• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.743-748
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• 2010

Boron nitride (BN) and carbon nitride (CN) films, which have relatively low work functions and commonly exhibit negative electron affinity behaviors, were coated on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by magnetron sputtering. The CNTs were directly grown on metal-tip (tungsten, approximately 500nm in diameter at the summit part) substrates by inductively coupled plasma-chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD). The variations in the morphology and microstructure of CNTs due to coating of the BN and CN films were analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify the existence of the coated layers (CN and BN) on CNTs. The electron-emission properties of the BN-coated and CN-coated CNT-emitters were characterized using a high-vacuum field emission measurement system, in terms of their maximum emission currents ($I_{max}$) at 1kV and turn-on voltage ($V_{on}$) for approaching $1{\mu}A$. The results showed that the $I_{max}$ current was significantly increased and the $V_{on}$ voltage were remarkably reduced by the coating of CN or BN films. The measured values of $I_{max}-V_{on}$ were as follows; $176{\mu}A$-500V for the 5nm CN-coated emitter and $289{\mu}A$-540V for the 2nm BN-coated emitter, respectively, while the $I_{max}-V_{on}$ of the as-grown (i.e., uncoated) emitter was $134{\mu}A$-620V. In addition, the CNT emitters coated with thin CN or BN films also showed much better long-term (up to 25h) stability behaviors in electron emission, as compared with the conventional CNT emitter.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.104-111
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• 2013

In this study, GaN powders were synthesized from gallium oxide-hydroxide (GaOOH) through an ammonification process in an $NH_3$ flow with the variation of $B_2O_3$ additives within a temperature range of $300-1050^{\circ}C$. The additive effect of $B_2O_3$ on the hexagonal phase GaN powder synthesis route was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transformation infrared transmission (FTIR) spectroscopy. With increasing the mol% of $B_2O_3$ additive in the GaOOH precursor powder, the transition temperature and the activation energy for GaN powder formation increased while the GaN synthesis limit-time ($t_c$) shortened. The XPS results showed that Boron compounds of $B_2O_3$ and BN coexisted in the synthesized GaN powders. From the FTIR spectra, we were able to confirm that the GaN powder consisted of an amorphous or cubic phase $B_2O_3$ due to bond formation between B and O and the amorphous phase BN due to B-N bonds. The GaN powder synthesized from GaOOH and $B_2O_3$ mixed powder by an ammonification route through ${\beta}-Ga_2O_3$ intermediate state. During the ammonification process, boron compounds of $B_2O_3$ and BN coated ${\beta}-Ga_2O_3$ and GaN particles limited further nitridation processes.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.125-129
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• 2019

Recently, carrier-selective contact solar cells have attracted much interests because of its high efficiency with low recombination current density. In this study, we investigated the effect of phosphorus doped amorphous silicon layer's characteristics on the passivation properties of tunnel oxide passivated carrier-selective contact solar cells. We fabricated symmetric structure sample with poly-Si/SiOx/c-Si by deposition of phosphorus doped amorphous silicon layer on the silicon oxide with subsequent annealing and hydrogenation process. We varied deposition temperature, deposition thickness, and annealing conditions, and blistering, lifetime and passivation quality was evaluated. The result showed that blistering can be controlled by deposition temperature, and passivation quality can be improved by controlling annealing conditions. Finally, we achieved blistering-free electron carrier-selective contact with 730mV of i-Voc, and cell-like structure consisted of front boron emitter and rear passivated contact showed 682mV i-Voc.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.632-638
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• 2014

We investigated the effects of DMAB (Borane dimethylamine complex, C2H10BN) in electroless Ni-B film with addition of DMAB as reducing agent for electroless Ni plating. The electroless Ni-B films were formed by electroless plating of near neutral pH (pH 6.5 and pH 7) at $50^{\circ}C$. The electroless plated Ni-B films were coated on screen printed Ag pattern/PET (polyethylene terephthalate). According to the increase of DMAB (from 0 to 1 mole), the deposition rate and the grain size of electroless Ni-B film increased and the boron (B) content also increased. In crystallinity of electroless Ni-B films, an amorphization reaction was enhanced in the formation of Ni-B film with an increasing content of DMAB; the Ni-B film with < 1 B at.% had a weak fcc structure with a nano crystalline size, and the Ni-B films with > 5 B at.% had an amorphous structure. In addition, the Ni-B film was selectively grown on the printed Ag paste layer without damage to the PET surface. From this result, we concluded that formation of electroless Ni-B film is possible by a neutral process (~green process) at a low temperature of $50^{\circ}C$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.902-907
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• 2023

To understand the eutectic reaction mechanism and the relocation behavior of the core debris is indispensable for the safety assessment of core disruptive accidents (CDAs) in sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs). This paper addresses reaction products and their distribution of the eutectic melting/solidifying reaction of boron carbide (B₄C) and stainless-steel (SS). The influence of the existence of carbon on the B₄C-SS eutectic reaction was investigated by comparing the iron boride (FeB)-SS reaction by Raman spectroscopy with Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) analysis. The scanning electron microscopy with dispersive X-ray spectrometer was also used to investigate the elemental information of the pure metals such as Cr, Ni, and Fe. In the B₄C-SS samples, a new layer was formed between B₄C/SS interface, and the layer was confirmed that the formed layer corresponded to amorphous carbon (graphite) or FeB or Fe₂B. In contrast, a new layer was not clearly formed between FeB and SS interface in the FeB-SS samples. All samples observed the Cr-rich domain and Fe and Ni-rich domain after the reaction. These domains might be formed during the solidifying process.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1244_1245
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• 2009

Coating of amorphous nitride thin layers, such as boron nitride (BN) and carbon nitride (CN), has been performed on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the purpose of enhancing their electron-emission performances because those nitride films have relatively low work functions and commonly exhibit negative electron affinity behavior. The CNTs were directly grown on metal-tip (tungsten, approximately 500 nm in diameter at the summit part) substrates by inductively coupled plasma-chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD). Sharpening of the tungsten tips were carried out by electrochemical etching. Morphologies and microstructures of BN and CN films were analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The electron-emission properties (such as maximum emission currents and turn-on fields) of the BN-coated and CN-coated CNT-emitters were characterized in terms of the thickness of BN and CN layers.

• Solar Energy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.46-53
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• 1985

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells which are fabricated by photo-chemical vapor deposition (photo-CVD) system has been investigated. In the photo-CVD system which consists of three separate reaction chambers, low-pressure mercury lamp has been used as a light source. The main reactant ($Si_2H_6/He$) gases which are premixed with a small amount of mercury vapor in a mercury-vaporizer kept at $50^{\circ}C$ have been used. Using $C_2H_2$ and $SiH_2(CH_3)_2$ as the carbon source, p-type wide band gap a-SiC:H films have been obtained. The result has been found that the undoped layers of the pin/substrate solar cells are influenced by the residual impurities, such as phosphorus and boron during the deposition process. By minimizing the effect of the impurities in the i-layer and optimizing conditions at the p-layer and p/i interface, the energy conversion efficiency of 9.61 % under AM-1 ($100mW/Cm^2$) has been achieved for pin/substrate solar cells illuminated through their p-layers, using the three separate reaction chamber apparatus. It is expected that a-SiC:H solar cells with the energy conversion efficiency over 10% have been fabricated by Photo-CVD method.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.366-370
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• 2022

A 12 ㎛ pixel-sized 360 × 240 microbolometer focal plane array (MBFPA) was fabricated using a complementary metaloxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible process. To release the MBFPA membrane, an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) processed at a low temperature (<400 ℃) was deposited as a sacrificial layer. The thermal time constant of the MBFPA was improved by using serpentine legs and controlling the thickness of the SiNx layers at 110, 130, and 150 nm on the membrane, with response times of 6.13, 6.28, and 7.48 msec, respectively. Boron-doped amorphous Si (a-Si), which exhibits a high-temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and CMOS compatibility, was deposited on top of the membrane as an IR absorption layer to provide heat energy transformation. The structural stability of the thin SiNx membrane and serpentine legs was observed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The fabrication yield was evaluated by measuring the resistance of a representative pixel in the array, which was in the range of 0.8-1.2 Mohm (as designed). The yields for SiNx thicknesses of SiNx at 110, 130, and 150 nm were 75, 86, and 86%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.104-111
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• 2001

B-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) thin films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition in a gas mixture of $SiH_4, CH_4,\;and\; B_2H_6$. Physical and chemical properties of a-SiC:H films grown with varing the ratio of $B_2H_6/(SiH_4+CH_4)$ were characterized with various analysis methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), UV absorption CH_4spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements. With the B-doping concentration, the doping efficiency and the micro-crystallinity were decreased and the film became amorphous when $B_2H_6/(SiH_4{plus}CH_4)$ was over $5{\times}10^{-3}$. The addition of $B_2H_6$ gas during deposition decreased the H content in the film by lowering the quantity of Si-C-H bonds. Consequently, the optical band gap and the activation energy of a-SiC:H films were decreased with increasing the B-doping level.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.103-111
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• 2016

Li-bearing hectorite, one member of trioctahedral smectite, occurred large in quantity and confirmed in Turkey western sedimentary boron deposit. Li-bearing hectorite attracted a particular attention because it is one of potential lithium resources. There have been no consensus for the change of hectorite due to heat and acid treatment although it is very important to use in industrial application. In this study, we examined changes of hectorite after heat and acid treatment as well as acid treatement followed by heating. We used clay ores collected in Bigadic deposit, which contained the highest $Li_2O$ content in Turkey boron deposits. Hectorite showed a strong endothermic reaction at $84^{\circ}C$ due to dehydration of absorbed water and interlayer water and a weak endothermic reaction above $600^{\circ}C$ owing to dehydration of crystallization water. The first endothermic reaction accompanied a large weight loss about 6%. Hectorite decomposed into enstatite, cristobalite and amorphous Fe material at $762^{\circ}C$ with exothermic reaction. When hectorite reacted with 3 kinds of 0.1 M acid during 1 hours, it had a good dissolution efficiency with $H_2SO_4{\geq}HCl$ > $HNO_3$ in order.