• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.743-748
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• 2010

Boron nitride (BN) and carbon nitride (CN) films, which have relatively low work functions and commonly exhibit negative electron affinity behaviors, were coated on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by magnetron sputtering. The CNTs were directly grown on metal-tip (tungsten, approximately 500nm in diameter at the summit part) substrates by inductively coupled plasma-chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD). The variations in the morphology and microstructure of CNTs due to coating of the BN and CN films were analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify the existence of the coated layers (CN and BN) on CNTs. The electron-emission properties of the BN-coated and CN-coated CNT-emitters were characterized using a high-vacuum field emission measurement system, in terms of their maximum emission currents ($I_{max}$) at 1kV and turn-on voltage ($V_{on}$) for approaching $1{\mu}A$. The results showed that the $I_{max}$ current was significantly increased and the $V_{on}$ voltage were remarkably reduced by the coating of CN or BN films. The measured values of $I_{max}-V_{on}$ were as follows; $176{\mu}A$-500V for the 5nm CN-coated emitter and $289{\mu}A$-540V for the 2nm BN-coated emitter, respectively, while the $I_{max}-V_{on}$ of the as-grown (i.e., uncoated) emitter was $134{\mu}A$-620V. In addition, the CNT emitters coated with thin CN or BN films also showed much better long-term (up to 25h) stability behaviors in electron emission, as compared with the conventional CNT emitter.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.112-112
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• 2015

The purposed of this work was to determine nanotube shape variation on the Ti-xNb alloys with alloying elements and applied potentials. Samples were prepared by arc melting, followed by followed by homogenization for 12 hr at $1000^{\circ}C$ in argon atmosphere. This study was evaluated the phase and microstructure of Ti-xNb alloys using an X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical microscopy (OM). The morphology of the samples was investigated with a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The nanotube on the alloy surface was formed in 1 M $H_3PO_4$ with small additions of NaF 0.8 wt.%. All anodization treatments were carried out using a scanning potentiostat (Model 362, EG&G, USA) at constant voltage 30 V for 120 min, respectively. The morphology of the samples was investigated with a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Surface characteristics of nanotbue formed on Ti-xNb alloys was investigated by potentiodynamic test and potentiostatic in 0.9% NaCl solution at $36.5{\pm}1^{\circ}C$. It was observed that the changed ${\alpha}$ phase to ${\beta}$ phase with Nb content.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.110-115
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• 2007

A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition(PEALD) system has been constructed adopting an inductively coupled plasma(ICP) source with an ALD system, and its plasma generation was carried out. Cobalt thin films were deposited on a p-type Si(100) wafer at $230^{\circ}C$. $Co_{2}(CO)_{6}$ was used as a cobalt precursor, $NH_{3}$ as a reactant, and Ar as a carrier and purge gas. The properties of the thin films were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM) and auger electron spectroscopy(AES). Large amounts of impurities were found in both the ALD film and the PEALD film, however, the amount of impurities in the PEALD film was reduced to about 50 % compared to that in the ALD film. It was found that $NH_{3}$ plasma, very effectively, induces the reaction with carbon in a cobalt precursor.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.132-138
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• 2007

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) arc grown on Ni catalysts employing an inductively-coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) method. The structural and field-emissive properties of the CNTs grown are characterized in terms of the substrate-bias applied. Characterization using the various techniques, such as field-omission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Auger spectroscopy (AES), and Raman spectroscopy, shows that the structural properties of the CNTs, including their physical dimensions and crystal qualities, as well as the nature of vertical growth, are strongly dependent upon the application of substrate bias during CNT growth. It is for the first time observed that the provailing growth mechanism of CNTs, which is either due to tip-driven growth or based-on-catalyst growth, may be influenced by substrate biasing. It is also seen that negatively substrate-biasing would promote the vertical-alignment of the CNTs grown, compared to positively substrate-biasing. However, the CNTs grown under the positively-biased condition display a higher electron-emission capability than those grown under the negatively-biased condition or without any bias applied.

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2000

In order to improve both the level and the stability of electron emission, Mo and Co silicides were formed from Mo mono-layer and Ti/Co bi-layers on single crystal silicon field emitter arrays (FEAs), respectively. Using the slope of Fowler-Nordheim curve and tip radius measured from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the effective work function of Mo and Co silicide FEAs were calculated to be 3.13 eV and 2.56 eV, respectively. Compared with silicon field emitters, Mo and Co silicide exhibited 10 and 34 times higher maximum emission current, 10 V and 46 V higher device failure voltage, and 6.1 and 4.8 times lower current fluctuation, respectively. Moreover, the emission currents of the silicide FEAs depending on vacuum level were almost the same in the range of $10^{-9}{\sim}10^{-6}$ torr. This result shows that silicide is robust in terms of anode current degradation due to the absorption of air molecules.

• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2011

The conducting polymer-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared by template polymerization of aniline and pyrrole on the surface of MWCNTs in order to develop the novel electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. The conducting polymer phases formed on the surface of MWCNTs were confirmed by field emission-scanning electron microscopy and field emission-transmission electron microscopy. Both permittivity and permeability were significantly improved for the conducting polymer-coated MWCNTs due to the intrinsic electrical properties of MWCNTs and the conducting properties of coated polymers. The electromagnetic waves were effectively absorbed based on the permittivity nature of conducting polymer and MWCNTs preventing the secondary interference from reflecting the electromagnetic waves. The highly improved EMI shielding efficiency was also obtained for the conducting polymer-coated MWCNTs showing the synergistic effects by combining MWCNTs and the conducting polymers.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.147-150
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• 2012

A recently introduced helium ion microscopy (HIM) was employed to observe uncoated pine leaf specimens. Adult leaves were collected from the seedlings of Pinus densiflora and P. rigida, air-dried at room temperature, and observed by HIM without metal coating. Ovoid or round stomata and distinct Florin rings could be discerned. The epicuticular waxes were present in the epistomatal chambers and Florin rings of stomata on the leaf surface. The epicuticular waxes were mostly straight, cylindrical, and ca. 1 ${\mu}m$ in length. The epistomatal chambers of P. rigida were filled with the epicuticular waxes, whereas those of P. densiflora were not filled with the epicuticular waxes. Based on their micromorphology, the epicuticular wax structures of the pine species were identified as tubules. These results suggest that the HIM could be used for the investigation of the plant stomata and epicuticular waxes of uncoated plant leaves. Due to the smaller ion probe and interaction volume, the HIM has advantages over conventional field emission scanning electron microscopy in terms of image resolution and charge neutralization.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2016

In this study, Fe-Cu-Ni-Mo-C low alloy steel powder is consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. The internal structure and the surface fracture behavior are studied using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy techniques. The bulk samples are polished and etched in order to observe the internal structure. The sample sintered at $900^{\circ}C$ with holding time of 10 minutes achieves nearly full density of 98.9% while the density of the as-received conventionally sintered product is 90.3%. The fracture microstructures indicate that the sample prepared at $900^{\circ}C$ by the SPS process is hard to break out because of the presence of both grain boundaries and internal particle fractures. Moreover, the lamellar pearlite structure is also observed in this sample. The samples sintered at 1000 and $1100^{\circ}C$ exhibit a large number of tiny particles and pores due to the melting of Cu and aggregation of the alloy elements during the SPS process. The highest hardness value of 296.52 HV is observed for the sample sintered at $900^{\circ}C$ with holding time of 10 minutes.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.321-326
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• 2021

We fabricated BiAlO thin film by a solution process with a brush coating to be used as liquid crystal (LC) alignment layer. Solution-processed BiAlO was coated on the glass substrate by brush process. Prepared thin films were annealed at different temperatures of 80℃, 180℃, and 280℃. To verify whether the BiAlO film was formed properly, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis was performed on Bi and Al. Using a crystal rotation method by polarized optical microscopy, LC alignment state was evaluated. At the annealing temperature of 280℃, the uniform homogenous LC alignment was achieved. To reveal the mechanism of LC alignment by brush coating, field emission scanning electron microscope was used. Through this analysis, spin-coated and brush coated film surface were compared. It was revealed that physical anisotropy was induced by brush coating at a high annealing temperature. Particles were aligned in one direction along which brush coating was made, resulting in a physical anisotropy that affects a uniform LC alignment. Therefore, it was confirmed that brush coating combined with BiAlO thin film annealed at high temperature has a significant potential for LC alignment.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.232-242
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• 2019

In this study, hydrophobically modified fumed silica was added to the PVDF coating to improve corrosion protection performance. Two types of silane modifiers, trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ), were used for hydrophobic modification of the fumed silica. The composition of modified fumed silica was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The dispersion of modified fumed silica in the PVDF coating was observed by the transmission electron microscopy, and the hydrophobicity of PVDF coating was analyzed by the water contact angle. Surface properties were examined by the field emission scanning electron microscopy and scanning probe microscopy. Potentiodynamic polarization was conducted to confirm corrosion protection performance of PVDF coating in terms of hydrophobically-modified fumed silica contents. As a result, the average surface roughness and the water contact angle of the PVDF coating increased with modifier contents. The results of the potentiodynamic polarization test showed an increase of the E_corr values with increase of the hydrophobicity of PVDF coating. Thus, it clearly indicates that the corrosion protection performance of PVDF coating improved with the addition of the hydrophobic-modified fumed silica that prevents the penetration of moisture into the PVDF coating.