• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.102-105
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• 2011

This work describes the characteristics of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films formed on a polycrystalline (poly) 3C-SiC buffer layer using a sol-gel process. The deposited ZnO films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. ZnO thin films grown on the poly 3C-SiC buffer layer had a nanoparticle structure and porous film. The effects of post-annealing on ZnO film were also studied. The PL spectra at room temperature confirmed the crystal quality and optical properties of ZnO thin films formed on the 3C-SiC buffer layer were improved due to close lattice mismatch in the ZnO/3C-SiC interface.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.341-346
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• 2011

In this study, we inserted a Zn buffer layer into a AZO/p-type a-si:H layer interface in order to lower the contact resistance of the interface. For the Zn layer, the deposition was conducted at 5 nm, 7 nm and 10 nm using the rf-magnetron sputtering method. The results were compared to that of the AZO film to discuss the possibility of the Zn layer being used as a transparent conductive oxide thin film for application in the silicon heterojunction solar cell. We used the rf-magnetron sputtering method to fabricate Al 2 wt.% of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) film as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). We analyzed the electro-optical properties of the ZnO as well as the interface properties of the AZO/p-type a-Si:H layer. After inserting a buffer layer into the AZO/p-type a-Si:H layers to enhance the interface properties, we measured the contact resistance of the layers using a CTLM (circular transmission line model) pattern, the depth profile of the layers using AES (auger electron spectroscopy), and the changes in the properties of the AZO thin film through heat treatment. We investigated the effects of the interface properties of the AZO/p-type a-Si:H layer on the characteristics of silicon heterojunction solar cells and the way to improve the interface properties. When depositing AZO thin film on a-Si layer, oxygen atoms are diffused from the AZO thin film towards the a-Si layer. Thus, the characteristics of the solar cells deteriorate due to the created oxide film. While a diffusion of Zn occurs toward the a-Si in the case of AZO used as TCO, the diffusion of In occurs toward a-Si in the case of ITO used as TCO.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.110.1-110.1
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• 2012

Recently, advances in ZnO based oxide semiconductor materials have accelerated the development of thin-film transistors (TFTs), which are the building blocks for active matrix flat-panel displays including liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED). However, the electrical performances of oxide semiconductors are significantly affected by interactions with the ambient atmosphere. Jeong et al. reported that the channel of the IGZO-TFT is very sensitive to water vapor adsorption. Thus, water vapor passivation layers are necessary for long-term current stability in the operation of the oxide-based TFTs. In the present work, $Al_2O_3$ and $TiO_2$ thin films were deposited on poly ether sulfon (PES) and $SnO_x$-based TFTs by electron cyclotron resonance atomic layer deposition (ECR-ALD). And enhancing the WVTR (water vapor transmission rate) characteristics, barrier layer structure was modified to $Al_2O_3/TiO_2$ layered structure. For example, $Al_2O_3$, $TiO_2$ single layer, $Al_2O_3/TiO_2$ double layer and $Al_2O_3/TiO_2/Al_2O_3/TiO_2$ multilayer were studied for enhancement of water vapor barrier properties. After thin film water vapor barrier deposited on PES substrate and $SnO_x$-based TFT, thin film permeation characteristics were three orders of magnitude smaller than that without water vapor barrier layer of PES substrate, stability of $SnO_x$-based TFT devices were significantly improved. Therefore, the results indicate that $Al_2O_3/TiO_2$ water vapor barrier layers are highly proper for use as a passivation layer in $SnO_x$-based TFT devices.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.653-659
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• 2009

We have investigated the channel protection layer (PL) effect on the performance of an oxide thin film transistor (TFT) with a staggered top gate ZnO TFT and Al-doped zinc tin oxide (AZTO) TFT. Deposition of an ultra-thin PL on oxide semiconductor films enables TFTs to behave well by protecting the channel from a photo-resist (PR) stripper which removes the depleted surface of the active layer and increases the carrier amount in the channel. In addition, adopting a PL prevents channel contamination from the organic PR and results in high mobility and small subthreshold swings. The PL process plays a critical role in the performance of oxide TFTs. When a plasma process is introduced on the surface of an active layer during the PL process, and as the plasma power is increased, the TFT characteristics degrade, resulting in lower mobility and higher threshold voltage. Therefore, it is very important to form an interface using a minimized plasma process.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
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• v.3C no.2
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• pp.55-58
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• 2003

This paper examines the electrical characteristic of single oxide layer due to various diffusion conditions, substrate orientations, substrate resistivity and gas atmosphere in a diffusion furnace. The oxide quality was examined through the capacitance-voltage characteristic due to the annealing time after oxidation process, and the capacitance-voltage characteristics of the single oxide layer by will be described via semiconductor device simulation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.215.2-215.2
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• 2015

We fabricated dual active layer (DAL) thin film transistors (TFTs) with indium tin zinc oxide (ITZO) and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) thin film layers using solution process. The ITZO and IGZO layer were used as the front and back channel, respectively. In order to investigate the bias stress stability of ITZO SAL (single active layer) and ITZO/IGZO DAL TFT, a gate bias stress of 10 V was applied for 1500 s under the dark condition. The SAL TFT composed of ITZO layer shows a poor positive bias stability of ${\delta}VTH$ of 13.7 V, whereas ${\delta}VTH$ of ITZO/IGZO DAL TFT was very small as 2.6 V. In order to find out the evidence of improved bias stress stability, we calculated the total trap density NT near the channel/gate insulator interface. The calculated NT of DAL and SAL TFT were $4.59{\times}10^{11}$ and $2.03{\times}10^{11}cm^{-2}$, respectively. The reason for improved bias stress stability is due to the reduction of defect sites such as pin-hole and pores in the active layer.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.31-35
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• 2016

This paper demonstrates the successful application of yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition to the anode-side interlayer for cerium oxide electrolyte based solid oxide fuel cell. At the operating temperature over $500^{\circ}C$, the electrical conductivity of cerium oxide electrolyte is known to dramatically increase and, therefore, the open circuit voltage of the cell decreases leading to the decrease of the performance. Ultra-thin (60 nm) atomic layer deposited yttria-stabilized zirconia thin film in this study conformally coated the anode-side surface of the cerium oxide electrolyte and efficiently blocked the electrical conduction through the electrolyte. Accordingly, the open circuit voltage increased by up to 20%, and the maximum power density increased by 52% at $500^{\circ}C$

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.165-170
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of annealing conditions on physical and magnetic properties of Fe-Hf-N thin films. When the thin films were annealed in $N_2$ gas, a surface oxide layer, comprised of Fe$_2$O$_3$ and Fe$_3$O$_4$, was formed at the surface of the thin films and a Fe-Hf-O-N layer was also formed under this surface oxide layer. It was found that the thicknesses of the surface oxide layer and the Fe-Hf-O-N layer increased, as the annealing temperature increased. It was also found that if the thickness of the surface oxide layer was excluded in the property calculation, the soft magnetic properties of the annealed thin films were not much different from those of the as-deposited thin films. Therefore, it was suggested that the Fe-Hf-O-N layer formed under the surface oxide layer did not lose significantly the soft magnetic properties of the Fe-Hf-N films and the Fe-Hf-N films annealed in $N_2$gas showed the soft magnetic properties of the Fe-Hf-N and Fe-Hf-O-N multi-layers.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

Thin film electrode consisting purely of porous anodic tin oxide with well-defined nano-channeled structure was fabricated for the first time and its electrochemical properties were investigated for application to an anode in a rechargeable lithium battery. To prepare the thin film electrode, first, a bi-layer of porous anodic tin oxides with well-defined nano-channels and discrete nano-channels with lots of lateral micro-cracks was prepared by pulsed and continuous anodization processes, respectively. Subsequent to the Cu coating on the layer, well-defined nano-channeled tin oxide was mechanically separated from the specimen, leading to an electrode comprised of porous tin oxide and a Cu current collector. The porous tin oxide nearly maintained its initial nano-structured character in spite of there being a series of fabrication steps. The resulting tin oxide film electrode reacted reversibly with lithium as an anode in a rechargeable lithium battery. Moreover, the tin oxide showed far more enhanced cycling stability than that of powders obtained from anodic tin oxides, strongly indicating that this thin film electrode is mechanically more stable against cycling-induced internal stress. In spite of the enhanced cycling stability, however, the reduction in the initial irreversible capacity and additional improvement of cycling stability are still needed to allow for practical use.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.215-219
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• 2007

In this work, the indium zinc oxide (IZO) films had been deposited on the glass substrate coated with the SiO film. Based on a comparative investigation of the IZO monolayer and IZO/SiO multilayer, it is shown that the thickness of SiO film has a great effect on the mechanical properties of the thin films. The AFM images of the IZO thin film included the SiO film were shown smoother surfaces than monolayer. Resistivity was in inverse proportion to Mobility. If it deposited the SiO film on the substrate, the layer of change was generated between two layer(SiO and substrate). The layer of change influenced resistance because of oxygen content was more than the IZO monolayer.