• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.13-13
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• 2010

The solar energy conversion will take 10 % global energy need by 2033. A thin film type solar cell has been considered as one of the promising candidates for a large area applicable solar cell fabrication at a low cost. The metal-assisted growth of microcrystalline Si (mc-Si) films has been reported for a quality Si film synthesis at a low temperature. It discusses the spontaneous growth of a Si film above a metal-layer for a thin film solar cell. Quite recently, a substantial demand of nanomaterials has been addressed for cost-effective solar cells. The nanostructure provides a large photoactive surface at a fixed volume, which is an advantage in the effective use of solar power. But the promising of nanostructure active solar cell has not been much fulfilled due mainly to the difficulty in architecture of nanostructures. We present here the Si nanowire (SiNW)-embedded Schottky solar cell. Multiple SiNWs were connected to two different metals to form a Schottky or an ohmic contact according to the metal work function values. It discusses the scheme of rectifying contact between metals and SiNWs and the SiNW-embedded Schottky solar cell performances.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.27.1-27.1
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• 2011

The recent extensive research of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures such as nanowires (NWs) and nanotubes (NTs) has been the driving force to fabricate new kinds of nanoscale devices in electronics, optics and bioengineering. We attempt to produce silicon oxide nanowires (SiOxNWs) in a simple way without complicate deposition process, gaseous Si containing precursors, or starting material of $SiO_2$. Nickel (Ni) nanoparticles (NPs) were applied on Si wafer and thermally treated in a furnace. The temperature in the furnace was kept in the ranges between 900 and $1,100^{\circ}C$ and a mixture of nitrogen ($N_2$) and hydrogen ($H_2$) flowed through the furnace. The SiOxNWs had widths ranging from 100 to 200 nm with length extending up to ~10 ${\mu}m$ and their structure was amorphous. Ni NPs were acted as catalysts. Since there were no other Si materials introduced into the furnace, the Si wafer was the only Si sources for the growth of SiOxNWs. When the Si wafer with deposition of Ni NPs was heated, the liquid Ni-Si alloy droplets were formed. The droplets as the nucleation sites induce an initiation of the growth of SiOxNWs and absorb oxygen easily. As the droplets became supersaturated, the SiOxNWs were grown, by the reaction between Si and O and continuously dissolving Si and O onto NPs. Photoluminescence (PL) showed that blue emission spectrum was centered at the wavelength of 450 nm (2.76 eV). The details of growth mechanism of SiOxNWs and the effect of Ni NPs on the formation of SiOxNWs will be presented.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.733-738
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• 2009

Mechanical properties of <001> silicon nanowires are presented. In particular, predictions from the calculations based on different length scales, first principles calculations, atomistic calculations, and continuum nanomechanical theory, are compared for <001> silicon nanowires. There are several elements that determine the mechanics of silicon nanowires, and the complicated balance between these elements is studied. Specifically, the role of the increasing surface effects and reduced dimensionality predicted from theories of different length scales are compared. As a prototype, a Tersoff-based empirical potential has been used to study the mechanical properties of silicon nanowires including the Young's modulus. The results significantly deviates from the first principles predictions as the size of wire is decreased.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.74-74
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• 2010

One-dimensional nanosturctures such as nanowires and nanotube have been mainly proposed as important components of nano-electronic devices and are expected to play an integral part in design and construction of these devices. Silicon carbide(SiC) is one of a promising wide bandgap semiconductor that exhibits extraordinary properties, such as higher thermal conductivity, mechanical and chemical stability than silicon. Therefore, the synthesis of SiC-based nanowires(NWs) open a possibility for developing a potential application in nano-electronic devices which have to work under harsh environment. In this study, one-dimensional nanowires(NWs) of cubic phase silicon carbide($\beta$-SiC) were efficiently produced by thermal chemical vapor deposition(T-CVD) synthesis of mixtures containing Si powders and hydrocarbon in a alumina boat about $T\;=\;1400^{\circ}C$ SEM images are shown that the temperature below $1300^{\circ}C$ is not enough to synthesis the SiC NWs due to insufficient thermal energy for melting of Si Powder and decomposition of methane gas. However, the SiC NWs are produced over $1300^{\circ}C$ and the most efficient temperature for growth of SiC NWs is about $1400^{\circ}C$ with an average diameter range between 50 ~ 150 nm. Raman spectra revealed the crystal form of the synthesized SiC NWs is a cubic phase. Two distinct peaks at 795 and $970\;cm^{-1}$ over $1400^{\circ}C$ represent the TO and LO mode of the bulk $\beta$-SiC, respectively. In XRD spectra, this result was also verified with the strongest (111) peaks at $2{\theta}=35.7^{\circ}$, which is very close to (111) plane peak position of 3C-SiC over $1400 ^{\circ}C$ TEM images are represented to two typical $\beta$-SiC NWs structures. One is shown the defect-free $\beta$-SiC nanowire with a (111) interplane distance with 0.25 nm, and the other is the stacking-faulted $\beta$-SiC nanowire. Two SiC nanowires are covered with $SiO_2$ layer with a thickness of less 2 nm. Moreover, by changing the flow rate of methane gas, the 300 sccm is the optimal condition for synthesis of a large amount of $\beta$-SiC NWs.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.223-227
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• 2010

Recently, one-dimensional semiconducting nanomaterials have attracted considerable interest for their potential as building blocks for fabricating various nanodevices. Among these semiconducting nanomaterials,, $SnO_2$ nanostructures including nanowires, nanorods, nanobelts, and nanotubes were successfully synthesized and their electrochemical properties were evaluated. Although $SnO_2$ nanowires and nanobelts exhibit fascinating gas sensing characteristics, there are still significant difficulties in using them for device applications. The crucial problem is the alignment of the nanowires. Each nanowire should be attached on each die using arduous e-beam or photolithography, which is quite an undesirable process in terms of mass production in the current semiconductor industry. In this study, a simple process for making sensitive $SnO_2$ nanowire-based gas sensors by using a standard semiconducting fabrication process was studied. The nanowires were aligned in-situ during nanowire synthesis by thermal CVD process and a nanowire network structure between the electrodes was obtained. The $SnO_2$ nanowire network was floated upon the Si substrate by separating an Au catalyst between the electrodes. As the electric current is transported along the networks of the nanowires, not along the surface layer on the substrate, the gas sensitivities could be maximized in this networked and floated structure. By varying the nanowire density and the distance between the electrodes, several types of nanowire network were fabricated. The $NO_2$ gas sensitivity was 30~200 when the $NO_2$ concentration was 5~20ppm. The response time was ca. 30~110 sec.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.111-114
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.52-52
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• 2004

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.586-591
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• 2013

The printing of nanomaterials onto certain substrates is one of the key technologies behind high-speed interconnection and high-performance electronic devices. For the printing of next-generation electronic devices, a printing process which can be applied to a flexible substrate is needed. A printing process on a flexible substrate requires a lowtemperature, non-vacuum process due to the physical properties of the substrate. In this study, we obtained well-ordered Ag nanowires using modified gravure printing techniques. Ag nanowires are synthesized by a silver nitrate ($AgNO_3$) reduction process in an ethylene glycol solution. Ag nanowires were well aligned by hydrodynamic force on a micro-engraved Si substrate. With the three-dimensional structure of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which has an inverse morphology relative to the micro-engraved Si substrate, the sub-micron alignment of Ag nanowires is possible. This technique can solve the performance problems associated with conventional organic materials. Also, given that this technique enables large-area printing, it has great applicability not only as a next-generation printing technology but also in a range of other fields.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.115-116
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• 2005

Si nanowires (NWs) were fabricated in vacuum furnace by using a Nd:YAG pulsed laser with the wavelength of 325 nm. Commercial p-type Si wafer is used for target, and any catalytic materials are not used. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate that the diameters of Si NWs ranged from 10 to 150 nm. Si NWs have various size and shape with a substrate position inside a furnace, and their morphologic construction is reproducible. The formation mechanism of the NWs is discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.766-769
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• 2008

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires were prepared on Si substrates by a thermal evaporation method at different temperatures and $O_2$ pressure. Microstructural analysis of the obtained ZnO nanowires was performed by using transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Phase analysis was done using X-ray diffraction(XRD). As the deposition temperature and oxygen pressure were increased, the diameter and length of ZnO nanowires had a tendency to increase. Based on TEM and XRD analyses, the nanowires are single crystalline in nature and consist of a single phase. According to the measurements, the ZnO nanowires grown at 1100$^{\circ}C$, Ar 50 sccm, $O_2$ 10 sccm have good properties.