• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.93-93
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• 2010

Semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) have recently attracted considerable interest for use in photovoltaics. Band gaps of NQDs can be tuned over a considerable range by varying the particle size thereby allowing enhance absorption of solar spectrum. NQDs, synthesized using colloidal routes, are solution processable and promise for a large-area fabrication. Recent advancements in multiple-exciton generation in NQD solutions have afforded possible efficiency improvements. Various architectures have attempted to utilize the NQDs in photovoltaics, such as NQD-sensitized solar cell, NQD-bulk-heterojuction solar cell and etc. Here we have fabricated CdSe NQDs with the band gap of 1.8 eV to 2.1 eV on thin-layers of p-type organic crystallites (1.61 eV) to realize a donor-acceptor type heterojuction solar cell. Simple structure as it was, we could control the interface of electrode-p-layer, and n-p-layer and monitor the following efficiency changes. Specifically, surface molecules adsorbed on the NQDs were critical to enhance the carrier transfer among the n-layer where we could verify by measuring the photo-response from the NQD layers only. Further modifying the annealing temperature after the deposition of NQDs on p-layers allowed higher conversion efficiencies in the device.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.432.2-432.2
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• 2014

Recently, colloidal core/shell type quantum dots lighting-emitting diodes (QDLEDs) have been extensively studied and developed for the future of optoelectronic applications. In the work, we fabricate an inverted CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) based light-emitting diodes (QDLED)[1]. In order to reduce work function of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode for inverted structure, a very thin (<10 nm) polyethylenimine ethoxylated (PEIE) is used as surface modifier[2] instead of conventional metal oxide electron injection layer. The PEIE layer substantially reduces the work function of ITO electrodes which is estimated to be 3.08 eV by ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). From transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study, CdSe/ZnS QDs are uniformly distributed and formed by a monolayer on PEIE layer. In this inverted QD LED, two kinds of hybrid organic materials, [poly (9,9-di-n-octyl-fluorene-alt-benzothiadiazolo)(F8BT) + poly(N,N'-bis (4-butylphenyl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine (poly-TPD)] and [4,4'-N,N'-dicarbazole-biphenyl (CBP) + poly-TPD], were adopted as hole transport layer having high highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level for improving hole transport ability. At a low-operating voltage of 8 V, the device emits orange and red spectral radiation with high brightness up to 2450 and 1420 cd/m2, and luminance efficacy of 1.4 cd/A and 0.89 cd/A, respectively, at 7 V applied bias. Also, the carrier transport mechanisms for the QD LEDs are described by using several models to fit the experimental I-V data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.189-189
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• 2012

Lead sulfide (PbS) nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) are promising materials for various optoelectronic devices, especially solar cells, because of their tunability of the optical band-gap controlled by adjusting the diameter of NQDs. PbS is a IV-VI semiconductor enabling infrared-absorption and it can be synthesized using solution process methods. A wide choice of the diameter of PbS NQDs is also a benefit to achieve the quantum confinement regime due to its large Bohr exciton radius (20 nm). To exploit these desirable properties, many research groups have intensively studied to apply for the photovoltaic devices. There are several essential requirements to fabricate the efficient NQDs-based solar cell. First of all, highly confined PbS QDs should be synthesized resulting in a narrow peak with a small full width-half maximum value at the first exciton transition observed in UV-Vis absorbance and photoluminescence spectra. In other words, the size-uniformity of NQDs ought to secure under 5%. Second, PbS NQDs should be assembled carefully in order to enhance the electronic coupling between adjacent NQDs by controlling the inter-QDs distance. Finally, appropriate structure for the photovoltaic device is the key issue to extract the photo-generated carriers from light-absorbing layer in solar cell. In this step, workfunction and Fermi energy difference could be precisely considered for Schottky and hetero junction device, respectively. In this presentation, we introduce the strategy to obtain high performance solar cell fabricated using PbS NQDs below the size of the Bohr radius. The PbS NQDs with various diameters were synthesized using methods established by Hines with a few modifications. PbS NQDs solids were assembled using layer-by-layer spin-coating method. Subsequent ligand-exchange was carried out using 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) to reduce inter-NQDs distance. Finally, Schottky junction solar cells were fabricated on ITO-coated glass and 150 nm-thick Al was deposited on the top of PbS NQDs solids as a top electrode using thermal evaporation technique. To evaluate the solar cell performance, current-voltage (I-V) measurement were performed under AM 1.5G solar spectrum at 1 sun intensity. As a result, we could achieve the power conversion efficiency of 3.33% at Schottky junction solar cell. This result indicates that high performance solar cell is successfully fabricated by optimizing the all steps as mentioned above in this work.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.249-254
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• 2022

To achieve high-performance colloidal quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs), the use of a densely packed QD film is crucial to prevent the formation of leakage current pathways and increase in interface resistance. Spin coating is the most common method to deposit QDs; however, this method often produces pinholes that can act as short-circuit paths within devices. Since state-of-the-art QD-LEDs typically employ mono- or bi-layer QDs as an emissive layer because of their low conductivities, the use of a densely packed and pinhole-free QD film is essential. Herein, we introduce the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique as a deposition method for the fabricate densely packed QD films in QD-LEDs. The LB technique successfully transfers a highly dense monolayer of QDs onto the substrate, and multilayer deposition is performed by repeating the transfer process. To validate the comparability of the LB technique with the standard QD-LED fabrication process, we fabricate and compare the performance of LB-based QD-LEDs to that of the spin-coating-based device. Owing to the non-destructiveness of the LB technique, the electroluminescence efficiency of the LB-based QD-LEDs is similar to that of the standard spin coating-based device. Thus, the LB technique is promising for use in optoelectronic applications.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.169-179
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• 2024

Colloidal quantum dot (QDs) have emerged as a crucial building block for LEDs due to their size-tunable emission wavelength, narrow spectral line width, and high quantum efficiency. Tremendous efforts have been dedicated to improving the performance of quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) in the past decade, primarily focusing on optimization of device architectures and synthetic procedures for high quality QDs. However, despite these efforts, the commercialization of QLEDs has yet to be realized due to the absence of suitable large-scale patterning technologies for high-resolution devices., This review will focus on the development trends associated with transfer printing, photolithography, and inkjet printing, and aims to provide a brief overview of the fabricated QLED devices. The advancement of various quantum dot patterning methods will lead to the development of not only QLED devices but also solar cells, quantum communication, and quantum computers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.420.2-420.2
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• 2016

Various fields have been paid attention to upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) because of its unique optical properties. Moreover, to use the UC luminescent techniques through cell images for identified apoptosis/necrosis of cancer cells have been performed. They have been studied for a versatile biomedical application such as a biosensing tool, or delivery of active forms of medicines inside living cells. UCNPs have distinctive characteristics such as photoluminescence, special emission, low background fluorescence signal and good colloidal stability, which have many advantages compared with the organic dyes and quantum dots. UCNPs have not only a great potential for imaging (UC luminescence) but also therapies (photo-thermal therapy, PTT and photo-dynamic therapy, PDT) in cancer diagnostics. Therefore, we report the enhancement of upconversion red emission in NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles, synthesized via solid-state method with the thermal decomposition of trifluoroacetate as precursors and organic solvent at a high boiling point. The UCNPs have an emission in the field of near infrared wavelength, cubic shape and nano-size in length. In this study, we will further investigate it for cancer therapy with NIR optical detection onto the solid substrate.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.263-272
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• 2011

Highly luminescent and monodisperse InP quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by a non-organometallic approach in a non-coordinating solvent. Fatty acids with well-defined chain lengths as the ligand, a non coordinating solvent, and a thorough degassing process are all important factors for the formation of high quality InP QDs. By varying the molar concentration of indium to ligand, QDs of different size were prepared and their absorption and emission behaviors studied. By spin-coating a colloidal solution of InP QD onto a silicon wafer, InP QD thin films were obtained. The thickness of the thin films cured at 60 and $200^{\circ}C$ were nearly identical (approximately 860 nm), whereas at $300^{\circ}C$, the thickness of the thin film was found to be 760 nm. Different contrast regions (A, B, C) were observed in the TEM images, which were found to be unreacted precursors, InP QDs, and indium-rich phases, respectively, through EDX analysis. The optical properties of the thin films were measured at three different curing temperatures (60, 200, $300^{\circ}C$), which showed a blue shift with an increase in temperature. It was proposed that this blue shift may be due to a decrease in the core diameter of the InP QD by oxidation, as confirmed by the XPS studies. Oxidation also passivates the QD surface by reducing the amount of P dangling bonds, thereby increasing luminescence intensity. The dielectric properties of the thin films were also investigated by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements in a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) device. At 60 and $300^{\circ}C$, negative flat band shifts (${\Delta}V_{fb}$) were observed, which were explained by the presence of P dangling bonds on the InP QD surface. At $300^{\circ}C$, clockwise hysteresis was observed due to trapping and detrapping of positive charges on the thin film, which was explained by proposing the existence of deep energy levels due to the indium-rich phases.