• Solar Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.125-131
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• 1999

This paper deals with a novel structure of poly-Si solar cell. A grain boundary(GB) of poly-Si acts as potential barrier and recombination center for photo-generated carriers. To reduce unwanted side effects at the GB of poly-Si, we employed physical GB removal of poly-Si using chemical solutions. Various chemical etchants such as Sirtl, Yang, Secco, and Schimmel were investigated for the preferential GB etching. Etch depth about 10 ${\mu}m$ was achieved by a Schimmel etchant. After a chemical etching of poly-Si, we used $POCl_3$ for emitter junction formation. This paper used an easy method of top electrode formation using a RF sputter grown ITO film. ITO films with thickness of 300 nm showed resistivity of $1.26{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}-cm$ and overall transmittance above 80%. Using a preferential GB etching and ITO top electrode, we developed a new fabrication procedure of poly-Si solar cells. Employing optimized process conditions, we were able to achieve conversion efficiency as high as 16.6% at an input power of 20 $mW/cm^2$. This paper investigates the effects of process parameters: etching conditions, ITO deposition factors, and emitter doping densities in a poly-Si cell fabrication procedure.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.84-90
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• 2024

This study investigates the effect of the surface microstructure on the tribological characteristics of glass substrates. Chemical etching using hydrofluoric acid and ammonium hydrogen fluoride was employed to create controlled asperity structures on glass surfaces. By varying the etching time from 10 to 50 min, different surface morphologies were obtained and characterized using optical microscopy, surface roughness measurements, and water contact angle analysis. Friction tests were performed using a stainless steel ball as the counter surface to evaluate the tribological behavior of the etched specimens. The results showed that the specimen etched for 20 min exhibited the lowest and most stable friction coefficient, which was attributed to the formation of a uniform and dense asperity structure that effectively reduced the stress concentration and wear at the contact interface. In contrast, specimens etched for shorter (10 min) or longer (30-50 min) durations displayed higher friction coefficients and accelerated wear owing to nonuniform asperity structures that led to local stress concentration. Optical microscopy of the wear tracks further confirmed the superior wear resistance of the 20-minute etched specimen. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing the etching process parameters to achieve the desired surface morphology for enhanced tribological performance, suggesting the potential of chemical etching as a surface modification technique for various materials in tribological applications.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.07a
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• pp.784-787
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• 2003

In this study, water jet etching of aqueous green tape was attempted for processing barrier rib of plasma display panel. This process combines 1) chemical etching between water and aqueous based binder in the tape and 2) mechanical erosion by water jet. Effects of etching parameters such as pressure, temperature and aqueous binder content on the morphology of barrier ribs formed were investigated. The results demonstrated a possibility of processing barrier ribs by water jet etching.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.44-51
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• 1994

Wool and silk fabrics dyed with C.l. Acid Black 155 were subjected to sputter etching and exposed to a low temperature argon plasma. Color depth of shade of the fabrics increased considerably, but sputter etching was more effectively than argon low temperature plasma treatment. And measured for any significant chemical modification by ESCA (XPS). Sputter etching and argon low temperature plasma treatments incorporated oxygen atoms into the surface.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.76-80
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• 1997

ZnSe single crystals were grown by seeded chemical vapor transport in $H_2$ atmosphere. The influence of the growth parameters on the crystal defect was investigated. The grown ZnSe single crystal was characterized by chemical etching, X-ray rocking curve and photoluminescenc e measurements.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.72.2-72.2
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• 2010

Nowadays, the crystalline Si Solar cell are expected for economical renewable energy source. The cost of the crystalline Si solar cell are decreasing by improvement of its efficiency and decrease of the cost of the raw Si wafers for Solar cells. This Si wafer based crystalline Si solar cell is the verified technology from several decade of its history. Now, I will introduce one method that can be upgrade the efficiency by using simple and economical method. The name of this method is Rear Side Etching(RSE). The purpose of rear side etching is the elimination of n+ layer of rear side and increase of the flatness. The effects of rear side etching are the improvement of Voc and increase of efficiency by reducement series resistance and forming of uniform BSF. The experimental procedure for rear side etching is very simple. After anti-reflection coating on solar cell wafer, Solar cell wafer is etched by the etching chemical that react with only rear side not front side. This special chemical is no harmful to anti-reflection coating layer. It can only etched rear side of solar cell wafer. We can use etching image by optical microscope, minority carrier life time by WCT 120, SiNx thickness and refractive index by ellipsometer, cell efficiency for the RSE effect measurement. The key point of rear side etching is development of etching process condition that react with only rear side. If we can control this factor, we can achieve increase of solar cell efficiency very economically without new device.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.149-158
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• 2002

Recently, the minimum line width shows a tendency to decrease and the multi-level increases in semiconductor. Therefore, a planarization technique is needed and chemical mechanical polishing(CMP) is considered as one of the most suitable process. CMP accomplishes a high polishing performance and a global planarization of high quality. However there are several defects in CMF, such as micro-scratches, abrasive contaminations and non-uniformity of polished wafer edges. Wet etching process including spin-etching can eliminate the defects of CMP. It uses abrasive-free chemical solution instead of slurry. On this study, ILD(Interlayer-Dielectric) was removed by CMP and wet etching process using DHF(Diluted HF) in order to investigate the possibility of planrization by wet etching mechanism. In the thin film wafer, the results were evaluated from the viewpoint of material removal rate(MRR) and within wafer non-uniformity(WIWNU). And the pattern step heights were also compared for the purpose of planarity characterization of the patterned wafer. Moreover, Chemical polishing process which is the wet etching process with mechanical energy was introduced and evaluated for examining the characteristics of planarization.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-26
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of acid etching on the surface appearance and fracture toughness of five glass ionomer cements. Five kinds of commercially available glass ionomer cements including chemical curing filling type, chemical curing lining type, chemical curing metal reinforced type, light curing tilling type and light curing lining type were used for this study. The specimens for SEM study were fabricated by treating each glass ionomer cement with either visible light curing or self curing after being inserted into a rubber mold (diameter 4mm, depth 1mm). Some of the specimens were etched with 37% phosphoric acid for 0, 15, 30, 60, go seconds, at 5 minutes, 1 hour and 1 day after mixing of powder and liquid. Unetched ones comprised the control group and the others were the experimental groups. The surface texture was examined by using scanning electron microscope at 20 kV. (S-2300, Hitachi Co., Japan). The specimens for fracture toughness were fabricated by curing of each glass ionomer cement previously inserted into a metal mold for the single edge notch specimen according to the ASTME399. They were subjected to a three-point bend test after etching for 0, 30, 60, and 90 seconds at 5 minutes-, 1 hour-and 1 day-lapse after the fabrication of the specimens. The plane strain fracture toughness ($K_{IC}$) was determined by three-point bend test which was conducted with cross-head speed of 0.5 mm/min using Instron universal testing machine (Model No. 1122) following seven days storage of the etched specimens under $37^{\circ}C$, 100% humidity condition. Following conclusions were drawn. 1. In unetched control group, crack was present, but the surface was generally smooth. 2. Deterioration of the surface appearance such as serious dissolving of gel matrix and loss of glass particles occured as the etching time was increased beyond 15 s following Immediate etching of chemical curing type of glass ionomer cements. 3. Etching after 1 h, and 1 d reduced surface damage, 15 s, and 30s etch gave rough surface appearance without loss of glass particle of chemical curing type of glass ionomer cements. 4. Light curing type glass ionomer cement was etched by acid, but there was no difference in surface appearances according to various waiting periods. 5. It was found that the value of plane stram fracture toughness of glass ionomer cements was highest in the light curing filling type as $1.79\;MNm^{-1.5}$ followed by the light curing lining type, chemical curing metal reinforced type, chemical curing filling type and chemical curing lining type. 6. The value of plane stram fracture toughness of the chemical curing lining type glass ionomer cement etched after 5 minutes was lower than those of the cement etched after 1 hour or day or unetched (P < 0.05). 7. Light curing glass ionomer cement showed Irregular fractured surface and chemical curing cement showed smooth fractured surface.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.196-201
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• 2014

We investigated defects and surface polarity in AlN and GaN by using wet chemical etching. Therefore, the effectiveness and reliability of estimating the single crystals by defect selective etching in NaOH/KOH eutectic alloy have been successfully demonstrated. High-quality AlN and GaN single crystals were etched in molten NaOH/KOH eutectic alloy. The etching characteristics and surface morphologies were carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The etch rates of AlN and GaN surface were calculated by etching depth as a function of etching time. As a result, two-types of etch pits with different sizes were revealed on AlN and GaN surface, respectively. Etching produced hexagonal pits on the metal-face (Al, Ga) (0001) plane, while hexagonal hillocks formed on the N-face. On etching rate calibration, it was found that N-face had approximately 109 and 15 times higher etch rate than the metal-face of AlN and GaN, respectively. The size of etch pits increased with an increase of the etching time and they tend to merge together with a neighbouring etch pits. Also, the chemical mechanism of each etching process was discussed. It was found that hydroxide ion ($OH^-$) and the dangling bond of nitrogen play an important role in the selective etching of the metal-face and N-face.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-74
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• 2009

The magnetic and structural properties of FINEMET (the Hitachi product name of the Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloy) nanopowder with a composition of $Fe_{73.5}Si_{13.5}B_9Nb_3Cu_1$ atomic percent were investigated after annealing, chemical etching, and mechanical milling. The primary and secondary crystallization temperatures were 523 and $550^{\circ}C$, respectively. The grain size of the particles was adjusted by annealing time. Optimally annealed particles exhibited a homogenous microstructure composed of nanometer-sized crystalline grains. The grain boundary of the annealed particles was etched preferentially by chemical etching. Chemically etched particles were broken at the grain boundary by high-energy ball milling. As a result, a nanometer-sized FINEMET powder with a uniform size of crystalline grains was fabricated.