• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.415-417
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• 2002

Images of microcalcification specks showed large variation in conventional radiographs of phantoms which are approved for mammography image quality standard by the American College of Radiology (ACR). This kind of variation is not appropriate for image quality standards because the number of specks are visually counted in images and that number is important in image quality evaluation. Our study using synchrotron radiation (SR) imaging revealed the overlapping of micro-sized air bubble(s) to some specks, and also the structural deformation or crackings. Eight phantoms approved by ACR from two different makers and an air-bubble phantom were examined. SR imaging was performed at a synchrotron radiation facility, SPring-8, in Japan. The image-detector was a fluorescent-screen optical-lens coupling system using a CCD camera with a spatial resolution of 6 $\square$m. Objects when imaged with longer sample-to-detector distance show edge enhancement due to a difference in refraction indices, that is refraction enhancement. Refraction-enhanced SR images revealed that some of specks carried foreign objects, which were proven to be air. In phantoms provided by one maker, attaching/overlapping airs were observed for 62 out of 150 specks (41%) , with a higher incidence for the smallest specks. A speck becomes hardly visible in a conventional radiograph when air(s) overlaps the majority part of a speck, though depending on the size of the air-inclusion and on its configuration. Those airs might have been adsorbed on a speck surface before being embedded and then introduced into the matrix together with specks. Our study using SR imaging has clearly shown the nature of defects in some mammography phantoms which seriously degrade the quality as an image standard.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.232-237
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• 2012

Purpose: With feasibility in the diagnoses of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the antenatal period, we suspect changes have occurred in its incidence. No data have been reported about the current incidence of simple forms of CHD in Korea. We have attempted to assess the recent incidence and characteristics of CHD in the neonatal care unit of a secondary referral medical center. Methods: Medical records of 497 neonatal care unit patients who underwent echocardiography in the past 5 years were reviewed. Preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus and other transient, minimal lesions were excluded from this study. Results: Although the number of inpatients remained stable, the incidence of simple forms of CHD showed a gradual decrease over the 5-year study period; a markedly low incidence of complex forms was seen as well. CHD was observed in 3.7% full-term and 6.8% pre-term infants. CHD was observed in 152 infants weighing >2,500 g (3.5% of corresponding birth weight infants); 65 weighing 1,000 to 2,500 g (9.3%); and 6 weighing <1,000 g (8.0%). The incidence of CHD was higher in the pre-term group and the low birth weight group than in each corresponding subgroup (P<0.001); however, the incidence of complex CHD in full-term neonates was high. The number of patients with extracardiac structural anomalies has also shown a gradual decrease every year for the past 5 years. Conclusion: Findings from our study suggest that the recent incidence and disease pattern of CHD might have changed for both complex and simple forms of CHD in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.266-270
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• 2003

The $LiN_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ has shown outstanding electrochemical properties. The microstructure of $LiN_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ cathode was investigated by using TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and X-ray diffraction techniques. The $LiN_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ was produced by sol-gel method to synthesize fine particles less than $1{\mu}m$ in the average diameter. In this study, emphasis was given to the examination and interpretation of the microstructural change during charge-discharge cycling experiments, which appeared to be one of the main causes of early degradation of rechargeable batteries. Results showed that the $1{\mu}m$ cathode produced by sol-gel method had high reversible capacity and excellent cycling stability due to its homogeneous distribution of Ni and Co cations on u atomic scale. In particular, the $1{\mu}m$ cathode did not show severe strain induced structural defects or cubic spinel disordering during cycling experiments, which had been observed in the conventional $LiCoO_2$ cathode. The $LiNi_{0.8}Co_{0.2-x}M_x[M=Al]$ compounds show good reversibility but low discharge capacity.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.40-45
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• 2018

Recently, in construction equipment machinery production, development has focused on environmentally-friendly functions to improve existing production capacity. For excavators as well, emphasis has been placed on response to environmental regulations, miniaturization, and noise reduction, while technology is being developed considering cost reduction and safety.Accordingly, the front support, an inner reinforcement part of the excavator, as well as high-strength steel plates to improve safety and reduce weight, are being applied.However, in the case of high-strength materials, Springback occurs in the final formed part due to high residual stress during product forming. Derivation of a forming or product shaping process to reduce springback is needed. Accordingly, regarding the front support, an inner reinforcement part of the excavator, this study derived a method to improve springback and secure shape stiffness through analysis of the springback occurrence rate and springback causes through a forming analysis.As for the results of analyzing the springback occurrence rate of existing products through forming analysis, springback of -22.6 mm < z < 27.35 mm occurred on the z-axis, and it was confirmed that springback occurred due to the stiffness reinforcing bead of the upper and middle parts of the product.To control product residual stress and springback, we confirmed a tendency of springback reduction through local pre-cutting and stiffness reinforcement bead relocation.In the local pre-cutting model, springback was slightly reduced by 5.3% compared with the existing model, an insignificant reduction effect. In the stiffness reinforcement bead relocation model, when an X-shaped stiffness reinforcement bead was added to each corner portion of the product, springback was reduced by at least 80%.The X-shaped bead addition model was selected as the springback reduction model, and the level of stiffness compared to the existing model was confirmed through a structural analysis.The X-shaped bead additional model showed a stress springback of 90% and springback reduction of 7.4% compared with the existing model, indicating that springback and stiffness will be reinforced.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.98-106
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• 2003

Nondestructive test (NDT) provides much information on concrete without damage of structural functions. Of NDT methods, elastic wave propagation methods, such as ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) method and impact-echo (IE) method, have been successfully used to estimate the strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson's ratio of concrete as well as to detect the internal microstructural change and defects. In this study, the concretes with water-binder ratio ranging from 0.27 to 0.50 and fly ash content of 20% were made and then their longitudinal wave velocities were measured by UPV and IE method, respectively. Test results showed that the UPV is greater than the longitudinal wave velocity measured by the If method, i.e., rod-wave velocity obtained from the same concrete cylinder. It was found that the difference between the two types of velocities decreased with increasing the ages of concrete and strength level. Moreover, for the empirical formula, the dynamic Poisson's ratio, static and dynamic moduli of elasticity, and velocity-strength relationship were determined. It was observed that the Poisson's ratio and the modulus of elasticity determined by the dynamic method are greater than those determined by the static test. Consequently, for the more accurate estimation of concrete properties using the elastic wave velocities, the characteristics of these velocities should be understood.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.522-526
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• 2007

Structural features and electrochemical performances of cokes pyrolized from oxidized cokes were examined, and compared with KOH-activated coke. Needle cokes ($d_{002}=3.5{\AA} $), having a graphene layer structure, were changed to a single phase of graphite oxide after oxidation treatment with an acidic solution having an $NaCLO_3$/needle coke composition ratio of above 7.5, and the inter-layer distance of the oxidized coke was expanded to $6.9{\AA} $ with increasing oxygen content. After heating at $200^{\circ}C$, the oxidized coke was pyrolized to the graphene layer structure with inter-layer distance of $3.6{\AA} $. However, the change of the inter-layer distance of the needle coke was not observed in the KOH activation process. On the other hand, an intercalation of electrolyte ions into the pyrolized coke, observed at first charge, occurred at 1.0 V, in which the value was lower than that of KOH-activation coke. The cell capacitor using pyrolized coke exhibited a lower internal resistance of $0.57{\Omega}$ in 1 kHz, and a larger capacitance per weight and volume of 30.3 F/g and 26.9 F/ml at the two-electrode system in the potential range 0~2.5 V than those of the cell capacitor using KOH-activation of coke. This better electrochemical performance may be associated with structure defects in the graphene layer derived from the process of the inter-layer expansion and shrinkage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.236-236
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• 2008

(Bi,La)$Ti_3O_{12}$(BLT) thin film is one of the most attractive materials for ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) applications due to its some excellent properties such as high fatigue endurance, low processing temperature, and large remanent polarization [1-2]. The authors firstly investigated and reported the damascene process of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) for BLT thin film capacitor on behalf of plasma etching process for fabrication of FRAM [3]. CMP process could prepare the BLT capacitors with the superior process efficiency to the plasma etching process without the well-known problems such as plasma damages and sloped sidewall, which was enough to apply to the fabrication of FRAM [2]. BLT-CMP characteristics showed the typical oxide-CMP characteristics which were related in both pressure and velocity according to Preston's equation and Hernandez's power law [2-4]. Good surface roughness was also obtained for the densification of multilevel memory structure by CMP process [3]. The well prepared BLT capacitors fabricated by CMP process should have the sufficient ferroelectric properties for FRAM; therefore, in this study the electrical properties of the BLT capacitor fabricated by CMP process were analyzed with the process parameters. Especially, the effects of CMP pressure, which had mainly affected the removal rate of BLT thin films [2], on the electrical properties were investigated. In order to check the influences of the pressure in eMP process on the ferroelectric properties of BLT thin films, the electrical test of the BLT capacitors was performed. The polarization-voltage (P-V) characteristics show a decreased the remanent polarization (Pr) value when CMP process was performed with the high pressure. The shape of the hysteresis loop is close to typical loop of BLT thin films in case of the specimen after CMP process with the pressures of 4.9 kPa; however, the shape of the hysteresis loop is not saturated due to high leakage current caused by structural and/or chemical damages in case of the specimen after CMP process with the pressures of 29.4 kPa. The leakage current density obtained with positive bias is one order lower than that with negative bias in case of 29.4 kPa, which was one or two order higher than in case of 4.9 kPa. The high pressure condition was not suitable for the damascene process of BLT thin films due to the defects in electrical properties although the better efficiency of process. by higher removal rate of BLT thin films was obtained with the high pressure of 29.4 kPa in the previous study [2].

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.388-393
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• 2013

The study was focused to evaluate the possibility for combination membrane of bacterial cellulose (BC) and graphene with high electrical properties. BC with natural polymer matrix was known to have strong physical strength. For the combination of graphene with BC, the surface of graphene was modified with oxygen plasma by changing strength and time of radio waves in room temperature. Water contact angle of modified graphene grew smaller from $130^{\circ}$ to $12^{\circ}$. XPS analysis showed that oxygen content after treatment increased from 2.99 to 10.98%. Damage degree of graphene was examined from $I_D/I_G$ ratio of Raman analysis. $I_D/I_G$ ratio of non-treated graphene (NTG) was 0.11, and 0.36 to 0.43 in plasma treated graphene (PTG), increasing structural defects of PTG. XRD analysis of PTG membrane with BC was $2{\theta}$ same to BC only, indicating chemically combined membrane. In FT-IR analysis, 1,000 to 1,300 $cm^{-1}$ (C=O) peak indicating oxygen radicals in PTG membrane had formed was larger than NTG membrane. The results suggest that BC as an alternation of plastic material for graphene combination has a possibility in some degree on the part like transparent conductive films.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
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• v.5C no.3
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• pp.102-110
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• 2005

Piezoelectric transformers(PT) are expected to be small, thin and highly efficient, and which are attractive as a transformer with high power density for step down voltage. For these reasons, we have attempted to develop a step-down PT for the miniaturized adaptor. We propose a PT, operating in thickness extensional vibration mode for step-down voltage. This PT consists of a multi-layered construction in the thickness direction. In order to develop the step-down PT of 10 W class and turn ratio of 0.1 with high efficiency and miniaturization, the piezoelectric ceramics and PT designs are estimated with a variety of characteristics. The basic composition of piezoelectric ceramics consists of ternary yPb(Zr$_{x}$Ti$_{1-x}$)O$_{3}$-(1-y)Pb(Mn$_{1/3}$Nb1$_{1/3}$Sb$_{1/3}$)O$_{3}$. In the piezoelectric characteristics evaluations, at y=0.95 and x=0.505, the electromechanical coupling factor(K$_{p}$) is 58$\%$, piezoelectric strain constant(d$_{33}$) is 270 pC/N, mechanical quality factor(Qr$_{m}$) is 1520, permittivity($\varepsilon$/ 0) is 1500, and Curie temperature is 350 $^{\circ}C$. At y = 0.90 and x = 0.500, kp is 56$\%$, d33 is 250 pC/N, Q$_{m}$ is 1820, $\varepsilon$$_{33}$$^{T}$/$\varepsilon$$_{0}$ is 1120, and Curie temperature is 290 $^{\circ}C$. It shows the excellent properties at morphotropic phase boundary regions. PZT-PMNS ceramic may be available for high power piezoelectric devices such as PTs. The design of step-down PTs for adaptor proposes a multi-layer structure to overcome some structural defects of conventional PTs. In order to design PTs and analyze their performances, the finite element analysis and equivalent circuit analysis method are applied. The maximum peak of gain G as a first mode for thickness extensional vibration occurs near 0.85 MHz at load resistance of 10 .The peak of second mode at 1.7 MHz is 0.12 and the efficiency is 92$\%$.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.43-48
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• 2017

Conductive $Sn_xO_y$ thin films were fabricated via RF reactive sputtering using SnO:Sn (80:20 mol%) composite target. The composite target was used to produce a chemically stable composition of $Sn_xO_y$ thin film while controlling structural defects by chemical reaction between tin and oxygen. During sputtering pressure, RF power, and substrate temperature were fixed, and oxygen partial pressure was varied from 0% to 12%. Annealing process was carried out at $300^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in vacuum. Except $P_{O2}=0%$ sample, all samples showed the transmittance of 80~90% and amorphous phase before and after annealing. Electrically stable p-type $Sn_xO_y$ thin film with high transmittance was only obtained from the oxygen partial pressure at 12%. The carrier concentration and mobility for the $P_{O2}=12%$ were $6.36{\times}10^{18}cm^{-3}$ and $1.02cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$ respectively after annealing.