• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.53-53
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• 2011

This paper describes results for surface and bulk characterization of the most promising thin film solar cell material for high performance devices, (Ag,Cu) (In,Ga) Se2 (ACIGS). This material in particular exhibits a range of exotic behaviors. The surface and general materials science of the material also has direct implications for the operation of solar cells based upon it. Some of the techniques and results described will include scanning probe (AFM, STM, KPFM) measurements of epitaxial films of different surface orientations, photoelectron spectroscopy and inverse photoemission, Auger electron spectroscopy, and more. Bulk measurements are included as support for the surface measurements such as cathodoluminescence imaging around grain boundaries and showing surface recombination effects, and transmission electron microscopy to verify the surface growth behaviors to be equilibrium rather than kinetic phenomena. The results show that the polar close packed surface of CIGS is the lowest energy surface by far. This surface is expected to be reconstructed to eliminate the surface charge. However, the AgInSe2 compound has yielded excellent atomic-resolution images of the surface with no evidence of surface reconstruction. Similar imaging of CuInSe2 has proven more difficult and no atomic resolution images have been obtained, although current imaging tunneling spectroscopy images show electronic structure variations on the atomic scale. A discussion of the reasons why this may be the case is given. The surface composition and grain boundary compositions match the bulk chemistry exactly in as-grow films. However, the deposition of the heterojunction forming the device alters this chemistry, leading to a strongly n-type surface. This also directly explains unpinning of the Fermi level and the operation of the resulting devices when heterojunctions are formed with the CIGS. These results are linked to device performance through simulation of the characteristic operating behaviors of the cells using models developed in my laboratory.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.198-205
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• 2007

The initial stages of electrochemical oxidative CuI film formation on Cu(111), as studied by means of Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), in-situ Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and ex-situ Synchrotron X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (SXPS), indicate a significant acceleration of copper oxidation in the presence of iodide anions in the electrolyte. A surface confined supersaturation with mobile CuI monomers first leads to the formation of a 2D-CuI film via nucleation and growth of a Cu/I-bilayer on-top of a pre-adsorbed iodide monolayer. Structurally, this 2D-CuI film is closely related to the (111) plane of crystalline CuI (zinc blende type). Interestingly, this film causes no significant passivation of the copper surface. In an advanced stage of copper dissolution a transition from the 2D- to a 3D-CuI growth mode can be observed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.492-492
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• 2011

단일벽 탄소나노튜브(Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, SWCNTs)는 매우 우수한 전기적, 광전자적 특성을 가지고 있어 차세대 나노 전자소자 물질로 각광받고 있다. 특히, 이들의 전기적 특성은 직경과 카이랄리티(chirality)에 따라 금속성(metallic)과 반도체성(semiconducting)으로 구분된다. 각 특성에 따라 금속성은 투명전극, 반도체성은 전계효과 트랜지스터(CNT-FET)로 활용가능성이 높다. 하지만, 일반적으로 단일벽 탄소나노튜브는 이 두 가지의 특성이 혼재되어 합성되기 때문에, 그들의 선택적 분리는 나노튜브 기반 전자소자 응용을 위해 매우 중요한 과정 중 하나이다. 최근에는 반응 가스를 이용한 선택적 제거, 밀도차를 이용한 원심분리법(density gradient ultracentrifugation) 등 다양한 방법들이 보고된 바 있다. 본 연구는 대기 중에서 마이크로웨이브 조사하여 금속성 나노튜브만을 선택적으로 제거하였다. 마이크로웨이브 조사는 CVD 방법과 전기 방전법으로 성장된 단일벽 탄소나노튜브에 800W로 조사 시간을 변화하며 수행하였다. 실험 결과, 조사 시간이 증가할수록 두 종류의 나노튜브에서 반도체성 나노튜브는 남아있는 반면 금속성 나노튜브는 점차 제거되었다. 이러한 원인은 각 전기적 특성에 따른 유전상수 차이에 의하여 기인한 것이다. 전기적 특성과 결정성은 라만 분광법(Raman spectroscopy)을 통하여 분석하였으며, 직경 및 분산정도는 주사전자현미경(scanning electron microscope), 투과전자현미경(tunneling electron microscope)으로 관찰하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.367-367
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• 2010

The adsorption configurations of S-proline on Ge(100) were studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and high-resolution core-level photoemission spectroscopy (HRCLPES). We identified three adsorption structures of S-proline on Ge(100) through analysis of the STM images, DFT calculations, and HRCLPES results: (i) an 'intrarow O - H dissociated and N dative bonded structure', (ii) an 'O - H dissociation structure', and (iii) an 'N dative bonded structure'. Moreover, because adsorption through the N atom of S-proline produces a new chiral center due to symmetry reduction by N dative bonding, the adsorption configurations have either (R,S) or (S,S) chirality, yielding an (R,S)-'intrarow O - H dissociated and N dative bonded structure' and an (R,S)-'N dative bonded structure', with a preference for reaction at the Re face. This work presents a novel method for generating stereoselective attachment using S-proline molecules adsorbed onto a Ge(100) surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.339-339
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• 2010

The metallic nanoparticles (Pt, Au, Ag. Cu, etc.) supported on ceria-titania mixed oxide exhibit a high catalytic activity for the water gas shift reaction ($H_2O\;+\;CO\;{\leftrightarrow}\;H_2\;+\;CO_2$) and the CO oxidation ($O_2\;+\;2CO\;{\leftrightarrow}\;2CO_2$). It has been speculated that the high catalytic activity is related to the easy exchange of the oxidation states of ceria ($Ce^{3+}$ and $Ce^{4+}$) on titania, but very little is known about the ceria titanium interaction, the growth mode of metal on ceria titania complex, and the reaction mechanism. In this work, the growth of $CeO_x$ and Au/$CeO_x$ on rutile $TiO_2$(110) have been investigated by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES), and DFT calculation. In the $CeO_x/TiO_2$(110) systems, the titania substrate imposes on the ceria nanoparticles non-typical coordination modes, favoring a $Ce^{3+}$ oxidation state and enhancing their chemical activity. The deposition of metal on a $CeO_x/TiO_2$(110) substrate generates much smaller nanoparticles with an extremely high activity. We proposed a mechanism that there is a strong coupling of the chemical properties of the admetal and the mixed-metal oxide: The adsorption and dissociation of water probably take place on the oxide, CO adsorbs on the admetal nanoparticles, and all subsequent reaction steps occur at the oxide-admetal interface.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1755-1759
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• 2009

Surface structure and molecular orientation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed by the spontaneous adsorption of tetrahydrothiophene (THT) and thiophene (TP) on Au(111) were investigated by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and carbon K-edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. STM imaging revealed that THT SAMs have a commensurate (3 ${\times}\;2\sqrt[]{3}$) structure containing structural defects in ordered domains, whereas TP SAMs are composed of randomly adsorbed domains and paired molecular row domains that can be described as an incommensurate packing structure. The NEXAFS spectroscopy study showed that the average tilt angle of the aliphatic THT ring and $\pi$-conjugated TP ring in the SAMs were calculated to be about $30^o\;and\;40^o$, respectively, from the surface normal. It was also observed that the $\pi$* transition peak in the NEXAFS spectrum of the TP SAMs is very weak, suggesting that a strong interaction between $\pi$-electrons and the Au surface arises during the self-assembly of TP molecules. In this study, we have clearly demonstrated that the surface structure and adsorption orientation of organic SAMs on Au(111) are strongly influenced by whether the cyclic ring is saturated or unsaturated.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.275-282
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• 2024

In this work, we investigated the photo-degradation performance of MnO₂-SiC fiber-TiO₂ (MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂) ternary nanocomposite according to visible light excitation utilizing methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) as standard dyes. The photocatalytic physicochemical characteristics of this ternary nanocomposite were described by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), photocurrent and cyclic voltammogram (CV) test. Photolysis studies of the synthesized MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂ composite were conducted using standard dyes of MB and MO under UV light irradiation. The experiments revealed that the MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂ exhibits the greatest photocatalytic dye degradation performance of around 20 % with MB, and of around 10 % with MO, respectively, within 120 min. Furthermore, MnO₂-SiC-TiO₂ showed good stability against photocatalytic degradation. The photocatalytic efficiency of the nanocomposite was indicated by the adequate photocatalytic reaction process. These research results show the practical application potential of SiC fibers and the performance of a photocatalyst composite that combines these fibers with metal oxides.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.89-89
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• 2010

The atomic structure of Sb/Si(5 5 12)-$2{\times}1$ surface, deposited at room temperature (RT) and post-annealed, has been identified by scanning tunneling microscopy and the corresponding interface has been studied by synchrotron core-level photoemission spectroscopy. With 0.3-nm Sb deposition at RT and postannealing at $600^{\circ}C$, the surface has been facetted to (225)-$2{\times}1$ and (112)-$1{\times}1$, and its Si 2p has shown that all the Si 2p surface components have disappeared, while the single Sb-Si interfacial component has appeared. Such results indicate that all of surface Si atoms are replaced by Sb atoms and the charge is transferred from Si to passivating Sb-atoms at the top layer. With subsequent postannealing up to $700^{\circ}C$, the surface has been facetted to (113)-$2{\times}2$ and (335)-$4{\times}2$, still having Sb-Si interfacial component and partially re-exposed Si surface components. From the present study, the role of surfactant atom, Sb, as well as the thermal-stabilization of Sb-passivated high-index Si surface will be exposed. Especially, the key role of the Sb/Si(113)-$2{\times}2$, composed of Rebonded-Dimer-Rebonded atom 1D structures, for stabilization will be discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.168-168
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• 2008

Dimension of a transistor has rapidly shrunk to increase the speed of device and to reduce the power consumption. However, it is accompanied with several problems like direct tunneling through the gate dioxide layer and low conductivity characteristic of poly-Si gate in nano-region. To cover these faults, study of new materials is urgently needed. Recently, high dielectric materials like $Al_2O_3$, $ZrO_2$, and $HfO_2$ are being studied for equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). However, poly-Si gate is not compatible with high-k materials for gate-insulator. Poly Si gate with high-k material has some problems such as gate depletion and dopant penetration problems. Therefore, new gate structure or materials that are compatible with high-k materials are also needed. TiN for metal/high-k gate stack is conductive enough to allow a good electrical connection and compatible with high-k materials. According to this trend, the study on dry etching of TiN for metal/high-k gate stack is needed. In this study, the investigations of the TiN etching characteristics were carried out using the inductively coupled $BCl_3$-based plasma system and adding $Cl_2$ gas. Dry etching of the TiN was studied by varying the etching parameters including $BCl_3$/Ar gas mixing ratio, RF power, DC-bias voltage to substrate, and $Cl_2$ gas addition. The plasmas were characterized by optical emission spectroscopy analysis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the etching profile.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 2021

This work presents a contrasting behavior of formic acid oxidation (FAO) on the Pt and Bi deposits on different Pt substrates. Using irreversible adsorption method, Bi and Pt were sequentially deposited on Pt electrodes of nanoparticle (Pt NP) and disk (Pt disk). The deposited layers of Bi and Pt on the Pt substrates were characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. The electrochemical behaviors and FAO enhancements of Pt NP and Pt disk with deposited Bi only (i.e., Bi/Pt NP and Bi/Pt disk), were similar to each other. However, additional deposition of Pt on Bi/Pt NP and Bi/Pt disk (i.e., Pt/Bi/Pt NP and Pt/Bi/Pt disk) changed the electrochemical behavior and FAO activity in different ways depending on the shapes of the Pt substrates. With Pt/Bi/Pt NP, the hydrogen adsorption was suppressed and the surface oxidation of Pt was enhanced; while with Pt/Bi/Pt disk, the opposite behavior was observed. This difference was interpreted as a stronger interaction between the deposited Bi and Pt on Pt NP than that on Pt disk. The FAO performance on Pt/Bi/Pt NP is much better than that on Pt/Bi/Pt disk, most likely due to the difference in the interaction between the deposited Pt and Bi depending on the shapes of Pt substrates. In designing FAO electrochemical catalysts using Pt and Bi, the shape of a Pt substrate was concluded to be critically considered.