• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.494-500
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• 2014

Indium-doped zinc oxide nanocrystals (IZO NCs), capped with stearic acid (SA) of different sizes, were synthesized using a hot injection method in a noncoordinating solvent 1-octadecene (ODE). The ligand exchange process was employed to modify the surface of IZO NCs by replacing the longer-chain ligand of stearic acid with the shorter-chain ligand of butylamine (BA). It should be noted that the ligand-exchange percentage was observed to be 75%. The change of particle size, morphology, and crystal structures were obtained using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction pattern results. In our study, the 5 nm and 10 nm IZO NCs capped with stearic acid (SA-IZO) were ligand-exchanged with butylamine (BA), and were then spin-coated on a thermal oxide ($SiO_2$) gate insulator to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) device. The films were then annealed at various temperatures: $350^{\circ}C$, $400^{\circ}C$, $500^{\circ}C$, and $600^{\circ}C$. All samples showed semiconducting behavior and exhibited n-channel TFT. Curing temperature dependent on mobility was observed. Interestingly, mobility decreases with the increasing size of NCs from 5 to 10 nm. Miller-Abrahams hopping formalism was employed to explain the hopping mechanism insight our IZO NC films. By focusing on the effect of size, different curing temperatures, electron coupling, tunneling rate, and inter-NC separation, we found that the decrease in electron mobility for larger NCs was due to smaller electronic coupling.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.37-37
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• 2010

Silicate-silsesquioxane or siloxane-silsesquioxane hybrid thin films are strong candidates as matrix materials for ultra low dielectric constant (low-k) thin films. We synthesized the silicate-silsesquioxane hybrid resins from tetraethoxyorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) through hydrolysis and condensation polymerization by changing their molar ratios ([TEOS]:[MTMS] = 7:3, 5:5, and 3:7), spin-coating on Si(100) wafers. In the case of [TEOS]:[MTMS] 7:3, the dielectric permittivity value of the resultant thin film was measured at 4.30, exceeding that of the thermal oxide (3.9). This high value was thought to be due to Si-OH groups inside the film and more extensive studies were performed in terms of electronic, ionic, and orientational polarizations using Debye equation. The relationship between the mechanical properties and the synthetic conditions of the silicate-silsesquioxane precursors was also investigated. The synthetic conditions of the low-k films have to be chosen to meet both the low orientational polarization and high mechanical properties requirements. In addition, we have investigated a new solution-based approach to the synthesis of semiconducting chalcogenide films for use in thin-film transistor (TFT) devices, in an attempt to develop a simple and robust solution process for the synthesis of inorganic semiconductors. Our material design strategy is to use a sol-gel reaction to carry out the deposition of a spin-coated CdS film, which can then be converted to a xerogel material. These devices were found to exhibit n-channel TFT characteristics with an excellent field-effect mobility (a saturation mobility of ${\sim}\;48\;cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$) and low voltage operation (< 5 V). These results show that these semiconducting thin film materials can be used in low-cost and high-performance printable electronics.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.247-247
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• 2006

Chemical and physical synthesis routes were combined to prepare macroporous thin films of semiconducting metal-oxides such as $CaCu_{3}Ti_{4}O_{12}\;and\;TiO_{2}$ by sputtering onto (PMMA) microsphere templated substrates. Subsequently, the colloidal templates were removed by thermal decomposition. The remaining inorganic films comprised a monolayer of hollow hemispheres with diameter commensurate with that of the microspheres. This unique morphology increases the surface area and reduces the interfacial area between film and substrate. Consequently, the surface activity is markedly enhanced while deleterious interfacial effects between film and substrate are significantly reduced. Both effects are highly advantageous for gas sensing applications.

• Ceramist
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.38-48
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• 2018

This paper reports a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art in research on the enhancement of sensing properties for the detection of gases in exhaled breath. Daily health monitoring and early diagnosis of specific diseases via the analysis of exhaled breath is possible. Because biomarkers in exhaled breath are emitted in a very small amount, it is necessary to develop highly sensitive gas sensors. In recent years, a number of researches have been carried out using various strategies for the enhancement of sensing properties such as doping, catalyst, hollow sphere, heterojunction, size effect. We introduced each strategy and summarized recent progress on sensing properties for detection of biomarkers in exhaled breath.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.64.1-64.1
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• 2012

Next generation displays such as high performance LCD, AMOLED, flexible display and transparent display require specific TFT back-planes. For high performance TFT back-planes, low temperature poly silicon (LTPS), and metal-oxide semiconductors are studied. Flexible TFT backplanes require low temperature processible organic semiconductors. Not only development of active semiconducting materials but also design and synthesis of semiconductor corresponding gate dielectric materials are important issues in those display back-planes. In this study, we investigate the high heat resistant polymeric gate dielectric materials for organic TFT and inorganic TFT with good insulating properties and processing chemical resistance. We also controlled and optimized surface energy and morphology of gate dielectric layers for direct printing process with solution processible organic and inorganic semiconductors.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2021

In cancer therapy, it is often desirable to use precision medicine that involves treatments of high specificity. One such treatment is the use of photo-triggered theranostic nanoparticles. These nanoparticles make it possible to visualize and treat tumors specifically in a controlled manner with a single injection. Several novel and powerful photo-triggered theranostic nanoparticles have been developed. These range from small organic dyes, semiconducting and biopolymers, to inorganic nanomaterials such as iron-oxide or gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and upconversion nanoparticles. Using photo-triggered theranostic nanoparticles and localized irradiation, complete tumor ablation can be achieved without causing significant toxicity to normal tissue. Given the great advances and promising future of theranostic nanoparticles, this review highlights the progress that has been made in the past couple of years, the current challenges faced and offers a future perspective.

• CELLMED
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.23.1-23.6
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• 2016

With the rapid developments in nanotechnology, an increasing number of nanomaterials have been applied in various aspects of our lives. Recently, pharmaceutical nanotechnology with numerous advantages has growingly attracted the attention of many researchers. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are nanomaterials that are widely used in many fields including diagnostics, therapeutics, drug-delivery systems, electronics, cosmetics, sunscreens, coatings, ceramic products, paints, and food additives, due to their magnetic, catalytic, semiconducting, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, ultraviolet-protective, and binding properties. The present review focused on the recent research works concerning role of ZnO-NP on inflammation. Several studies have reported that ZnO-NP induces inflammatory reaction through the generation of reactive oxygen species by oxidative stress and production of inflammatory cytokines by activation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$). Meanwhile, other researchers reported that ZnO-NP exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines and the activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, caspase-1, $I{\kappa}B$ $kinase{\beta}$, receptor interacting protein2, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Previous studies reported that size and shape of nanoparticles, surfactants used for nanoparticles protection, medium, and experimental conditions can also affect cellular signal pathway. This review indicated that the anti-inflammatory effectiveness of ZnO-NP was determined by the nanoparticle size as well as various experimental conditions. Therefore, the author suggests that pharmaceutical therapy with the ZnO-NP is one of the possible strategies to overcome the inflammatory reactions. However, further studies should be performed to maximize the anti-inflammatory effect of ZnO-NP to apply as a potential agent in biomedical applications.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.37-41
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• 2017

Cuprous oxide ($Cu_2O$) is one of the potential candidates as an absorber layer in ultra-low-cost solar cells. $Cu_2O$ is highly desirable semiconducting oxide material for use in solar energy conversion due to its direct band gap ($E_g={\sim}2.1eV$) and high absorption coefficient that absorbs visible light of wavelength up to 650 nm. In addition, $Cu_2O$ has other several advantages such as non-toxicity, low cost and also can be prepared with simple and cheap methods on large scale. In this work, we deposited the $Cu_2O$ thin films by electrodeposition on gold coated $SiO_2/Si$ wafers. We changed the process conditions such as pH of the solution, applied potential on working electrode, and solution temperature. Finally, we confirmed the structural properties of the thin films by XRD and SEM.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.80.1-80.1
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• 2010

A strontium titanate ($SrTiO_3$)-based material with a perovskite structure is considered to be one of the promising alternatives to $LaCrO_3$-based materials since $SrTiO_3$ perovskite shows a high chemical stability under both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres at high temperatures. $SrTiO_3$ materials exhibit an n-type semiconducting behavior when it is donor-doped and/or exposed to a reducing atmosphere. In this work, $Sr_{1-x}La_xTi_{1-y}M_yO_3$ materials doped with $La^{3+}$ in A-sites and aliovalent transition metal ions ($M^{n+}$) in B-sites were synthesized by the modified Pechini method. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the materials synthesized by the Pechini process exhibited a single curbic perovskite-type structure without any impurity phases, and are tolerant, to some extent, to cation doping. The sintering behaviors of $Sr_{1-x}La_xTi_{1-y}M_yO_3$ in $H_2/N_2$ and air were characterized by dilatometry and microstructural observations. The electrical conduction mechanism and the dopant effect are discussed based on the defect structures and the electrical conductivities measured at various oxygen partial pressures and temperatures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.360-360
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• 2012

Zn-Sn-O (Zinc-Tin-Oxide; ZTO) thin films have been gaining extensive academic and industrial attentions owing to a semiconducting channel materials applicable to large-sized flat-panel displays. Due to the constituent oxides i.e., ZnO and SnO2, the resultant Zn-Sn-O thin films possess artificially controllable bandgaps and transmittances especially effective in the visible regime. The current approach employed RF sputtering in depositing the Zn-Sn-O thin films onto glass substrates at ambient conditions. This work places its main emphases on the electrical/optical features which are closely related to the combinations of processing variables. The electrical characterizations are performed using dc-based current-voltage characteristics and ac-based impedance spectroscopy. The optical constants, i.e., refractive index and extinction coefficient, are calculated through spectroscopic ellipsometry along with the estimation of bandgaps. The charge transport of the deposited ZTO thin films is based on electrons characteristic of n-type conduction. In addition to the basic electrical/optical information, the delicate manipulation of n-type conduction is indispensible in diversifying the industrial applications of the ZTO thin films as active devices in information and energy products. Ultimately, the electrical properties are correlated to the processing variables along with the underlying mechanism which largely determines the electrical and optical properties.