• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.170-170
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• 2013

We present a novel etching technique for 2-dimentional (2-D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) by using capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) of oxygen combined with a post-treatment by de-ionized (DI) water. Oxygen CCP etching process for h-BN has been systematically studied. It is found that a passivation layer was generated to obstruct further etching while it can be easily and radically removed by DI water. An essential cleaning effect also has been observed in the etching process, organic residues are successfully removed and the surface roughness has much decreased. Considering h-BN is the most important 2-D dielectric material and its potential application for graphene to silicon-based electronic devices, such an etching method can be widely used to control the 2-D h-BN thickness and improve the surface quality.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics D
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• v.35D no.7
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• pp.88-93
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• 1998

For the self-aligned AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs, the surface states at the interface between the extrinsic base surface and the passivation nitride is a major cause of degradation of dc characteristics. In this paper the degradation mechanisms of self-aligned AlGaAs/GaAs HBT were analyzed, and GaAs HBTs, which employed an InGaP ledge emitter structure formed by the nonself-aligned process to cover the surface of the extrinsic base and reduce the surface states, produced high reliability. Accoridng to the acceleration lifetime test, the nonself-aligned InGaP/GaAs HBTs produced very reliable dc characteristics comparing with the self-aligned AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs. The activation energy was 1.97eV and MTTF $4.8{\times}10^{8}$ hrs at $140^{\circ}C$ which satisfied the MIL standard.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.23 no.4 s.181
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• pp.146-152
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• 2006

In micro electrochemical machining (ECM), electrodes should be prevented from unfavorable oxide and Passive layer formation on the machined surface or overall corrosion of the entire surface. Generally, metal electrodes corrode, passivate or dissolve in the electrochemical cell according to the electrode potential. Therefore, each electrode must maintain its stable potential. Tn this paper, the stable electrode potentials of tool and workpiece were determined using the potentiodynamic polarization test and verified experimentally considering machining stability and surface quality. Stable workpiece electrode potentials of two different passive materials of 304 stainless steel and nickel were determined in the 0.1 M sulfuric acid. Experimental results show good machined surface and fast machining rate using the determined electrode potentials.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.383-386
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• 1998

After etching Al-Cu alloy films using SiC1$_4$/Cl$_2$/He/CHF$_3$ plasma, a corrosion phenomenon on the metal surface has been studied with XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and SEM (Scanning electron microscopy). In Al-Cu alloy system, the corrosion occurs rapidly on the etched surface by residual chlorine atoms. To prevent the corrosion, CHF$_3$ plasma treatment subsequent to the etched has been carried out. A passivation layer is formed by fluorine-related compounds on the etched Al-Cu surface after CHF$_3$ and SF$_{6}$ treatment, and the layer supresses effectively the corrosion on the surface as the CHF$_3$ and SF$_{6}$ treatment pressure increases. The corrosion could be suppressed successfully with CHF$_3$ and SF6 treatment in the pressure of 300mTorr.orr.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.424-432
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• 2019

Planar BiVO₄ and 3 wt% Mo-doped BiVO₄ (abbreviated as Mo:BiVO₄) film were prepared by the facile spin-coating method on fluorine doped SnO₂(FTO) substrate in the same precursor solution including the Mo precursor in Mo:BiVO₄ film. After annealing at a high temperature of 450℃ for 30 min to improve crystallinity, the films exhibited the monoclinic crystalline phase and nanoporous architecture. Both films showed no remarkably discrepancy in crystalline or morphological properties. To investigate the effect of surface passivation exploring the Al₂O₃ layer, the ultra-thin Al₂O₃ layer with a thickness of approximately 2 nm was deposited on BiVO₄ film using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. No distinct morphological modification was observed for all prepared BiVO₄ and Mo:BiVO₄ films. Only slightly reduced nanopores were observed. Although both samples showed some reduction of light absorption in the visible wavelength after coating of Al₂O₃ layer, the Al₂O₃ coated BiVO₄ (Al₂O₃/BiVO₄) film exhibited enhanced photoelectrochemical performance in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ solution (pH 6.5), having higher photocurrent density (0.91 mA/㎠ at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), briefly abbreviated as V_RHE) than BiVO₄ film (0.12 mA/㎠ at 1.23 V_RHE). Moreover, Al₂O₃ coating on the Mo:BiVO₄ film exhibited more enhanced photocurrent density (1.5 mA/㎠ at 1.23 V_RHE) than the Mo:BiVO₄ film (0.86 mA/㎠ at 1.23 V_RHE). To examine the reasons, capacitance measurement and Mott-Schottky analysis were conducted, revealing that the significant degradation of capacitance value was observed in both BiVO₄ film and Al₂O₃/Mo:BiVO₄ film, probably due to degraded capacitance by surface passivation. Furthermore, the flat-band potential (V_FB) was negatively shifted to about 200 mV while the electronic conductivities were enhanced by Al₂O₃ coating in both samples, contributing to the advancement of PEC performance by ultra-thin Al₂O₃ layer.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

The Hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNx:H) using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is widely used in photovoltaic industry as an antireflection coating and passivation layer. In the high temperature firing process, the $SiN_x:H$ film should not change the properties for its use as high quality surface layer in crystalline silicon solar cells. Initially PECVD-$SiN_x:H$ film trends were investigated by varying the deposition parameters (temperature, electrode gap, RF power, gas flow rate etc.) to optimize the process parameter conditions. Then by varying gas ratios ($NH_3/SiH_4$), the hydrogenated silicon nitride films were analyzed for its optical, electrical, chemical and surface passivation properties. The $SiN_x:H$ films of refractive indices 1.90~2.20 were obtained. The film deposited with the gas ratio of 3.6 (Refractive index=1.98) showed the best properties in after firing process condition. The single crystalline silicon solar cells fabricated according to optimized gas ratio (R=3.6) condition on large area substrate of size $156{\times}156mm$ (Pseudo square) was found to have the conversion efficiency as high as 17.2%. Optimized hydrogenated silicon nitride surface layer and high efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells fabrication sequence has also been explained in this study.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.575-579
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• 2006

Solid electrolyte interface is formed on a carbon electrode used as an anode in Li-ion battery, which can be of $Li^{+}$ intercalation/deintercalation during the first cycle. The passivation film formed by a solvent decomposition during the initial charge process affects cell performance and it was one of the main reason of an initial irreversible capacity. This paper describes the use, for the first time, of $Li_2CO_3$ as the additive for the formation of a passivation film on the carbon surface to suppress the initial irreversible reaction. Chronopotentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the effects of the $Li_{2}CO_{3}$ additive. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction were also used to monitor changes in the surface morphology and composition of the passivation film formed by solvent decomposition and the precipitation of $Li_{2}CO_{3}$. The addition of $Li_{2}CO_{3}$ to a solution of 1 M $LiPF_{6}$/EC:MA (1:3, v/v) resulted in a decrease in the initial irreversible capacity and it was due to the suppression of the solvent decomposition on the electrode surface.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.73.1-73.1
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• 2010

태양광 시장은 세계적인 금융 위기 속에서도 점점 그 규모가 확대되고 있다. 시장의 규모가 확대되고 있음에도 불구하고 금융 위기를 겪으면서 생산자 중심의 시장에서 수요자 중심의 시장으로 바뀌게 되었다. 이에 따라 더 적은 비용으로 높은 출력의 제품만이 경쟁력을 가지게 됨으로써 효율이 더욱 이슈화되었다. 여러 태양전지 중 가장 점유율이 높은 결정질 태양전지는 일반적인 양산 공정만으로 효율을 높이는데 한계가 있으므로 selective emitter, back contact, light induced plating 등의 새로운 공정을 도입하여 효율을 높이려는 경향이 나타나고 있다. 본 연구에서는, ALD 장치를 사용하여 결정질 태양전지의 후면을 passivation 함으로써 효율을 높이는 방법을 모색하였다. 부동화 층으로는 $Al_2O_3$를 사용하였으며 셀을 제조하여 평가하였다. 실험방법은 p-type의 웨이퍼를 이용하여 습식으로 texturing 후 $POCl_3$ 용액으로 p-n junction을 형성하였고 anti-reflection 막인 SiNx는 PECVD를 사용하여 R.I 2.05, 80nm 두께로 증착하였다. 그런 다음 후면의 n+ layer를 제거하기 위하여 SiNx에 영향을 미치지 않는 용액을 사용하여 후면을 식각하였다. BSF 층은 screen printer로 Al paste를 printing하여 형성하였고 Al etching용액으로 여분의 Al제거한 후 ALD 장치를 이용하여 $Al_2O_3$를 증착하였다. 마지막으로 전극을 형성한 후 laser로 isolation하여 효율을 평가하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.308-309
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• 2016

Reducing surface recombination is a critical factor for high efficiency silicon solar cells. The passivation process is for reducing dangling bonds which are carrier. Tunnel oxide layer is one of main issues to achieve a good passivation between silicon wafer and emitter layer. Many research use wet-chemical oxidation or thermally grown which the highest conversion efficiencies have been reported so far. In this study, we deposit ultra-thin tunnel oxide layer by PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) using $N_2O$ plasma. Both side deposit tunnel oxide layer in different RF-power and phosphorus doped a-Si:H layer. After deposit, samples are annealed at $850^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour in $N_2$ gas atmosphere. After annealing, samples are measured lifetime and implied Voc (iVoc) by QSSPC (Quasi-Steady-State Photo Conductance). After measure, samples are annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ for 30 minute in $Ar/H_2$ gas atmosphere and then measure again lifetime and implied VOC. The lifetime is increase after all process also implied VOC. The highest results are lifetime $762{\mu}s$, implied Voc 733 mV at RF-power 200 W. The results of C-V measurement shows that Dit is increase when RF-power increase. Using this optimized tunnel oxide layer is attributed to increase iVoc. As a consequence, the cell efficiency is increased such as tunnel mechanism based solar cell application.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.418.2-418.2
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• 2016

$Al_2O_3$ passivation layer has excellent passivation properties at p-type Si surface. This $Al_2O_3$ layer forms thin $SiO_2$ layer at the interface. There were some studies about inserting thermal oxidation process to replace naturally grown oxide during $Al_2O_3$ deposition. They showed improving passivation properties. However, thermal oxidation process has disadvantage of expensive equipment and difficult control of thin layer formation. Wet chemical oxidation has advantages of low cost and easy thin oxide formation. In this study, $Al_2O_3$/$SiO_2/Si(100)$ interface was formed by wet chemical oxidation and PA-ALD process. $SiO_2$ layer at Si wafer was formed by $HCl/H_2O_2$, $H_2SO_4/H_2O_2$ and $HNO_3$, respectively. 20nm $Al_2O_3$ layer on $SiO_2/Si$ was deposited by PA-ALD. This $Al_2O_3/SiO_2/Si(100)$ interface were characterized by capacitance-voltage characteristics and quasi-steady-state photoconductance decay method.