• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2019

We report on the fabrication and characterization of an oxide photoanode with a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array embedded in cuprous oxide ($Cu_2O$) thin film, namely a $ZnO/Cu_2O$ oxide p-n heterostructure photoanode, for enhanced efficiency of visible light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. A vertically oriented n-type ZnO nanorod array is first prepared on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via a seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method and then a p-type $Cu_2O$ thin film is directly electrodeposited onto the vertically oriented ZnO nanorod array to form an oxide p-n heterostructure. The introduction of $Cu_2O$ layer produces a noticeable enhancement in the visible light absorption. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior under visible light illumination, the photoconversion efficiency of this $ZnO/Cu_2O$ p-n heterostructure photoanode is found to reach 0.39 %, which is seven times that of a pristine ZnO nanorod photoanode. In particular, a significant PEC performance is observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs $Hg/Hg_2Cl_2$, which makes the device self-powered. The observed improvement in the PEC performance is attributed to some synergistic effect of the p-n bilayer heterostructure on the formation of a built-in potential including the light absorption and separation processes of photoinduced charge carriers, which provides a new avenue for preparing efficient photoanodes for PEC water splitting.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2018

We report on the efficient detection of NO gas by an all-oxide semiconductor p-n heterojunction diode structure comprised of n-type zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods embedded in p-type copper oxide (CuO) thin film. The CuO thin film/ZnO nanorod heterostructure was fabricated by directly sputtering CuO thin film onto a vertically aligned ZnO nanorod array synthesized via a hydrothemal method. The transport behavior and NO gas sensing properties of the fabricated CuO thin film/ZnO nanorod heterostructure were charcterized and revealed that the oxide semiconductor heterojunction exhibited a definite rectifying diode-like behavior at various temperatures ranging from room temperature to $250^{\circ}C$. The NO gas sensing experiment indicated that the CuO thin film/ZnO nanorod heterostructure had a good sensing performance for the efficient detection of NO gas in the range of 2-14 ppm under the conditions of an applied bias of 2 V and a comparatively low operating temperature of $150^{\circ}C$. The NO gas sensing process in the CuO/ZnO p-n heterostructure is discussed in terms of the electronic band structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.446-446
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• 2011

One dimensional (1-D) structures of ZnO nanorods are promising elements for future optoelectronic devices. However there are still many obstacles in fabricating high-quality p-type ZnO up to now. In addition, it is limited to measure the degree of the doping concentration and carrier transport of the doped 1-D ZnO with conventional methods such as Hall measurement. Here we demonstrate the measurement of the electronic properties of p- and n-doped ZnO nanorods by the Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods with intrinsic n-doped, As-doped p-type, and p-n junction were grown by vapor phase epitaxy (VPE). Individual nanowires were then transferred onto Au films deposited on Si substrates. The morphology and surface potentials were measured simultaneously by the KPFM. The work function of the individual nanorods was estimated by comparing with that of gold film as a reference, and the doping concentration of each ZnO nanorods was deduced. Our KPFM results show that the average work function difference between the p-type and n-type regions of p-n junction ZnO nanorod is about ~85meV. This value is in good agreement with the difference in the work function between As-doped p- and n-type ZnO nanorods (96meV) measured with the same conditions. This value is smaller than the expected values estimated from the energy band diagram. However it is explained in terms of surface state and surface band bending.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.214-220
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• 2018

We report on the fabrication and photoelectrochemical(PEC) properties of a $Cu_2O$ thin film/ZnO nanorod array oxide p-n heterojunction structure with ZnO nanorods embedded in $Cu_2O$ thin film as an efficient photoelectrode for solar-driven water splitting. A vertically oriented n-type ZnO nanorod array was first prepared on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via a seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method and then a p-type $Cu_2O$ thin film was directly electrodeposited onto the vertically oriented ZnO nanorods array to form an oxide semiconductor heterostructure. The crystalline phases and morphologies of the heterojunction materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy as well as Raman scattering. The PEC properties of the fabricated $Cu_2O/ZnO$ p-n heterojunction photoelectrode were evaluated by photocurrent conversion efficiency measurements under white light illumination. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior, the $Cu_2O/ZnO$ photoelectrode was found to exhibit a negligible dark current and high photocurrent density, e.g., $0.77mA/cm^2$ at 0.5 V vs $Hg/HgCl_2$ in a $1mM\;Na_2SO_4$ electrolyte, revealing an effective operation of the oxide heterostructure. In particular, a significant PEC performance was observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs $Hg/HgCl_2$, which made the device self-powered. The observed PEC performance was attributed to some synergistic effect of the p-n bilayer heterostructure on the formation of a built-in potential, including the light absorption and separation processes of photoinduced charge carriers.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.229-234
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• 2017

In this study, we fabricated a TFT gas sensor with ZnO nanorods grown by hydrothermal synthesis. The suggested devices were compared with the conventional ZnO film-type TFTs in terms of the gas-response properties and the electrical transfer characteristics. The ZnO seed layer is formed by atomic-layer deposition (ALD), and the precursors for the nanorods are zinc nitrate hexahydrate ($Zn(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$) and hexamethylenetetramine ($(CH_2)6N_4$). When 15 ppm of NO gas was supplied in a gas chamber at $150^{\circ}C$ to analyze the sensing capability of the suggested devices, the sensitivity (S) was 4.5, showing that the nanorod-type devices respond sensitively to the external environment. These results can be explained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, which showed that the oxygen deficiency of ZnO nanorods is higher than that of ZnO film, and confirms that the ZnO nanorod-type TFTs are advantageous for the fabrication of high-performance gas sensors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.315.1-315.1
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• 2014

The use of cellulose papers has recently attracted much attention in various device applications owing to their natural advantageous properties of earth's abundance, bio-friendly, large-scale production, and flexibility. Conventional metal oxides with novel structures of nanorods, nanospindles, nanowires and nanobelts are being developed for emerging electronic and chemical sensing applications. In this work, both ZnO (n-type) nanorod arrays (NRAs) and CuO (p-type) nanospindles (NSs) were synthesized on cellulose papers and the p-n junction property was investigated using the electrode of indium tin oxide coated polyethylene terephthalate film. To synthesize ZnO and CuO nanostructures on cellulose paper, a simple and facile hydrothermal method was utilized. First, the CuO NSs were synthesized on cellulose paper by a simple soaking process, yielding the well adhered CuO NSs on cellulose paper. After that, the ZnO NRAs were grown on CuO NSs/cellulose paper via a facile hydrothermal route. The as-grown ZnO/CuO NSs on cellulose paper exhibited good crystalline and optical properties. The fabricated p-n junction device showed the I-V characteristics with a rectifying behaviour.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.414-414
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• 2008

Vertically well-aligned Ga-doped ZnO nanorods with different Ga contents were grown by thermal evaporation on a ZnO template. The Ga-doped ZnO nanorods synthesized with 50 wt % Ga with respect to the Zn content showed maximum compressive stress relative to the ZnO template, which led to a rapid growth rate along the c-axis due to the rapid release of stored strain energy. A further increase in the Ga content improved the conductivity of the nanorods due to the substitutional incorporation of Ga atoms in the Zn sites based on a decrease in lattice spacing. The p-n diode structure with Ga-doped ZnO nanorods, as a n-type, displayed a distinct white light luminescence from the side-view of the device, showing weak ultraviolet and various deep-level emissions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1779-1782
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• 2013

N-type ZnO nanorods were grown on p-type porous silicon using a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method (p-n diode). The structure and geometry of the device were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) while the optoelectronic properties were investigated by UV/Vis absorption spectrometry as well as photoluminescence and electroluminescence measurements. The field emission (FE) properties of the device were also measured and its turn-on field and current at 6 $V/{\mu}m$ were determined. In principle, the growth of ZnO nanorods on porous siicon for optoelectronic applications is possible.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.86.2-86.2
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• 2012

산화금속은 높은 결정성, quantum size effect, 높은 투과도, 대기중의 안정도 등과 같은 탁월한 성질들로 인하여 오늘날 실리콘의 대체물로서 많은 연구가 보고되고 있다. 이러한 금속산화물의 크기와 모양을 조절하며 대량 생산하기 위한 합성방법으로 가수분해, 금속양이온 응축법과 같은 다양한 수용액상 방법이 연구되고 있다. 하지만 2차원 단일 층에 나노물질을 정렬하고 전기적 접합을 형성하는 것이 매우 어렵다는 점 때문에 나노물질을 기판 위에 자유롭게 성장시키는 방법에 대해서는 아직 많이 보고 되어있지 않다. 본 연구에서 저온의 수용액에서 1차원의 나노막대가 2차원의 스피넬 구조 위에 heteroepotaxial 접합을 이루며 성장시키는 방법을 이용하였다. P-n접합 형성을 위하여 (0001)방향으로 배향된 n-type ZnO 나노막대를 (111)방향의 p-type Co3O4 나노플레이트 위에 성장시킨 구조를 제작하였으며 이를 바탕으로 다이오드소자를 제작하여 ideal factor, turn-on voltage, rectifying ratio등의 전기적 특성을 평가하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.200.2-200.2
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• 2013

Yttrium (Y)이 도핑 된 ZnO 나노 구조물을 수열합성법으로 제작하였다. 먼저 졸겔법으로 SiO2/Si 기판 위에 seed layer (Y-doped ZnO ; Y0.02Zn0.98O)를 제작하였으며 5번의 코팅을 진행하여 박막의 두께는 약 180 nm로 측정이 되었다. 그 후 진공 분위기에서 RTA를 이용하여 $500^{\circ}C$에서 3분간 열처리가 진행되었다. 이어서 수열합성법으로 mole 농도를 0.5~1.0 M 범위에서 변화시키며 YZO 시료를 제작하였다. X-ray diffraction (XRD)을 통해서 Y2O3 또는 결함과 관련된 피크는 관찰이 되지 않았으며, 모든 구조물에서 압축응력이 존재하는 알 수 있었으며, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM)에서 나노 구조물의 크기와 형태는 수열합성법의 mole 농도에 많은 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났다. Hall effect 측정을 통해서 모든 구조물은 n-type 전도 특성을 가지는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 광학적 특성인 photoluminescence (PL)에서는 수열합성법의 화학식을 고려할 때 Zn가 rich한 상태에서는 Zn interstitial로 존재하는 것으로 나타났고, mole 농도가 높아 질수록 free exciton에 의한 재결합인 UV emission이 우세하게 나타났다.