• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.192-195
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• 2012

We reported diborane ($B_2H_6$) doped wide bandgap hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (p-type a-SiOx:H) films prepared by using silane ($SiH_4$) hydrogen ($H_2$) and nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) in a radio frequency (RF) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. We improved the $E_{opt}$ and conductivity of p-type a-SiOx:H films with various $N_2O$ and $B_2H_6$ ratios and applied those films in regards to the a-Si thin film solar cells. For the single layer p-type a-SiOx:H films, we achieved an optical band gap energy ($E_{opt}$) of 1.91 and 1.99 eV, electrical conductivity of approximately $10^{-7}$ S/cm and activation energy ($E_a$) of 0.57 to 0.52 eV with various $N_2O$ and $B_2H_6$ ratios. We applied those films for the a-Si thin film solar cell and the current-voltage characteristics are as given as: $V_{oc}$ = 853 and 842 mV, $J_{sc}$ = 13.87 and 15.13 $mA/cm^2$. FF = 0.645 and 0.656 and ${\eta}$ = 7.54 and 8.36% with $B_2H_6$ ratios of 0.5 and 1% respectively.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.206-211
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• 2019

Silicon carbide (SiC) thin films become superhard when they have microstructures of nanocolumnar crystalline grains (NCCG) with an intergranular amorphous SiC matrix. We investigated the role of ion bombardment and deposition temperature in forming the NCCG in SiC thin films. A direct-current (DC) unbalanced magnetron sputtering method was used with pure Ar as sputtering gas to deposit the SiC thin films at fixed target power of 200 W and chamber pressure of 0.4 Pa. The Ar ion bombardment of the deposited films was conducted by applying a negative DC bias voltage 0-100 V to the substrate during deposition. The deposition temperature was varied between room temperature and $450^{\circ}C$. Above a critical bias voltage of -80 V, the NCCG formed, whereas, below it, the SiC films were amorphous. Additionally, a minimum thermal energy (corresponding to a deposition temperature of $450^{\circ}C$ in this study) was required for the NCCG formation. Transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and glancing angle X-ray diffraction analysis (GAXRD) were conducted to probe the samples' structural characteristics. Of those methods, Raman spectroscopy was a particularly efficient non-destructive tool to analyze the formation of the SiC NCCG in the film, whereas GAXRD was insufficiently sensitive.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1523-1527
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• 2018

The thermal stability, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of $Gd_{55}Co_{35}M_{10}$ (M = Si, Zr and Nb) melts-pun ribbons were studied. The relatively high reduced glass transition temperature ($T_{x1}/T_m$ > 0.60) and low melting point ($T_m$) resulted in excellent glass forming ability (GFA). The Curie temperatures ($T_C$) of melt-spun amorphous ribbons $Gd_{55}Co_{35}M_{10}$ for M = Si, Zr and Nb were 166, 148 and 173 K, respectively. For a magnetic field change of 2 T, the values of maximum magnetic entropy change $(-{\Delta}S_M)^{max}$ for $Gd_{55}Co_{35}Si_{10}$, $Gd_{55}Co_{35}Zr_{10}$ and $Gd_{55}Co_{35}Nb_{10}$ were found to be 2.86, 4.28 and $4.05J\;kg^{-1}K^{-1}$, while the refrigeration capacity (RC) values were 154, 274 and $174J\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The $RC_{FWHM}$ values of amorphous alloys $Gd_{55}Co_{35}M_{10}$ (M = Si, Zr and Nb) are comparable to or larger than that of $LaFe_{11.6}Si_{1.4}$ crystalline alloy. Large values of $(-{\Delta}S_M)^{max}$ and RC along with good thermal stability make $Gd_{55}Co_{35}M_{10}$ (M = Si, Zr and Nb) amorphous alloys be potential materials for magnetic cooling operating in a wide temperature range from 150 to 175 K, e.g., as part of a gas liquefaction process.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 1995.11a
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• pp.42-42
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• 1995

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.100-105
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• 2005

Cr-Si-C-N coatings were deposited on steel substrate (SKD 11) by a hybrid system of arc ion plating (AIP) and sputtering techniques. From XRD, XPS, and HRTEM analyses, it was found that Cr-Si-C-N had a fine composite microstructure comprising nano-sized crystallites of Cr(C, N) well distributed in the amorphous phase of $Si_3N_4/SiC$ mixture. Microhardness of Cr(C, N) coatings and Cr-Si-N coatings were reported about $\~22 GPa$ and $\~35 GPa$, respectively. As the Si was incorporated into Cr(C, N) coatings, The Cr-Si-C-N coatings having a Si content of $9.2 at.\%$ showed the maximum hardness value. As increased beyond Si content of $9.2 at.\%$, the interaction between nanocrystallites and amorphous phase was gone, the hardness was reduced as dependent on amorphous phase of $Si_3N_4/SiC$. In addition, the average coefficient of Cr-Si-C-N coatings largely decreased compared with Cr(C, N) coatings.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.94-101
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• 2020

This study was trying to focus on achieving high efficiency of multi junction solar cell with thin film silicon solar cells. The proposed thin film Si-Ge/c-Si tandem junction solar cell concept with a combination of low-cost thin-film silicon solar cell technology and high-efficiency c-Si cells in a monolithically stacked configuration. The tandem junction solar cells using amorphous silicon germanium (a-SiGe:H) as an absorption layer of upper sub-cell were simulated through ASA (Advanced Semiconductor Analysis) simulator for acquiring the optimum structure. Graded Ge composition - effect of E_g profiling and inserted buffer layer between absorption layer and doped layer showed the improved current density (J_sc) and conversion efficiency (η). 13.11% conversion efficiency of the tandem junction solar cell was observed, which is a result of showing the possibility of thin film Si-Ge/c-Si tandem junction solar cell.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.07a
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• pp.100-103
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• 2001

In order to investigate the magnetic properties of CoCr-based bilayered thin films on kind of underlayer, we introduced amorphous Si layer to Co-Cr(-Ta) magnetic layer as underlayer. With the thickness of CoCr, CoCrTa single layer, crystalline orientation and perpendicular coercivity was improved. It was revealed that by introducing the Si underlayer, the c-axis orientation of CoCr, CoCrTa magnetic layer was improved largely. However, with increasing Si film thickness, perpendicular coercivity and saturation magnetization of Cocr/si, CoCrTa/Si bilayered thin films was decreased. Grain size of bilayered thin films became larger.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.456-456
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• 2009

Boron doping on an n-type Si wafer is requisite process for IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) solar cells. Fiber laser annealing is one of boron doping methods. For the boron doping, uniformly coated or deposited film is highly required. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method provides a uniform dopant film or layer which can facilitate doping. Because amorphous silicon layer absorption range for the wavelength of fiber laser does not match well for the direct annealing. In this study, to enhance thermal affection on the existing p-a-Si:H layer, a ${\mu}c$-Si:H intrinsic layer was deposited on the p-a-Si:H layer additionally by PECVD. To improve heat transfer rate to the amorphous silicon layer, and as heating both sides and protecting boron eliminating from the amorphous silicon layer. For p-a-Si:H layer with the ratio of $SiH_4$ : $B_2H_6$ : $H_2$ = 30 : 30 : 120, at $200^{\circ}C$, 50 W, 0.2 Torr for 30 minutes, and for ${\mu}c$-Si:H intrinsic layer, $SiH_4$ : $H_2$ = 10 : 300, at $200^{\circ}C$, 30 W, 0.5 Torr for 60 minutes, 2 cm $\times$ 2 cm size wafers were used. In consequence of comparing the results of lifetime measurement and sheet resistance relation, the laser condition set of 20 ~ 27 % of power, 150 ~ 160 kHz, 20 ~ 50 mm/s of marking speed, and $10\;{\sim}\;50 {\mu}m$ spacing with continuous wave mode of scanner lens showed the correlation between lifetime and sheet resistance as $100\;{\Omega}/sq$ and $11.8\;{\mu}s$ vs. $17\;{\Omega}/sq$ and $8.2\;{\mu}s$. Comparing to the singly deposited p-a-Si:H layer case, the additional ${\mu}c$-Si:H layer for doping resulted in no trade-offs, but showed slight improvement of both lifetime and sheet resistance, however sheet resistance might be confined by the additional intrinsic layer. This might come from the ineffective crystallization of amorphous silicon layer. For the additional layer case, lifetime and sheet resistance were measured as $84.8\;{\Omega}/sq$ and $11.09\;{\mu}s$ vs. $79.8\;{\Omega}/sq$ and $11.93\;{\mu}s$. The co-existence of $n^+$layeronthesamesurfaceandeliminating the laser damage should be taken into account for an IBC solar cell structure. Heavily doped uniform boron layer by fiber laser brings not only basic and essential conditions for the beginning step of IBC solar cell fabrication processes, but also the controllable doping concentration and depth that can be established according to the deposition conditions of layers.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2001

B-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) thin films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition in a gas mixture of $SiH_4, CH_4,\;and\; B_2H_6$. Physical and chemical properties of a-SiC:H films grown with varing the ratio of $B_2H_6/(SiH_4+CH_4)$ were characterized with various analysis methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), UV absorption CH_4spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements. With the B-doping concentration, the doping efficiency and the micro-crystallinity were decreased and the film became amorphous when $B_2H_6/(SiH_4{plus}CH_4)$ was over $5{\times}10^{-3}$. The addition of $B_2H_6$ gas during deposition decreased the H content in the film by lowering the quantity of Si-C-H bonds. Consequently, the optical band gap and the activation energy of a-SiC:H films were decreased with increasing the B-doping level.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.7283-7286
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• 2014

SiOC films were prepared as insulators for displays by sputtering at low temperatures, and the relationship with the electrical properties waaas examined. The electrical properties of SiOC films were affected by the annealing process, and SiOC films annealed at 100oC showed a significant increase in thickness and a decrease in the reflective index. XRD revealed an increase in the degree of the amorphous structure. Moreover, the capacitance and leakage current of the SiOC films annealed at 100oC decreased. These characteristics of SiOC films highlight their potential as ideal insulators. Amorphous SiOC films by the reduction of polarization are dependent on the elongation effect of the bonding lengths in the structure and the thickness. The properties of these SiOC films are suitable for low temperature displays.