• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.259-259
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• 2010

Periodically polarity inverted (PPI) ZnO structures on (0001) Al2O3 substrates are demonstrated by plasmas assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The patterning and re-growth methods are used to realize the PPI ZnO by employing the polarity controlling method. For the in-situ polarity controlling of ZnO films, Cr-compound buffer layers are used.[1, 2] The region with the CrN intermediate layer and the region with the Cr2O3 and Al2O3 substrate were used to grow the Zn- and O-polar ZnO films, respectively. The growth behaviors with anisotropic properties of PPI ZnO heterostructures are investigated. The periodical polarity inversion is evaluated by contrast images of piezo-response microscopy. Structural and optical interface properties of PPI ZnO are investigated by the transmission electron microcopy (TEM) and micro photoluminescence ($\mu$-PL). The inversion domain boundaries (IDBs) between the Zn and the O-polar ZnO regions were clearly observed by TEM. Moreover, the investigation of spatially resolved local photoluminescence characteristics of PPI ZnO revealed stronger excitonic emission at the interfacial region with the IDBs compared to the Zn-polar or the O-polar ZnO region. The possible mechanisms will be discussed with the consideration of the atomic configuration, carrier life time, and geometrical effects. The successful realization of PPI structures with nanometer scale period indicates the possibility for the application to the photonic band-gap structures or waveguide fabrication. The details of application and results will be discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.941-946
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• 2002

Both Cu and Cu-oxide nanopowders have great potential as conductive paste, solid lubricant, effective catalysts and super conducting materials because of their unique properties compared with those of commercial micro-sized ones. In this study, Cu and Cu-oxide nanopowders were prepared by Pulsed Wire Evaporation (PWE) method which has been very useful for producing nanometer-sized metal, alloy and ceramic powders. In this process, the metal wire is explosively converted into ultrafine particles under high electric pulse current (between $10^4$ and $10^{ 6}$ $A/mm^2$) within a micro second time. To prevent full oxidations of Cu powder, the surface of powder has been slightly passivated with thin CuO layer. X-ray diffraction analysis has shown that pure Cu nanopowders were obtained at $N_2$ atmosphere. As the oxygen partial pressure increased in $N_2$ atmosphere, the gradual phase transformation occurred from Cu to $Cu_2$O and finally CuO nanopowders. The spherical Cu nanopowders had a uniform size distribution of about 100nm in diameter. The Cu-oxide nanopowders were less than 70nm with sphere-like shape and their mean particle size was 54nm. Smaller size of Cu-oxide nanopowders compared with that of the Cu nanopowders results from the secondary explosion of Cu nanopowders at oxygen atmosphere. Thin passivated oxygen layer on the Cu surface has been proved by XPS and HRPD.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.201-212
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• 2011

Nanotechnology is the applied science which develops new materials and systems sized within 1 to 100 nanometer, and improves their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics by manipulating on an atomic and molecular scale. This nanotechnology has been applied to wide spectrum of industries resulting in production of various nanoparticles. It is expected that more nanoparticles will be generated and enter to natural water bodies, imposing great threat to potable water resources. However their toxicity and treatment options have not been throughly investigated, despite the significant growth of nanotechnology-based industries. The objective of this study is to provide fundamental information for the management of nanoparticles in water supply systems through extensive literature survey. More specifically, two types of nanoparticles are selected to be a potential problem for drinking water treatment. They are carbon nanoparticles such as carbon nanotube and fullerene, and metal nanoparticles including silver, gold, silica and titanium oxide. In this study, basic characteristics and toxicity of these nanoparticles were first investigated systematically. Their monitoring techniques and treatment efficiencies in conventional water treatment plants were also studied to examine our capability to mitigate the risk associated with nanoparticles. This study suggests that the technologies monitoring nanopartilces need to be greatly improved in water supply systems, and more advanced water treatment processes should be adopted for better control of these nanoparticles.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 1998

We have developed an extreme high vacuum (XHV) system using a new combination pump cpmposed of a suitably shaped NEG(Non-Evaporable Getters) in the body of a sputter-ion pump (SIP). The stainless-steel test chamber was used which had been well oxidized at $450^{\circ}C$ and already yielded XHV with a turbomolecular pumping system. The pressure was measured by a Leybold extractor gauge (EXG,limit:1~$2{\times}10^{-12}$torr, but in the ultimate pressure regionthe EXG shows an unusual sign as $-0.{\times}10^{-12}$ torr which indicates much lower pressure range than its available lower limit. These results are mainly due to the high pumping speed of NEG for hydrogen. Furthermore, use of the SIP combined with the NEG as a XHV pumping system implies the potential for actualization of the surface analysis under XHV environment, and allows one to have a chance tp meet a new world in nanometer science and technology.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.207-207
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• 2012

Si quantum dot (QD) imbedded in a $SiO_2$ matrix is a promising material for the next generation optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells and light emission diodes (LEDs). However, low conductivity of the Si quantum dot layer is a great hindrance for the performance of the Si QD-based optoelectronic devices. The effective doping of the Si QDs by semiconducting elements is one of the most important factors for the improvement of conductivity. High dielectric constant of the matrix material $SiO_2$ is an additional source of the low conductivity. Active doping of B was observed in nanometer silicon layers confined in $SiO_2$ layers by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling analysis and confirmed by Hall effect measurements. The uniformly distributed boron atoms in the B-doped silicon layers of $[SiO_2(8nm)/B-doped\;Si(10nm)]_5$ films turned out to be segregated into the $Si/SiO_2$ interfaces and the Si bulk, forming a distinct bimodal distribution by annealing at high temperature. B atoms in the Si layers were found to preferentially substitute inactive three-fold Si atoms in the grain boundaries and then substitute the four-fold Si atoms to achieve electrically active doping. As a result, active doping of B is initiated at high doping concentrations above $1.1{\times}10^{20}atoms/cm^3$ and high active doping of $3{\times}10^{20}atoms/cm^3$ could be achieved. The active doping in ultra-thin Si layers were implemented to silicon quantum dots (QDs) to realize a Si QD solar cell. A high energy conversion efficiency of 13.4% was realized from a p-type Si QD solar cell with B concentration of $4{\times}1^{20}atoms/cm^3$. We will present the diffusion behaviors of the various dopants in silicon nanostructures and the performance of the Si quantum dot solar cell with the optimized structures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.162-162
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• 2011

Nanometer-sized noble metals can trap and guide sunlight for enhanced absorption of light based on surface plasmon that is beneficial for generation of hot electron flows. A pulse of high kinetic energy electrons (1-3 eV), or hot electrons, in metals can be generated after surface exposure to external energy, such as in the absorption of light or in exothermic chemical processes. These energetic electrons are not at thermal equilibrium with the metal atoms. It is highly probable that the correlation between hot electron generation and surface plasmon can offer a new guide for energy conversion systems [1-3]. We show that hot electron flow is generated on the modified gold thin film (<10 nm) of metal-semiconductor (TiO2) Schottky diodes by photon absorption, which is amplified by localized surface plasmon resonance. The short-circuit photocurrent obtained with low energy photons (lower than bandgap of TiO2, ~3.1-3.2 eV) is consistent with Fowler's law, confirming the presence of hot electron flows. The morphology of the metal thin film was modified to a connected gold island structure after heating to 120, 160, 200, and 240$^{\circ}C$. These connected island structures exhibit both a significant increase in hot electron flow and a localized surface plasmon with the peak energy at 550-570 nm, which was separately characterized with UV-Vis [4]. The result indicates a strong correlation between the hot electron flow and localized surface plasmon resonance with possible application in hot electron based solar cells and photodetectors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.73-73
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• 2011

We will report a few methods to improve the efficiency and stability in small molecule based organic solar cells, including the formation of bulk heterojunctions (BHJs) through alternative thermal deposition (ATD), the use of a micro-cavity structure and interface modifications. By ATD which is a simple modification of conventional thermal evaporation, the thicknesses of alternative donor and acceptor layers were precisely controlled down to 0.1 nm, which is critical to form BHJs. The formation of a BHJ in copper(II) phthalocyanine (CuPc) and fullerene (C60) systems was confirmed by AFM, GISAXS and absorption measurements. From analysis of the data, we found that the CuPc|C60 films fabricated by ATD were composed of the nanometer sized disk shaped CuPc nano grains and aggregated C60, which explains the phase separation of CuPc and C60. On the other hand, the co-deposited CuPc:C60 films did not show the existence of separated CuPc nano grains in the CuPc:C60 matrix. The OPV cells fabricated using the ATD method showed significantly enhanced power conversion efficiency compared to the co-deposited OPV cells under a same composition [1]. We will also present by numerical simulation that adoption of microcavity structure in the planar heterojunction can improve the short circuit current in single and tandem OSCs [2]. Interface modifications also allowed us to achieve high efficiency and high stability OSCs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

In the present study, newly developed spark plasma sintering(SPS) technique was introduced to refine the grain size of ${\gamma}$-based TiAl intermetallic compounds. Ti-46Al-1.5Mo and Ti-46Al-1.5Mo-0.2C(at%) prealloyed powders were produced by mechanical milling(MM) in high-energy attritor. The mechanically milled powders were characterized by XRD and SEM for the microstructural evolution as a function of milling time. And then, the MMed powders were sintered by both spark plasma sintering and hot pressing in vacuum (HP). After the sintering process, MM-SPSed specimens were heat-treated in a vacuum furnace (SPS-VHT) and in the SPS equipment(MM-SPS) for microstructural control. It was found from microstrutural observation that the microstructure consisting of equiaxed ${\gamma}$-TiAl with a few hundred nanometer in average size and ${\alpha}_2-Ti_3Al$ particles were formed after both sintering processes. It was also revealed from hardness test and three-point bending test that the effect of grain refinement on the hardness and bending strength is much higher than that of carbon addition. The fully lamellar microstructures, which is less than $80{\mu}m$ in average grain size was obtained by SPS-VHT process, and the fully lamellar microstructure which is less than $100{\mu}m$ in average grain size was obtained by MM-SPS for a relatively shorter heat-treatment time.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.461-473
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• 2005

Nanotechnology has attracted great attention as one of essential fields in modern science. In particular, the fabrication of nanostructures with nanometer dimension in size is the starting point and essential part of nanotechnology research. Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplate technique has many merits including ease of fabrication, low cost process, and nanotemplate fabrication in large area. Moreover, AAO nanotemplate technique can realize self-ordered hexagonal pore structure with extremely high aspect ratio which is difficult to achieve with conventional lithographic techniques. Simple control of pore dimensions such as diameter, length, and density by varying anodizing condition would be advantageous, too. AAO nanotemplate has been the topic of intensive investigations for the past decade due to above strong points, and the application to various fields of nanotechnology is expected. In this review paper, the fabrication and application of AAO nanotemplate are introduced.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.26-39
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• 2014

Cu interconnection in electronic devices is fabricated via damascene process including Cu electrodeposition. In this review, Cu electrodeposition and superfilling for fabricating Cu interconnection are introduced. Superfilling results from the influences of organic additives in the electrolyte for Cu electrodeposition, and this is enabled by the local enhancement of Cu electrodeposition at the bottom of filling feature formed on the wafer through manipulating the surface coverage of organic additives. The dimension of metal interconnection has been constantly reduced to increase the integrity of electronic devices, and the width of interconnection reaches the range of few tens of nanometer. This size reduction raises the issues, which are the deterioration of electrical property and the reliability of Cu interconnection, and the difficulty of Cu superfilling. The various researches on the development of organic additives for the modification of Cu microstructure, the application of pulse and pulse-reverse electrodeposition, Cu-based alloy superfilling for improvement of reliability, and the enhancement of superfilling phenomenon to overcome the current problems are addressed in this review.