• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.502-506
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• 2012

In order to find the structural characteristics of the thin films of group II-VI semiconductor compounds compared with those of powder materials, films were made of 4 powders of ZnS, CdS, CdSe, and CdTe(Aldrich), each with 99.99 % purity. For the ZnS/CdS multi-layers, the ZnS layer was coated over the CdS layer on an $AlO_x$ membrane, which served as a protective layer within a vacuum at the average speed of 1 ${\AA}$/sec. After studying the structures of the group II-VI semiconductor thin films by using X-ray spectroscopy, we found that the ZnS, ZnS/CdS, CdS, and CdSe films were hexagonal and exhibited some degree of preferred orientation. Also, the particles of the thin films of II-VI semiconductor compounds proved to be more homogeneous in size compared to those of the powder materials. These results were further verified through scanning electron microscopy(SEM), EDX analysis, and powder and thin film X-ray diffraction.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.193-199
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• 2013

In this work, thin film type Cu/ZnO nanostructure catalysts were fabricated by several synthetic routes in order to maximize the performance of the micro reforming system. For this work, various Cu/ZnO nanostructure catalysts could be synthesized by means of four approaches which are chemical vapor method, wet solution method and their hybrid method. The reforming performance of these as-synthetic catalysts was evaluated as compared to the conventional catalysts. Among the as-synthetic nanostructures, sphere type catalysts with specific surface of $18.6m^2/g$ showed the best performance of hydrogen production rate of 30ml/min at the feed rate of 0.2ml/min. This work will give the first insight on thin film type Cu/ZnO nanostructure catalyst for micro reforming system for hydrogen production of portable electronic systems.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.237-242
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• 2012

We report on the NO gas sensing properties of Al-doped zinc oxide-carbon nanotube (ZnO-CNT) wire-like layered composites fabricated by coaxially coating Al-doped ZnO thin films on randomly oriented single-walled carbon nanotubes. We were able to wrap thin ZnO layers around the CNTs using the pulsed laser deposition method, forming wire-like nanostructures of ZnO-CNT. Microstructural observations revealed an ultrathin wire-like structure with a diameter of several tens of nm. Gas sensors based on ZnO-CNT wire-like layered composites were found to exhibit a novel sensing capability that originated from the genuine characteristics of the composites. Specifically, it was observed by measured gas sensing characteristics that the gas sensors based on ZnO-CNT layered composites showed a very high sensitivity of above 1,500% for NO gas in dry air at an optimal operating temperature of $200^{\circ}C$; the sensors also showed a low NO gas detection limit at a sub-ppm level in dry air. The enhanced gas sensing properties of the ZnO-CNT wire-like layered composites are ascribed to a catalytic effect of Al elements on the surface reaction and an increase in the effective surface reaction area of the active ZnO layer due to the coating of CNT templates with a higher surface-to-volume ratio structure. These results suggest that ZnO-CNT composites made of ultrathin Al-doped ZnO layers uniformly coated around carbon nanotubes can be promising materials for use in practical high-performance NO gas sensors.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.655-660
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• 2013

Photoelectrochemical cells have been used in photolysis of water to generate hydrogen as a clean energy source. A high efficiency electrode for photoelectrochemical cell systems was realized using a ZnO hierarchical nanostructure. A ZnO nanofiber mat structure was fabricated by electrospinning of Zn solution on the substrate, followed by oxidation; on this substrate, hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanorods on the ZnO nanofibers was carried out to form a ZnO hierarchical structure. The thickness of the nanofiber mat and the thermal annealing temperature were determined as the parameters for optimization. The morphology of the structures was examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The performance of the ZnO nanofiber mat and the potential of the ZnO hierarchical structures as photoelectrochemical cell electrodes were evaluated by measurement of the photoelectron conversion efficiencies under UV light. The highest photoconversion efficiency observed was 63 % with a ZnO hierarchical structure annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ in air. The morphology and the crystalline quality of the electrode materials greatly influenced the electrode performance. Therefore, the combination of the two fabrication methods, electrospinning and hydrothermal synthesis, was successfully applied to fabricate a high performance photoelectrochemical cell electrode.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2008

ZnO nanowires were synthesized by the thermal evaporation method and their growth mechanisms were confirmed by the characterization of the structural features depending on the growth conditions. The increase of vaporization temperature accelerates the growth rate and morphologies of ZnO nanowires were drastically changed at the temperature over 1000$^{\circ}C$, because of changed $CO/CO_2$ partial pressure. Au particles play their role on growth of ZnO nanowire as catalyst at growth temperature over 700$^{\circ}C$. The synthesized ZnO nanowires exhibit blue emission at 380 nm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.434.2-434.2
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• 2014

We observe enhanced pH response of solution-gated field-effect transistors (SG-FET) having 1D-2D hybrid channel of vertical grown ZnO nanorods grown on CVD graphene (Gr). In recent years, SG-FET based on Gr has received a lot of attention for biochemical sensing applications, because Gr has outstanding properties such as high sensitivity, low detection limit, label-free electrical detection, and so on. However, low-defect CVD Gr has hardly pH responsive due to lack of hydroxyl group on Gr surface. On the other hand, ZnO, consists of stable wurtzite structure, has attracted much interest due to its unique properties and wide range of applications in optoelectronics, biosensors, medical sciences, etc. Especially, ZnO were easily grown as vertical nanorods by hydrothermal method and ZnO nanostructures have higher sensitivity to environments than planar structures due to plentiful hydroxyl group on their surface. We prepared for ZnO nanorods vertically grown on CVD Gr (ZnO nanorods/Gr hybrid channel) and to fabricate SG-FET subsequently. We have analyzed hybrid channel FETs showing transfer characteristics similar to that of pristine Gr FETs and charge neutrality point (CNP) shifts along proton concentration in solution, which can determine pH level of solution. Hybrid channel SG-FET sensors led to increase in pH sensitivity up to 500%, compared to pristine Gr SG-FET sensors. We confirmed plentiful hydroxyl groups on ZnO nanorod surface interact with protons in solution, which causes shifts of CNP. The morphology and electrical characteristics of hybrid channel SG-FET were characterized by FE-SEM and semiconductor parameter analyzer, respectively. Sensitivity and sensing mechanism of ZnO nanorods/Gr hybrid channel FET will be discussed in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2014

Recently, various type of nanomaterials such as nanorod, nanowire, nanotube and their core/shell nanostructures have attracted much attention in photocatalyst due to their unique properties. Among them, Type-II core/shell heterostructures have extensively studied because it has exhibited improved electrical and optical properties against their single-component nanostructure. Such structures are expected to offer high absorption efficiency and fast charge transport due to their stepwised energetic combination and large internal surface area. Thus, it has been considered as potential candidates for high efficient photocatalytic activity. In this work, we introduce a novel chemical conversion process to synthesize Type-II ZnO/ZnSe core/shell heterostructures. A plausible conversion mechanism to ZnO/ZnSe core/shell heterostructres was proposed based on SEM, XRD, TEM and XPS analysis. The ZnO/ZnSe heterostructures exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity toward the decomposition of RhB dye compared to the ZnO nanorod arrays due to enhanced light absorption and the type-II cascade band structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.402.2-402.2
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• 2016

In photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) compound has attracted intense attention as a photocathode due to not only large optical absorption coefficient, but also earth-abundance of constituent elements and suitable band alignment. With rapid development of nanotechnology, one-dimensional nanostructures of CZTS have been investigated as a potential form to achieve high efficiency because the nanostructures are expected to be capable of capturing more light and enhancing charge separation and transport. Here, we report a well-controlled fabrication route for vertically-aligned CZTS nanorod arrays on anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) template via simple sol-gel process followed by deposition of ZnS or CdS buffer layers on the CZTS nanorod to enhance charge separation. The structure, morphology, composition, optical absorption, and PEC properties of the resulting CZTS nanorod samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.398-402
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• 2012

ZnSe/$SiO_2$ coaxial nanowires were synthesized by a two-step process: thermal evaporation of ZnSe powders and sputter-deposition of $SiO_2$. Two different types of nanowires are observed: thin rod-like ones with a few to a few tens of nanometers in diameter and up to a few hundred of micrometers in length and wide belt-like ones with a few micrometers in width. Room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurement showed that ZnSe/$SiO_2$ coaxial nanowires had an orange emission band centered at approximately 610 nm. The intensity of the orange emission from the $SiO_2$-sheathed ZnSe nanowires was enhanced significantly by annealing in a reducing atmosphere whereas it was degraded by annealing in an oxidizing atmosphere. The origins of the PL changes by annealing are discussed based on the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis results.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.137-146
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• 2011

Vertically well-aligned ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays were synthesized directly on GaN/sapphire and Si substrate from Zn vapor deposition without catalysts. Experimental results showed that the number density, diameter, crystallinity and degree of the alignment of ZnO NWs depended strongly on both the substrate position and kind of the substrates used for the growth. The photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of the grown ZnO NW arrays exhibit a strong and sharp ultraviolet (UV) emission at 379 nm and a broad weak emission in the visible range, indicating that the obtained ZnO NWs have a high crystal quality with excellent optical properties. The as-grown ZnO NWs were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electronic microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).