• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.274-281
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• 1999

Usually sputtering and electroless plating methods were used for manufacturing metal-alloy thin film magnetic memory devices. Since electroless plating method has many merits in mass production and product variety com­pared to sputtering method, many researches about electroless plating have been performed in the United State of America and Japan. However, electroless plating method has not been studied frequently in Korea. In these respects the purpose of this research is manufacturing Co-Mn-P alloy thin film on the corning glass 2948 by electroless plating method using sodium hypophosphite as a reductant, and analyzing deposition rate, alloy composition, microstructure, and magnetic characteristics at various pH's and temperatures. For Co-P alloy thin film, the reductive deposition reaction 0$\alpha$urred only in basic condition, not in acidic condition. The deposition rate increased as the pH and temperature increased, and the optimum condition was found at the pH of 10 and the temperature of $80^{\circ}C$. Also magnetic charac­teristics was found to be most excellent at the pH of 9 and the temperature of $70^{\circ}C$, resulting in the coercive force of 8700e and the squareness of 0.78. At this condition, the contents of P was 2.54% and the thickness of the film was $0.216\mu\textrm{m}$. For crystal orientation, we could not observe fcc for $\beta$-Co. On the other hand,(1010), (0002), (1011) orientation of hcp for a-Co was observed. We could confirm the formation of longitudinal magnetization from dominant (1010) and (1011) orientation of Co-P alloy. For Co-Mn-P alloy deposition, coercive force was about 1000e more than that of Co P alloy, but squareness had no difference. For crystal orientation, (l01O) and (lOll) orientation of $\alpha$-Co was dominant as same as that of Co- P alloy. Likewise we could confirm the formation of longitudinal magnetization.

• New Physics: Sae Mulli
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• v.68 no.12
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• pp.1281-1287
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• 2018

In this study, $Al_xGa_{1-x}N$ films were grown on (0001) sapphire substrates by using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The crystallinity of the grown films was examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. The surfaces and the chemical properties of the $Al_xGa_{1-x}N$ films were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The optical properties of the $Al_xGa_{1-x}N$ film were studied in a wide photon energy range between 2.0 ~ 8.7 eV by using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) at room temperature. The data obtained by using SE were analyzed to find the critical points of the pseudodielectric function spectra, $<{\varepsilon}(E)>=<{\varepsilon}_1(E)>+i<{\varepsilon}_2(E)>$. In addition, the second derivative spectra, $d^2<{\varepsilon}(E)>/dE^2$, of the pseudodielectric function for the $Al_xGa_{1-x}N$ films were numerically calculated to determine the critical points (CPs), such as the $E_0$, $E_1$, and $E_2$ structure. For the four samples (x = 0.18, 0.21, 0.25, 0.29) between a composition of x = 0.18 and x = 0.29, changes in the critical points (blue-shifts) with increasing Al composition at 300 K for the $Al_xGa_{1-x}N$ film were observed via ellipsometric measurements for the first time.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

We studied the magnetotransport properties of tunnel junctions with AlO and AlN barriers fabricated using microwave-excited plasma. The plasma nitridation process provided wider controllability than the plasma oxidization for the formation of MTJs with ultra-thin insulating layer, because of the slow nitriding rate of metal Al layers, comparing with the oxidizing rate of them. High tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios of 49 and 44% with respective resistance-area product $(R{\times}A) of 3 {\times} 10^4 and 6 {\times} 10^3 {\Omega}{\mu}m^2$ were obtained in the Co-Fe/Al-N/Co-Fe MTJs. We conclude that AlN is a hopeful barrier material to realize MTJs with high TMR ratio and low $R{\times}A$ for high performance MRAM cells. In addition, in order to clarify the annealing temperature dependence of TMR, the local transport properties were measured for Ta $50{\AA} /Cu 200 {\AA}/Ta 50 {\AA}/Ni_{76}Fe_{24} 20 {\AA}/Cu 50 {\AA}/Mn_{75}Ir_{25} 100 {\AA}/Co_{71}Fe_{29} 40 {\AA}/Al-O$ junction with $d_{Al}= 8 {\AA} and P_{O2}{\times}t_{0X}/ = 8.4 {\times} 10^4$ at various temperatures. The current histogram statistically calculated from the electrical current image was well in accord with the fitting result considering the Gaussian distribution and Fowler-Nordheim equation. After annealing at $340^{\circ}C$, where the TMR ratio of the corresponding MTJ had the maximum value of 44%, the average barrier height increased to 1.12 eV and its standard deviation decreased to 0.1 eV. The increase of TMR ratio after annealing could be well explained by the enhancement of the average barrier height and the reduction of its fluctuation.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.6 s.52
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• pp.79-91
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• 2006

A new methodology of guided wave based nondestructive testing (NDT) is developed to detect crack damage in civil infrastructures such as steel bridges without using prior baseline data. In conventional guided wave based techniques, damage is often identified by comparing the "current" data obtained from a potentially damaged condition of a structure with the "past" baseline data collected at the pristine condition of the structure. However, it has been reported that this type of pattern comparison with the baseline data can lead to increased false alarms due to its susceptibility to varying operational and environmental conditions of the structure. To develop a more robust damage diagnosis technique, a new concept of NDT is conceived so that cracks can be detected without direct comparison with previously obtained baseline data. The proposed NDT technique utilizes the polarization characteristics of the piezoelectric wafers attached on the both sides of the thin metal structure. Crack formation creates Lamb wave mode conversion due to a sudden change in the thickness of the structure. Then, the proposed technique instantly detects the appearance of the crack by extracting this mode conversion from the measured Lamb waves even at the presence of changing operational and environmental conditions. Numerical and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed technique to crack detection.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2010

We studied the fabrication of polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si) films as seed layers for application of pc-Si thin film solar cells, in which amorphous silicon (a-Si) films in a structure of glass/Al/$Al_2O_3$/a-Si are crystallized by the aluminum-induced layer exchange (ALILE) process. The properties of pc-Si films formed by the ALILE process are strongly determined by the oxide layer as well as the various process parameters like annealing temperature, time, etc. In this study, the effects of the oxide film thickness on the crystallization of a-Si in the ALILE process, where the thickness of $Al_2O_3$ layer was varied from 4 to 50 nm. For preparation of the experimental film structure, aluminum (~300 nm thickness) and a-Si (~300 nm thickness) layers were deposited using DC sputtering and PECVD method, respectively, and $Al_2O_3$ layer with the various thicknesses by RF sputtering. The crystallization of a-Si was then carried out by the thermal annealing process using a furnace with the in-situ microscope. The characteristics of the produced pc-Si films were analyzed by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Raman spectrometer, and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). As results, the crystallinity was exponentially decayed with the increase of $Al_2O_3$ thickness and the grain size showed the similar tendency. The maximum pc-Si grain size fabricated by ALILE process was about $45{\mu}m$ at the $Al_2O_3$ layer thickness of 4 nm. The preferential crystal orientation was <111> and more dominant with the thinner $Al_2O_3$ layer. In summary, we obtained a pc-Si film not only with ${\sim}45{\mu}m$ grain size but also with the crystallinity of about 75% at 4 nm $Al_2O_3$ layer thickness by ALILE process with the structure of a glass/Al/$Al_2O_3$/a-Si.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.202-208
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• 2001

In Recent results suggested that doping $Ta_2O_5$ with a small amount of $TiO_2$ using standard ceramic processing techniques can increase the dielectric constant of $Ta_2O_5$ significantly. In this paper, this concept is studied using RTCVD (Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition). Ti-doped $Ta_2O_5$ films are deposited using $TaC_{12}H_{30}O_5N$, $C_8H_{24}N_4Ti$, and $O_2$ on both Si and $NH_3$-nitrided Si substrates. An $NH_3$-based interface layer at the Si surface is used to prevent interfacial oxidation during the CVD process and post deposition annealing is performed in $H_2/O_2$ ambient to improve film quality and reduce leakage current. A sputtered TiN layer is used as a diffusion barrier between the Al gate electrode and the $TaTi_xO_y$ dielectric. XPS analyses confirm the formation of a ($Ta_2O_5)_{1-x}(TiO_2)_x$ composite oxide. A high quality $TaTi_xO_y$ gate stack with EOT (Equivalent Oxide Thickness) of $7{\AA}$ and leakage current $Jg=O.5A/textrm{cm}^2$ @ Vg=-1.0V has been achieved. We have also succeeded in forming a $TaTi_x/O_y$ composite oxide by rapid thermal oxidation of the as-deposited CVD TaTi films. The electrical properties and Jg-EOT characteristics of these composite oxides are remarkably similar to that of RTCVD $Ta_2O_5, suggesting that the dielectric constant of $Ta_2O_5$ is not affected by the addition of $TiO_2$.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.215-222
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• 2011

In order to obtain high resolution images, a focusing ultrasonic transducer operated in very high frequency (VHF) range was fabricated and its characteristics were evaluated. A 9-${\mu}m$ thick PVDF film with only one metalized surface for electric ground was adhered to a CCP (Copper-clad polyimide) film by using epoxy. It was pressed by a metal ball to form a concave surface and its rear side was filled with the epoxy. The radius of curvature and the f-number of the fabricated transducer are 7.5 mm and 1.7, respectively. The pulse-echo measurement results from a target located at the focal point showed that the frequency bandwidth was 35.0 MHz and the insertion loss near the peak frequency of approximately 40 MHz was about 60 dB. Those values agreed well with the simulation results by the KLM equivalent circuit analysis including the effect of the epoxy bonding layer. When the image of thin copper lines by the 35 MHz transducer of the UBM (Ultrasonic Backscattering Microscope) system was compared with the image by the transducer fabricated in this study, the fabricated transducer was observed that the axial resolution was improved although the lateral resolution was degraded.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.406-406
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• 2016

To get high efficiency n-type crystalline silicon solar cells, passivation is one of the key factor. Tunnel oxide (SiO2) reduce surface recombination as a passivation layer and it does not constrict the majority carrier flow. In this work, the passivation quality enhanced by different chemical solution such as HNO3, H2SO4:H2O2 and DI-water to make thin tunnel oxide layer on n-type crystalline silicon wafer and changes of characteristics by subsequent annealing process and firing process after phosphorus doped amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) deposition. The tunneling of carrier through oxide layer is checked through I-V measurement when the voltage is from -1 V to 1 V and interface state density also be calculated about $1{\times}1012cm-2eV-1$ using MIS (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor) structure . Tunnel oxide produced by 68 wt% HNO3 for 5 min on $100^{\circ}C$, H2SO4:H2O2 for 5 min on $100^{\circ}C$ and DI-water for 60 min on $95^{\circ}C$. The oxide layer is measured thickness about 1.4~2.2 nm by spectral ellipsometry (SE) and properties as passivation layer by QSSPC (Quasi-Steady-state Photo Conductance). Tunnel oxide layer is capped with phosphorus doped amorphous silicon on both sides and additional annealing process improve lifetime from $3.25{\mu}s$ to $397{\mu}s$ and implied Voc from 544 mV to 690 mV after P-doped a-Si deposition, respectively. It will be expected that amorphous silicon is changed to poly silicon phase. Furthermore, lifetime and implied Voc were recovered by forming gas annealing (FGA) after firing process from $192{\mu}s$ to $786{\mu}s$. It is shown that the tunnel oxide layer is thermally stable.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.188.1-188.1
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• 2015

For present investigation Fe/MgO/Fe/Co multilayer stack is grown on Si substrate using e-beam evaporation in ultrahigh vacuum. This stack is irradiated perpendicularly by 120 MeV $Ag^{8+}$ at different fluences ranging from $1{\times}10^{11}$ to $1{\times}10^{13}ions/cm^2$ in high vacuum using 15UD Pelletron Accelerator at Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi. Magnetic measurements carried out on pre and post irradiated stacks show significant changes in the shape of perpendicular hysteresis which is relevant with previous observation of re-orientation of magnetic moment along the direction of ion trajectory. However increase in plane squareness may be due to the modification of interface structure of stacks. X-ray reflectivity measurements show onset of interface roughness and interface mixing. X-ray diffraction measurements carried out using synchrotron radiation shows amorphous nature of MgO and Co layer in the stack. Peak corresponding body centered Fe [JCPDS-06-0696] is observed in X-ray diffraction pattern of pre and post irradiated stacks. Peak broadening shows granular nature of Fe layer. Estimated crystallite size is $22{\pm}1nm$ for pre-irradiated stack. Crystallite size first increases with irradiation then decreases. Structural quality of these stacks was further studied using transmission electron microscopic measurements. Thickness from these measurements are 54, 36, 23, 58 and 3 nm respectively for MgO, Fe, MgO, Fe+Co and Au layers in the stack. These measurements envisage poor crystallinity of different layers. Interfaces are not clear which indicate mixing at interface. With increase fluence mixing and diffusion was increased in the stack. X-ray absorption spectroscopic measurements carried out on these stacks show changes of Fe valence state after irradiation along with change of O(2p)-metal (3d) hybridized state. Valence state change predicts oxide formation at interface which causes enhanced in-plane magnetization.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.172-175
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• 2001

Nanophase catalyst layer for direct methanol fuel cell has been fabricated by magnetron sputtering method. Catalyst metal targets and carbon were sputtered simultaneously on the Nafion membrane surface at abnormally higher gas (Ar/He mixture) pressure than that of normal thin film processing. They could be coated as a novel structure of catalyst layer containing porous PtRu or Pt and carbon particles both in nanometer range. Membrane electrode assembly made with this layer led to a reduction of the catalyst loading. At the catalyst loading of 1.5mg $PtRu/cm^2$ for anode and 1mg $Pt/cm^2$ for cathode, it could provide $45 mW/cm^2$ in the operation at 2 M methanol, 1 Bar Air at 80"C. It is more than $30\%$ increase of the power density performance at the same level of catalyst loading by conventional method. This was realized due to the ultra fine particle sizes and a large fraction of the atoms lie on the grain boundaries of nanophase catalyst layer and they played an important role of fast catalyst reaction kinetics and more efficient fuel path. Commercialization of direct methanol fuel cell for portable electronic devices is anticipated by the further development of such design.