• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2010

The effect of thermal anneal on the characteristics of structural properties and the enhancement of luminescence and photovoltaic (PV) characteristics of silicon-rich silicon-nitride films were investigated. By using an ultra high vacuum ion beam sputtering deposition, B-doped silicon-rich silicon-nitride (SRSN) thin films, with excess silicon content of 15 at. %, on P-doped (n-type) Si substrate was fabricated, sputtering a highly B doped Si wafer with a BN chip by N plasma. In order to examine the influence of thermal anneal, films were then annealed at different temperature up to $1100^{\circ}C$ under $N_2$ environment. Raman, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy did not show any reliable evidence of amorphous or crystalline Si clusters allowing us concluding that nearly no Si nano-cluster could be formed through the precipitation of excess Si from SRSN matrix during thermal anneal. Instead, results of Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy clearly indicated that defective, amorphous Si-N matrix of films was changed to be well-ordered thanks to high temperature anneal. The measurement of spectral ellipsometry in UV-visible range was carried out and we found that the optical absorption edge of film was shifted to higher energy as the anneal temperature increased as the results of thermal anneal induced formation of $Si_3N_4$-like matrix. These are consistent with the observation that higher visible photoluminescence, which is likely due to the presence of Si-N bonds, from anneals at higher temperature. Based on these films, PV cells were fabricated by the formation of front/back metal electrodes. For all cells, typical I-V characteristic of p-n diode junction was observed. We also tried to measure PV properties using a solar-simulator and confirmed successful operation of PV devices. Carrier transport mechanism depending on anneal temperature and the implication of PV cells based on SRSN films were also discussed.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.116-123
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• 2011

Herein, a novel preparation method of highly homogeneous carbon-silicon composite materials was presented. In contrast to conventional solvent evaporation method, a milled silicon-graphite or its oxidized material were directly reacted with petroleum-derived pitch precursor. After thermal reaction under high pressure, pitch-graphite-silicon composite was prepared. Carbon-graphite-silicon composite were prepared by an air-oxidization and following carbonization. From energy dispersive spectroscopy, it was observed that small Si particles were highly embedded within carbon, which was confirmed by disappearance of Si peaks in Raman spectra. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra revealed that carbon crystallinity decreased when the strongly oxidized silicon-graphite was added, which was probably due to oxygen-induced cross-linking. From the anode application in lithium ion batteries, carbon-graphite-silicon composite anode displayed a high capacity ($565\;mAh\;g^{-1}$), a good initial efficiency (68%) and an good cyclability (88% retention at 50 cycles), which were attributed to the high dispersion of Si particles within cabon. In case of the strongly oxidized silicongraphite addtion, a decrease of reversible capacity was observed due to its low crystallinity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.486-486
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• 2013

Silicon nanowire devices fabricated by bottom-up methods are attracted due to their electrical, mechanical, and optical properties. Especially, to functionalize the surface of silicon nanowires by molecules has received interests. The changes in the characteristics of the molecules is delivered directly to the surface of the silicon nanowires so that the silicon nanowire can be utilized as an efficient read-out device by using the electronic state change of molecules. The surface treatment of the silicon nanowire with light-sensitive molecules can change its optical characteristics greatly. In this paper, we present the optical response of a SiNW field-effect-transistor (FET) conjugated with porphyrin molecules. We fabricated a SiNW FET and performed porphyrin conjugation on its surface. The characteristic and the optical response of the device shows a large difference after conjugation while there is not much change of the surface in the SEM observation. It attributed to the existence of few layer porphyrin molecules on the SiNW surface and efficient variation of the surface potential of the SiNW due to light irradiation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.07a
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• pp.146-149
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• 2004

Porous silicon(PS) as an excellent light diffuser can be used as an antireflection layer without other antireflection coating(ARC) materials. PS layers were obtained by electrochemical etching(ECE) anodization of silicon wafers in hydrofluoric acid/ethanol/de-ionized(DI) water solution($HF/EtOH/H_2O$). This technique is based on the selective removal of Si atoms from the sample surface forming a layer of PS with adjustable optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. A PS layer with optimal ARC characteristics was obtained in charge density (Q) of 5.2 $C/cm^2$. The weighted reflectance is reduced from 33 % to 4 % in the wavelength between 400 and 1000 nm. The weighted reflectance with optimized PS layers is much less than that obtained with a commercial SiNx ARC on a potassium hydroxide(KOH) pre-textured multi-crystalline silicon(mc-Si) surface.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

Among the various types of solar cells, silicon based two terminal tandem solar cell is one of the most popular one. It is designed to split the absorption of incident AM1.5 solar radiation among two of its component cells, thereby widening the wavelength range of external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectra of the device, in comparison to that of a single junction solar cell. In order to improve the EQE spectra further and raise short circuit current density ($J_{sc}$) an optimization of the tradeoff between the top and bottom cell is needed. In an optimized cell structure, the $J_{sc}$ and hence efficiency of the device can further be enhanced with the help of light trapping scheme. This can be achieved by texturing front and back surface as well as a back reflector of the device. In this brief review we highlight the development of light trapping in the silicon based tandem solar cell.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.326-333
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• 2004

The nanoprobe based on lithography, mainly represented by SPM based technologies, has been recognized as a potential application to fabricate the surface nanosctructures because of its operational versatility and simplicity. However, nanoprobe based on lithography itself is not suitable for mass production because it is time a consuming method and not economical for commercial applications. One solution is to fabricate a mold that will be used for mass production processes such as nanoimprint, PDMS casting, and others. The objective of this study is to fabricate the silicon stamper for PDMS casting process by a mastless fabrication technique using the combination of nano/micro machining by Nanoindenter XP and KOH wet etching. Effect of the Berkovich tip alignment on the deformation was investigated. Grooves were machined on a silicon surface, which has native oxide on it, by constant load scratch (CLS), and they were etched in KOH solutions to investigate chemical characteristics of the machined silicon surface. After the etching process, the convex structures was made because of the etch mask effect of the mechanically affected layer generated by nanoscratch. On the basis of this fact, some line patterns with convex structures were fabricated. Achieved groove and convex structures were used as a stamper for PDMS casting process.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1995.07c
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• pp.1209-1212
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• 1995

This paper presents a capacitive humidity sensor using porous silicon layers formed tom the anodization of p-type silicon in HF solution. The upper electrodes consist of many aluminum strips over porous silicon, between which the porous silicon is etched away. The sensor showed a good sensitivity(20pF/%RH) and lineaity in the range of 40%RH$\sim$80%RH, a hysteresis of ${\pm}2%$ RH, and a slow transient response. These preliminary resluts show that futher improvement can still be expected.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.11-17
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• 2001

Micronization of sensor is a trend of the silicon sensor development with regard to a piezoresistive silicon pressure sensor, the size of the pressure sensor diaphragm have become smaller year by year, and a microaccelerometer with a size less than $200{\sim}300{\mu}m$ has been realized, In this paper, we study some of the bonding processes of SCS(single crystal silicon) insulator wafer for the microaccelerometer. and their subsequent processes which might affect thermal loads. The finite element method(FEM) has been a standard numerical modeling technique extensively utilized in micro structural engineering discipline for design of SCS insulator wafers. Successful temperature distribution analysis and design of the SCS insulator wafers based on the tunneling current concept using microaccelerometer depend on the knowledge about normal mechanical properties of the SCS and $SiO_2$ layer and their control through manufacturing processes.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.457-461
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• 2006

To use the porous silicon as gas sensors, we made the MOPS structure from the porous silicon with Al evaporation and investigated the sensing characteristic of ethanol. When the MOPS structure is in contact with ethanol gas, the maximum peak of PL changes and it return to original intensity without contact. The MOPS structure had response time 0.78s and recovery time 4.13s when it is in contact with ethanol, which satisfied the required sensor standards. Further complimentary researches, however, are required to investigate the contact mechanism between MOPS structure and ethanol and to solve the surface contamination problem.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.331-335
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• 1998

R-curve, of three kinds of silicon nitride-based ceramics were measured, using single edge notched beam (SENB) method at room and at elevated temperatures, up to $1200^{\circ}C$. Stable fraacture was seen on ceramic materials with SENB specimens if the machined notch is deep enough, even though the crack resistance did not increase with crack length. Hot pressed silicon nitride did not show the rising R-curve behavior at room temperature, but it showed some rising at $1000^{\circ}C$ and above. Si3N4 reinforced with SiC whiskers showed no rising behavior at room and elevated temperatures, as it has smaller grain size, compare to the monolithic specimen. Gas pressure sintered silicon nitride had very large and elongated grains, and it showed rising R-curve even at room temperature. However, it showed some creep behavior at $1200^{\circ}C$ and the calculated R-curve on this condition did not show a good result. We cannot apply this technique on this condition for obtaining the R-curve.