• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.221-226
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• 2010

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) gas sensor to detect methyl mercaptan ($CH_3SH$) gas was fabricated by depositing $TiO_2$ nanoparticles and polyelectrolyte on the electrode of QCM. The $TiO_2$/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) thin film fabricated by a layer-by-layer self-assembly (LBL-SA) method showed a high surface area and increased the sensitivity of gas sensor. When the QCM sensors coated with triethanolamine (TEA) or ($TiO_2$/PSS) were exposed to methyl mercaptan gas (1.0 ppm), the frequency shifts of QCM with TEA casting film and $TiO_2$/PSS thin film were ca. 9 Hz and ca. 24 Hz, respectively. As the bilayer number of ($TiO_2$/PSS) increased, the frequency shift of QCM sensor with ($TiO_2$/PSS) thin film was gradually increased. In addition, the frequency shift of QCM sensor was gradually increased as the concentration of methyl mercaptan gas increased from 0.5 ppm to 2.0 ppm. In this study, the surface morphology and sensor property of QCM sensor coated with ($TiO_2$/PSS) thin film were measured.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.15-19
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• 2007

This paper reports the effects of Ar ion beam surface treatment on a $SiO_2$ dielectric layer in organic thin film transistors. We compared the electrical properties of pentacene-based OTFTs, treated by $O_2$ plasma or Ar ion beam treatments and characterized the states of the surface of the dielectric by using atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. For the sample which received $O_2$ plasma treatment, the mobility increased significantly but the on/off current ratio was found very low. The Ar ion beam-treated sample showed a very high on/off current ratio as well as a moderately improved mobility. XPS data taken from the dielectric surfaces after each of treatments exhibit that the ratio of between Si-O bonds and O-Si-O bonds was much higher in the $O_2$ plasma treated surface than in the Ar ion beam treated surface. We believe that our surface treatment using an inert gas, Ar, carried out an effective surface cleaning while keeping surface damage very low, and also the improved device performances was achieved as a consequence of improved surface condition.