate whiske($Li_{x}Ti_{4}O_9$) was prepared by an ion-exchange reaction. To this end, the initial material, potassium tetratitanate ($K_{2}Ti_{4}O_9{\cdot}nH_{2}O$) was prepared by calcination of a mixture of $K_{2}CO_3\;and\;TiO_2$ with a molar ratio of 2.8 at $1050^{\circ}C$ for 3 h, followed by boiling water treatment of the calcined products for 10 h. Fibrous potassium tetratitanate could be transformed into layered hydrous titanium dioxide ($H_{2}Ti_{4}O_9{\cdot}nH_{2}O$) through an exchange of $K^{+}\;with\;H^{+}$ using 0.075 M HCl. Also, lithium titanate whisker was finally prepared as $Li^{+}\;and\;H^{+}$ ions were exchanged by adding 20 mL of a mixture solution of LiOH and $LiNO_3$ to 1g whisker and stirring for $5\~15$ days. The average length and diameter of the $Li_{x}Ti_{4}O_9$ whiskers were $10\~20{\mu}m\;and\;1\~3{\mu}m$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.202-205
• /
• 2000

One step thermal potassium ion exchange process was carried out to form optical channel waveguides in an ErNb co-doped phosphate glass. Flowing oxygen gas into KN03 melt during ion exchange was effective to prevent glass surface damage that causes an increase of waveguide propagation loss. Amplification characteristics of the waveguides were evaluated at $1.5{\mu}m$ signal wavelength with 980 om laser diode pump. A 45 mm long waveguide whose processing parameters had been optimized exhibited a small signal net gain of 7.5 dB at the launched pump power of 160 mW.160 mW.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
• /
• v.52 no.7
• /
• pp.293-297
• /
• 2003

Silicon dioxide (SiO$_2$) layers were fabricated on Si$_3$N$_4$/SiO$_2$/Si layer structures by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). Potassium and aluminum were then coimplanted by implanting potassium ions with the energy of 100 ［keY］ and dose of 5x10$^{16}$ [cm￣$^2$］ and 1x10$^{17}$ [cm￣$^2$］ into an aluminum buffer layer on the SiO$_2$Si$_3$N4/SiO$_2$/Si structure. The pH, pNa, and pK ion sensitivities of the resulting layers were investigated and compared to those of as-deposited silicon dioxide layer. The pK-sensitivity of the silicon dioxide was enhanced by the K and Al coimplantation. On the contrary, the pH and pNa-sensitivities of the coimplanted silicon dioxides were quite lower than that of the as-deposited silicon dioxide.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.335-342
• /
• 2003

A simple disposable thick-film potentiometric strip has been developed and evaluated for hydroponics application. The strip consisted of low ion-selective electrodes (ISE) fabricated by screen-printing technology. The electrochemical responses of ion sensors for nitrate, ammonium, potassium, and magnesium were measured with specially designed 16-channel low voltage signal transducers. The analytical characteristics of the sensors were comparable with those of conventional ISE sensors. The thick-film sensors exhibit linear relationships over five concentration decades. The concentration of N $O_3$ - ion in standard solution can be determined by direct potentiometric measurements without any conditioning before measurements. However, measurement of $K^{+}$, N $H_4$$^{+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ ionic concentrations in nutrient solutions seems not feasible.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
• /
• 2008.11a
• /
• pp.433-436
• /
• 2008

Deterioration in the concrete structure are due to carbonation, chloride ion attack and frost attack. Therefore, concrete structure is needed to surface protection for increase durability using silicate impregnants. Thus, this study is concerned with self-cleaning and durability of silicate hydrophilic impregnants of concrete structure using lithium and potassium silicates. From the experimental test results, lithium and potassium silicates have a good properties as a carbonation resistance. Lithium and potassium silicates make good use of hydrophilic impregnants of concrete structures.