Ceramic thin films are key materials for fundamental electronic devices such as transistors and capacitors which are highly important for the state-of-the-art electronic products. Their characteristic dielectric properties enable accurate control of current conduction through channel of transistors and stored charges in capacitor electrodes. The electronic conduction in ceramic thin films is one of the most important part to understand the electrical properties of electronic device based on ceramic thin films. There have been numerous papers dealing with the electronic conduction mechanisms in emerging ceramic thin films for future electronic devices, but these studies have been rarely reviewed. Another interesting electrical characterization technique is one based on electrical pulses and following transient responses, which can be used to examine physical and chemical changes in ceramic thin films. In this review, studies on various conduction mechanisms through ceramic thin films and electrical characterization based on electric pulses are comprehensively reviewed.

Recently, transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) monolayers have been the subject of research exploring the physical phenomenon generated by low dimensionality and high symmetry. One of the keys to understanding new physical observations is the electronic band structure of 2D TMDCs. Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) is, to this point, the best technique for obtaining information on the electronic structure of 2D TMDCs. However, through ARPES research, obtaining the long-range well-ordered single crystal samples always proves a challenging and obstacle presenting issue, which has been limiting towards measuring the electronic band structures of samples. This is particularly true in general 2D TMDCs cases. Here, we introduce the approach, with a mathematical framework, to overcome such ARPES limitations by employing the high level of symmetry of 2D TMDCs. Their high symmetry enables measurement of the clear and sharp electronic band dispersion, which is dominated by the band dispersion of single-crystal TMDCs along the two high symmetry directions Γ-K and Γ-M. In addition, we present two important studies and observations for the direct measuring of the exciton binding energy and charge transfer of 2D TMDCs, both being established by the above novel approach.

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry(SIMS) is an analytical method that measures the distribution and concentration of elements or compounds by analyzing the mass of secondary ions released by irradiating ion beams with energy of hundreds eV to 20 keV on the sample surface. Unlike other similar analytical instruments, SIMS directly detect the elemental ions that constitute a sample, allowing you to accurately identify components and obtain concentration information in the depth direction. It is also a great feature for measuring isotopes and analyzing light elements, especially hydrogen. In particular, with the development of materials science, there is an increasing demand for trace concentration analysis and isotope measurements in the micro-regions of various materials. SIMS has a short history compared to other similar methods; nevertheless, SIMS is still advancing in hardware and is expected to contribute to the development of materials science through research and development of advanced analytical techniques.

A ceramic is used as a key material in various fields. Accordingly, the use of scanning electron microscopy is increased for the purpose of evaluating the reliability and defects of advanced ceramic materials. The scanning electron microscope is developed to overcome the limitations of optical microscopy and uses accelerated electrons for imaging. Various signals such as SE, BSE and characteristic X-rays provide useful information about the surface microstructure of specimens and, the content and distribution of chemical components. The development of electron guns, such as FEG, and the improved lens system combined with the advanced in-lens detectors and STEM-in-SEM system have expanded the applications of SEM. Automated SEM-EDS analysis also greatly increases the amount of data, enabling more statistically reliable results. In addition, X-ray CT, XRF, and WDS, which are installed in scanning electron microscope, have transformed SEM a more versatile analytical equipment. The performance and specifications of the scanning electron microscope to evaluate ceramics were reviewed and the selection criteria for SEM analysis were described.

Recently, demands for lithium-ion batteries (LIB) in various fields are increasing. In particular, understanding of the reaction mechanism occurring at the electrode-electrolyte surface/interface is significant for the development of advanced LIBs. Meanwhile, research and development of LIBs highly requires a new specific characterization approach. For example, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been utilized to the LIB research field for various purposes such as investigation of topography, electrochemical reactions, ion transport phenomena, and measurement of surface potential at high resolution. Advances in the AFM analysis have made it possible to inspect various material properties such as surface friction and Young's modulus. Therefore, this technique is expected to be a powerful method in the LIB research field. Here, we review and discuss ways to apply AFM to LIB studies.

Thermal analysis means the analysis of a change in a property of a sample, which is related to an imposed temperature alteration. Measurements are usually made with increasing temperature, but isothermal measurements or measurements made with decreasing temperatures are also possible. In fact, any measuring technique can be made into a thermal analysis technique by adding thermal control. Simultaneous use of multiple techniques increases the power of thermal analysis, and modern instrumentation has permitted extensive growth of application. The basic theories of thermal analysis are well developed and some of them are explained in this paper.

The development of next-generation secondary batteries, including lithium-ion batteries (LIB), requires performance enhancements such as high energy/high power density, low cost, long life, and excellent safety. The discovery of new materials with such requirements is a challenging and time-consuming process with great difficulty. To pursue this challenging endeavor, it is pivotal to understand the structure and interface of electrode materials in a multiscale level at the atomic, molecular, macro-scale during charging / discharging. In this regard, various advanced material characterization tools, including the first-principle calculation, high-resolution electron microscopy, and synchrotron-based X-ray techniques, have been actively employed to understand the charge storage- and degradation-mechanisms of various electrode materials. In this article, we introduce and review recent advances in in-situ synchrotron-based x-ray techniques to study electrode materials for LIBs during thermal degradation and charging/discharging. We show that the fundamental understanding of the structure and interface of the battery materials gained through these advanced in-situ investigations provides valuable insight into designing next-generation electrode materials with significantly improved performance in terms of high energy/high power density, low cost, long life, and excellent safety.

Even though, nanoscale materials of various shapes and compositions have been synthesized in the liquid, their underlying growth and transformation mechanisms are not well understood due to a lack of analytical methods. The advent of liquid cell for transmission electron microscope (TEM) enables the direct imaging of chemical reactions that occur in liquids with nanometer resolution of the electron microscope (EM). Here, the technical development of liquid cell TEM equipment and their applications to the study of nanomaterials analysis in liquid are discussed. Also new findings discovered through liquid cell TEM studies such as nucleation & growth, coalescence process and transformation are discussed.

Quartz glass is a key material for making semiconductor process components because of its purity, low thermal expansion, high UV transmittance and relatively low cost. Domestic quartz glass has a market worth about 500 billion won in 2018, and the market power of Japanese materials is very high. Quartz glass for semiconductor process can be divided into general process and exposure. For general process, molten quartz glass is mainly used, but synthetic quartz glass with higher purity is preferred. Synthetic quartz glass is used as the photomask for the exposure process. Recently, as semiconductors started the sub-nm process, the transition from the transmission type using ArF ultraviolet (194 nm) to the reflection type using EUV ultraviolet (13.5 nm) began. Therefore, the characteristics required for the synthetic quartz glass substrates used so far are also rapidly changing. This article summarizes the current technical trends of quartz glass and recent technical issues. Lastly, the present situation and development possibility of quartz glass technology in Korea were diagnosed.

A quartz glass crucible is the essential material for manufacturing silicon ingots such as semiconductors and solar cells. Quartz glass crucibles for semiconductors and solar cells are made similar, but differ in surface purity, structure and durability. Recently, ultra high purity synthetic glass crucibles for semiconductors have become more important due to foreign problems. In Korea, it has succeeded in producing 28-inch quartz glass crucibles through the past 10 years. However, 32-inch synthetic quartz glass for the production of silicon ingots for semiconductors is not up to the level of advanced technology, and the technology gap is expected to be 2 to 3 years. In order to overcome these technological gaps and localize synthetic quartz glass ware, close cooperation between production companies and demand companies and localization of synthetic quartz glass powder must also be made. In addition, if government support can be added, faster results can be expected.