• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.829-834
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• 2004

Annealing of $Cu(B)/Ti/SiO_2$ in vacuum has been carried out to investigate the effects of Ti underlayer on microstructure in $Cu(B)/Ti/SiO_2$ structures. For comparison, $Cu(B)/Ti/SiO_2$ structures was also annealed in vacuum. Three different temperature dependence of Cu growth can be seen in $Cu(B)/Ti/SiO_2$; B precipitates- pinned grain growth, abnormal grain growth, normal grain growth. The Ti underlayer having a strong affinity for B atoms reacts with the out-diffused B to the Ti surface and forms titanium boride at the Cu-Ti interface. The formation of titanium boride acts as a sink for the out-diffusion of B atoms. The depletion of boron in grain boundaries of Cu films, as results of the rapid diffusion of B along the grain boundaries and the insufficient segregation of B to the grain boundaries, induces grain boundaries to migrate and causes the abnormal grain growth. The increased bulk diffusion coefficient of B within Cu grains can be responsible for the normal grain growth occurring in the annealed $Cu(B)/Ti/SiO_2\;at\;600^{\circ}C$. In contrast, the $Cu/SiO_2$ structures show only the abnormal growth of grains and their sizes increasing as the temperature increases above $400^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.194-202
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• 1996

Transmission electron microscopy has been used to characterize the dislocation structure in hot-pressed titanium diboride. The thin foil samples were prepared by the conventional ion beam thinning technique and reveal the main features associated with the dislocations ; low-angle grain boundaries with dislocation arrays, high-angle grain boundaries with ledges/steps on the boundary planes. The ledges/steps on the grain boundaries were characterized as the origin of defect structures such as dislocation formation or crack propagation near grain boundaries. A fraction of the high angle grain boundaries contained periodic arrays of grain boundary dislocations. The Burger's vectors of the dislocations in the $TiB_{2}$specimens were determined.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

The major concern in the deep geological disposal of spent nuclear fuels include sulfide-induced corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of copper canisters. Sulfur diffusion into copper canisters may induce copper embrittlement by causing Cu₂S particle formation along grain boundaries; these sulfide particles can act as crack initiation sites and eventually cause embrittlement. To prevent the formation of Cu₂S along grain boundaries and sulfur-induced copper embrittlement, copper alloys are designed in this study. Alloying elements that can act as chemical anchors to suppress sulfur diffusion and the formation of Cu₂S along grain boundaries are investigated based on the understanding of the microscopic mechanism of sulfur diffusion and Cu₂S precipitation along grain boundaries. Copper alloy ingots are experimentally manufactured to validate the alloying elements. Microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy demonstrates that Cu₂S particles are not formed at grain boundaries but randomly distributed within grains in all the vacuum arc-melted Cu alloys (Cu-Si, Cu-Ag, and Cu-Zr). Further studies will be conducted to evaluate the mechanical and corrosion properties of the developed Cu alloys.

• Solar Energy
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.3-11
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• 1997

Because grain boundaries in polycrystalline silicon act as potential barriers and recombination centers for the photo-generated charge carriers, these defects degrade conversion effiency of solar cell. To reduce these effects of grain boundaries, we investigated various influencing factors such as thermal treatment, various grid pattern, selective wet etching for grain boundaries, buried contact metallization along grain boundaries, grid on metallic thin film. Pretreatment above $900^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ atmosphere, gettering by $POCl_3$ and Al treatment for back surface field contributed to obtain a high quality poly-Si. To prevent carrier losses at the grain boundaries, we carried out surface treatment using Schimmel etchant. This etchant delineated grain boundaries of $10{\mu}m$ depth as well as surface texturing effect. A metal AI diffusion into grain boundaries on rear side reduced back surface recombination effects at grain boundaries. A combination of fine grid with finger spacing of 0.4mm and buried electrode along grain boundaries improved short circuit current density of solar cell. A ultra-thin Chromium layer of 20nm with transmittance of 80% reduced series resistance. This paper focused on the grain boundary effect for terrestrial applications of solar cells with low cost, large area, and high efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1997.11a
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• pp.202-205
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• 1997

We investigated grain boundary effect for terrestrial applications of solar cell\ulcorner with low cost, large area, and high efficiency. Grain boundaries are known as potential barriers and recombination centers for the photo-generated charge carriers, which make it difficult to achieve a high efficiency cell. To reduce these effects of grain boundaries, we investigated various influencing factors such as thermal treatments, various grid patterns, selective wet etchings for grain boundaries, buried contact metallizations along grain boundaries, and use of metallic thin films. From the various grid patterns we learned that the series resistance of solar cell reduced open circuit voltage and consequently decreased the cell efficiency. This paper describes the effect of various grid patterns and the employment of metallic thin films for a top electrode.

• 한국초전도학회:학술대회논문집
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• v.14
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• pp.28-28
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.07d
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• pp.1361-1363
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• 1998

Poly-Si grain boundaries act as potential barriers as well as recombination centers for the photo-generated carriers in solar cells. Thereby, grain boundaries of poly-Si are considered as a major source of the poly-Si cell efficiency was reduced This paper investigated grain boundary effect of poly-Si wafer prior to the solar cell fabrication. By comparing I-V characteristics inner grain, on and across the grain boundary, we were able to detect grain potentials. To reduce grain boundary effect we carried out pretreatment, $POCl_3$ gettering, and examined carrier lifetime. This paper focuses on resistivity variation effect due to grain boundary of poly-Si. The resistivity of the inner grain was $2.2{\Omega}-cm$, on the grain boundary$2.3{\Omega}-cm$, across the grain boundary $2.6{\Omega}-cm$. A measured resistivity varied depending on how many grains were included inside the four point probes. The resistivity increased as the number of grain boundaries increased. Our result can contribute to achieve high conversion efficiency of poly-Si solar cell by overcoming the grain boundary influence.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.243-257
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• 1985

Many authors have studied the solidification process of cast iron and the effect of grain boundaries in austenite shell on the growth of spheroidal graphite. But, the studies on the melting morphology of cast iron are rare and the effect of grain boundaries in austenite shell on the melting procedure of spheroidal graphite cast iron is unknown. Therefore, in this work, the melting procedure of cast iron and the role of grain boundaries in austenite shell on the melting of spheroidal graphite have been studied. The main results are summarized as follows. 1. In white cast iron containing silicon, melting initiates at the interface between austenite matrix and temper carbon which was decomposed from $Fe_3C$ during heating. 2. In gray cast iron, melting initiates at the boundary of eutectic cell where elements with low melting temperature are condensed. The dissolution of kish graphite is difficult. 3. In spheroidal graphite cast iron containing little phosphor, melting initiates at the outer region of austenite shell in which silicon is condensed. In this case, grain boundaries in austenite shell give little effect on the melting procedure of spheroidal graphite. 4. In spheroidal graphite cast iron containing phosphor above 0.3 wt%, its melting phenomena are changed with heating rate due to the existence of steadite. In this case, it can be concluded that liquid phase of steadite, which segregated on outer region of austenite shell, moves to spheroidal graphite-austenite interface along the grain boundaries in austenite shell.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.798-802
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• 2002

Metallurgical studies on the bonded interlayer of directionally solidified Ni-base superalloy GTD111 joints were carried out during transient liquid phase bonding. The formation mechanism of solid during solidification process was also investigated. Microstructures at the bonded interlayer of joints were characterized with bonding temperature. In the bonding process held at 1403K, liquid insert metal was eliminated by well known mechanism of isothermal solidification process and formation of the solid from the liquid at the bonded interlayer were achieved by epitaxial growth. In addition, grain boundary formed at bonded interlayer is consistent with those of base metal. However, in the bonding process held at 1453K, extensive formation of the liquid phase was found to have taken place along dendrite boundaries and grain boundaries adjacent to bonded interlayer. Liquid phases were also observed at grain boundaries far from the bonding interface. This phenomenon results in liquation of grain boundaries. With prolonged holding, liquid phases decreased gradually and changed to isolated granules, but did not disappeared after holding for 7.2ks at 1473K. This isothermal solidification occurs by diffusion of Ti to be result in liquation. In addition, grain boundaries formed at bonded interlayer were corresponded with those of base metal. In the GTD-ll1 alloy, bonding mechanism differs with bonding temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.78-86
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• 2004

Effects of the annealing parameters on the formation of ferrites transformed at low temperatures were studied in cold-rolled ultra low carbon steels with niobium and/or chromium. Niobium and chromium were found to be effective in the formation of the low temperature transformation ferrites. The low temperature transformation ferrites more easily formed when both higher annealing temperature and longer annealing time, allowing substitutional alloying elements to distribute between phases, are in combination with faster cooling rate. It was found from EBSD study that the additions of niobium or chromium resulted in the increase in the numbers of high angle grain boundaries and the decrease in those of the low angle grain boundaries in the microstructures. Both granular bainitic ferrite and bainitic ferrite were characterized by the not clearly etched grain boundaries in light microscopy because of the low angle grain boundaries.