• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.405-422
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• 2013

Atomic layer deposition(ALD) is a promising deposition method and has been studied and used in many different areas, such as displays, semiconductors, batteries, and solar cells. This method, which is based on a self-limiting growth mechanism, facilitates precise control of film thickness at an atomic level and enables deposition on large and three dimensionally complex surfaces. For instance, ALD technology is very useful for 3D and high aspect ratio structures such as dynamic random access memory(DRAM) and other non-volatile memories(NVMs). In addition, a variety of materials can be deposited using ALD, oxides, nitrides, sulfides, metals, and so on. In conventional ALD, the source and reactant are pulsed into the reaction chamber alternately, one at a time, separated by purging or evacuation periods. Thermal ALD and metal organic ALD are also used, but these have their own advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, plasma-enhanced ALD has come into the spotlight because it has more freedom in processing conditions; it uses highly reactive radicals and ions and for a wider range of material properties than the conventional thermal ALD, which uses $H_2O$ and $O_3$ as an oxygen reactant. However, the throughput is still a challenge for a current time divided ALD system. Therefore, a new concept of ALD, fast ALD or spatial ALD, which separate half-reactions spatially, has been extensively under development. In this paper, we reviewed these various kinds of ALD equipment, possible materials using ALD, and recent ALD research applications mainly focused on materials required in microelectronics.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.64-64
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• 2008

연속공정이 가능한 Roll to Roll sputter system을 이용하여 플렉시블 indium tin oxide(ITO) 투명전극을 PET(polyethlyene terephthalate) 기판위에 성막하였다. 연속 성막공정을 위해 Roll to Roll sputter system에서의 unwinder roller와 rewinder roller를 이용한 servomotor의 rolling으로 기판의 움직임이 완벽히 제어되었으며, 외부 응력으로 부터의 안정성 및 성막 공정 시의 PET 기판의 열적 변형을 최소화하기 위한 접촉식 냉각방식의 cooling system을 main drum으로 사용하였다. 또한 고분자 기판과 투명전극 사이의 adhesion을 향상시키기 위한 전처리 공정으로 gridless linear ion beam source를 pretreatment system으로 구축하였다. 이렇게 제작된 Roll to Roll sputter system을 이용하여 PET 기판위에 연속공정을 통해 ITO 투명전극을 성막하였다. 성막된 플렉시블 ITO/PET 투명전극은 XRD, HREM, SEM 분석을 통하여 main drum의 cooling에 의해 완전한 비정질 구조를 나타내었음을 확인할 수 있었으며, 비록 Roll to Roll sputter system을 통하여 상온에서 성막 되었음에도 불구하고 최적화 된 조건에서 가시광선 영역 83.46 %의 높은 광투과도 값과 47.4 Ohm/square의 비교적 낮은 먼저항 값을 얻을 수 있었다. 또한 Bending test 결과를 통하여 ion source의 전처리 공정으로 굽힘/평의 반복적 응력에 따른 전기적 특성 열화를 최소화 할 수 있음을 보였다. 최적화된 플렉시블 투명전극을 이용하여 P3HT:PCBM 기반의 플렉시블 유기태양전지를 제작하였으며, 제작된 유기태양전지로부터 1.88%의 power conversion efficiency (PCE)을 확보함으로써 플렉시블 유기태양전지 제작을 위한 ITO/PET 투명전극 성막 공법으로써 Roll to Roll sputter system의 적용가능성을 확인할 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.367-367
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• 2014

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) 박막은 가시광선영역에서의 높은 투과율과 낮은 저항 특성을 동시에 갖고 있어 최근 smart windows, solar cells, liquid crystal displays (LCD), organic light emitting devices (OLED)등과 같은 최첨단 기기에 필수적인 구성요소로 활발히 사용되고 있다. 따라서, 현재까지 FTO ($SnO_2:F$), ITO ($In_2O_3:Sn$), ATO ($SnO_2:Sb$)등과 같은 다양한 TCO들이 많은 연구자들에 의해 연구되고 있다. 그 중 ITO는 우수한 전기적(${\sim}10^{-4}{\Omega}cm$) 및 광학적(~85%) 특성 때문에 현재 상업적으로 활발히 응용되고 있는 대표적인 물질이다. 하지만 ITO의 주된 구성요소인 indium은 제한적인 매장량과 과도한 소비량 때문에 원가가 비싸다는 문제점이 있다. 반면에, ATO는 우수한 전기적(${\sim}10^{-3}{\Omega}cm$) 및 광학적(~80%) 특성뿐만 아니라 구성물질들의 매장량이 풍부하여 ATO의 원가가 저렴하다는 장점을 가지고 있어 현재 ITO을 대체 할 수 물질로 관심 받고 있다 [1]. 지금까지 우수한 특성을 갖는 ATO박막을 합성하는 방법으로 sol-gel spin coating, sputtering, spray pyrolysis, chemical vapor deposition (CVD)등이 알려져 있다. 이 중에서도, sol-gel spin coating과 spray pyrolysis은 solution기반의 합성법으로 분류되며 합성과정이 간단하고 비용이 저렴하다는 장점이 있고 현재까지 많은 연구가 보고되었다. 그러나, 진공기반이 아닌 우수한 특성을 갖는 solution기반의 ATO박막을 합성하기 위해서는 새로운 합성법의 개발이 학문적으로나 산업적으로도 매우 중요한 이슈이다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 electrospray을 활용하여 solution기반의 ATO박막을 처음으로 합성하였다. 게다가 ATO박막에 열처리온도에 따른 구조, 화학, 전기, 광학적 특성을 확인하기 위하여 X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Hall Effect Measurement System, UV spectrophotometer를 사용하였다. 이러한 실험 결과들을 바탕으로 electrospray을 통해 합성된 solution기반의 ATO박막에 자세한 특성을 본 학회에서 다루도록 하겠다.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.19.2-19.2
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• 2010

Printed electronics using printing process has broadened in all respects such as electrics (lighting, batteries, solar cells etc) as well as electronics (OLED, LCD, E-paper, transistor etc). Copper is considered to be a promising alternative to silver for printed electronics, due to very high conductivity at a low price. However, Copper is easily oxidized, and its oxide is non-conductive. This is the highest hurdle for making copper inks, since the heat and humidity that occurs during ink making and printing simply accelerates the oxidation process. A variety of chemical treatments including organic capping agents and metallic coating have been used to slow this oxidation. We have established synthetic conditions of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) which are resistant to oxidation and average diameter of 20 to 50nm. Specific resistivity should be less than $4\;{\mu}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$ when sintered at lower temperature than $250^{\circ}C$ to be able to apply to conductive patterns of FPCBs using ink-jet printing. Through this study, the parameters to control average diameter of CuNPs were found to be the introduction of additive agent, the feeding rate of reducing agent, and reaction temperature. The CuNPs with various average diameters (58, 40, 26, 20nm) could be synthesized by controlling these parameters. The dispersed solution of CuNPs with an average size of 20 nm was made with nonpolar solvent containing 3 wt% of binder, and then coated onto glass substrate. After sintering the coated substrates at $250^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes in nitrogen atmosphere, metallic copper film resulted in a specific resistivity of $4.2\;{\mu}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.423-423
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• 2011

Zinc oxide is metal oxide semiconductor with the 3.37 eV bandgap energy. Zinc oxide is very attractive materials for many application fields. Zinc Oxide has many advantages such as high conductivity and good transmittance in visible region. Also it is cheaper than other semiconductor materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Therefore, ZnO is alternative material for ITO. ZnO is attracting attention for its application to transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films, surface acoustic wave (SAW), films bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), piezoelectric materials, gas-sensing, solar cells and photocatalyst. In this study, we synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and defined their physical and chemical properties. Also we studied about the application of ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst and try to find a enhancement photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorticles.. We synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using spray-pyrolysis method and defined the physical and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles in experiment I. When the ZnO are exposed to UV light, reduction and oxidation (REDOX) reaction will occur on the ZnO surface and generate O2- and OH radicals. These powerful oxidizing agents are proven to be effective in decomposition of the harmful organic materials and convert them into CO2 and H2O. Therefore, we investigated that the photocatalytic activity was increased through the surface modification of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. In experiment II, we studied on the stability of ZnO nanoparticles in water. It is well known that ZnO is unstable in water in comparison with TiO2. Zn(OH)2 was formed at the ZnO surface and ZnO become inactive as a photocatalyst when ZnO is present in the solution. Therefore, we prepared synthesized ZnO nanoparticles that were immersed in the water and dried in the oven. After that, we measured photocatalytic activities of prepared samples and find the cause of their photocatalytic activity changes.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.467-471
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• 2016

New electron deficient moiety, 6,7-difluoro-2,3-dihexylquinoxaline, was developed for the push-pull type copolymer for organic photovoltaics (OPVs). The PFDTQxF with lower HOMO energy level was synthesized using fluorene and 6,7-difluoro- 2,3-dihexylquinoxaline by Suzuki polymerization. The PFDTQxF thin film shows two absorption peaks at 368 and 493 nm. The HOMO and LUMO energy levels of PFDTQxF are calculated -5.55 and -3.91 eV, respectively. The device comprising PFDTQxF showed a $V_{OC}$ value of 0.47 V, a $J_{SC}$ value of $4.48mA/cm^2$, and a FF of 0.32, which yielded PCE of 0.78%, under the illumination of AM 1.5.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.54-54
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• 2010

Zinc oxide is metal oxide semiconductor with the 3.37 eV bandgap energy. Zinc oxide is very attractive materials for many application fields. Zinc Oxide has many advantages such as high conductivity and good transmittance in visible region. Also it is cheaper than other semiconductor materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Therefore, ZnO is alternative material for ITO. ZnO is attracting attention for its application to transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films, surface acoustic wave (SAW), films bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), piezoelectric materials, gas-sensing, solar cells and photocatalyst. In this study, we synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and defined their physical and chemical properties. Also we studied about the application of ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst and try to find a enhancement photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorticles.. We synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using spray-pyrolysis method and defined the physical and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles in experiment I. When the ZnO are exposed to UV light, reduction and oxidation(REDOX) reaction will occur on the ZnO surface and generate ${O_2}^-$ and OH radicals. These powerful oxidizing agents are proven to be effective in decomposition of the harmful organic materials and convert them into $CO_2$ and $H_2O$. Therefore, we investigated that the photocatalytic activity was increased through the surface modification of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. In experiment II, we studied on the stability of ZnO nanoparticles in water. It is well known that ZnO is unstable in water in comparison with $TiO_2$. $Zn(OH)_2$ was formed at the ZnO surface and ZnO become inactive as a photocatalyst when ZnO is present in the solution. Therefore, we prepared synthesized ZnO nanoparticles that were immersed in the water and dried in the oven. After that, we measured photocatalytic activities of prepared samples and find the cause of their photocatalytic activity changes.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.562-568
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• 2012

Metal nanowires can be coated on various substrates to create transparent conducting films that can potentially replace the dominant transparent conductor, indium tin oxide, in displays, solar cells, organic light-emitting diodes, and electrochromic windows. One issue with these metal nanowire based transparent conductive films is that the resistance between the nanowires is still high because of their low aspect ratio. Here, we demonstrate high-performance transparent conductive films with silver nanofiber networks synthesized by a low-cost and scalable electrospinning process followed by two-step sequential thermal treatments. First, the PVP/$AgNO_3$ precursor nanofibers, which have an average diameter of 208 nm and are several thousands of micrometers in length, were synthesized by the electrospinning process. The thermal behavior and the phase and morphology evolution in the thermal treatment processes were systematically investigated to determine the thermal treatment atmosphere and temperature. PVP/$AgNO_3$ nanofibers were transformed stepwise into PVP/Ag and Ag nanofibers by two-step sequential thermal treatments (i.e., $150^{\circ}C$ in $H_2$ for 0.5 h and $300^{\circ}C$ in Ar for 3 h); however, the fibrous shape was perfectly maintained. The silver nanofibers have ultrahigh aspect ratios of up to 10000 and a small average diameter of 142 nm; they also have fused crossing points with ultra-low junction resistances, which result in high transmittance at low sheet resistance.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.45-53
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• 2011

We devised a procedure for the recovery of silicon and tempered glass from waste photovoltaic (PV) modules using optimized conditions. The tempered glass was recovered without any damage using organic solvents. The surface material is removed by applying an acid solution on the surface of the PV cell. Through our proposed method, we offer a much more efficient approach for recycling solar cells with a surfactant than the conventional method. This process, we obtained pure silicon with a yield of 90% by chemical treatment with the surfactant at room temperature for 18 min. The silicon yield was characterized using an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.79-84
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• 2017

The solar cells should be protected from the moisture and oxygen in order to sustain the properties and reliability of the devices. In this research, we prepared the protection films on the flexible plastic substrates by spray coating method using organic-inorganic hybrid solutions. The protection characteristics were studied depending on the various process conditions (nozzle distance, thicknesses of the coatings, film structures). The organic-inorganic solutions for the protection film layer were synthesized by addition of $Al_2O_3$ ($P.S+Al_2O_3$) and $SiO_2$ ($P.S+SiO_2$) nano-powders into PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and SA (sodium alginate) (P.S) organic solution. The optical transmittances of the protection film with the thicknesses of $5{\mu}m$ showed 91%. The optical transmittance decreased from 81.6% to 73.6% with the film thickness increased from $78{\mu}m$ to $178{\mu}m$. In addition, the protective films were prepared on the PEN (polyethylene naphthalate), PC (polycarbonate) single plastic substrates as well as the Acrylate film coated on PC substrate (Acrylate film/PC double layer), and $Al_2O_3$ film coated on PEN substrate ($Al_2O_3$ film/PEN double layer) using the $P.S+Al_2O_3$ organic-inorganic hybrid solutions. The optimum protection film structure was studied by means of the measurements of water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) and surface morphology. The protective film on PEN/$Al_2O_3$ double layer substrate showed the best water protective property, indicating the WVTR value of $0.004gm/m^2-day$.