• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.157-158
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• 2013

Organic solar cell was fabricated using one-pot deposition of a mixture of NiO nanoparticles, P3HT and PCBM. In the presence of NiO, the photovoltaic performance was slightly increased comparing to that of the device without NiO. When $TiO_2$ thin films with a thickness of 2~3 nm was prepared on NiO nanoparticles using atomic layer deposition, the power conversion efficiency was increased by a factor 2.5 with respect to that with bare NiO. Moreover, breakdown voltage of the film consisting of NiO, P3HT, and PCBM on indium tin oxide was increased by more than 1 V in the presence of $TiO_2$-shell on NiO nanoparticles. It is evidenced that S atoms of P3HT can be oxidized on NiO surfaces, and $TiO_2$-shell on NiO nanoparticles. It is evidenced that S atoms of P3HT can be oxidzed on NiO surfaces, and $TiO_2$ shell heavily reduced oxidation of S at oxide/P3HT interfaces. Oxidized S atoms can most likely act as carrier generation sites and recombination centers within the depletion region, decreasing breakdown voltage and performance of organic solar cells. Our result shows that fabrication of various core-shell nanostruecutres of oxides by atomic layer deposition with controlled film thickness can be of potential importance for fabricating highly efficient organic solar cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.622-622
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• 2013

Piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) device refers to a power device for acquiring mechanical energy from the environment surrounding us which would otherwise be wasted and for converting it into usable electrical energy. While much work has been done on developing ZnO nanogenerator (NG) with nanowire arrays, there are some issues of not only scaling up its output power but also optimizing structure for operating feasibly in various conditions. Efficiency of NG is highly dependent on fixed orientation. But in many cases, it is not easy to predict where the pressure and vibration may come from. Furthermore, the direction of the applied mechanical stress is usually non-stationary and can be random in various practical applications. Therefore an omnidirectional PEH is needed.In this work, we investigate an omnidirectional PEH device consisting ZnO nanowires. We deposited spiral patterned ZnO seed layer on Kapton film. We deposited thin Cr layer on the ZnO seed layer using DC-sputter to form a passivation layer to retard un-expected growth of ZnO nanowires. We grew ZnO nanowires along the spiral arms using hydrothermal method. ZnO nanowires have been selectively grown from the ZnO sidewall without Cr layer and have the average length of$5{\mu}m$ and the average diameter of 40nm. We reduced the defect in the as-grown ZnO nanowires by O2 plasma using asher and by thermal treatment using RTA. Consequently, each nanowire has different directions to each other. This isotropic design can lead to the omnidirectional power generation. The morphology of NG is characterized with FESEM. Maximum output power of the device is measured by using a picoammeter and a nanovoltmeter.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.498-498
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• 2013

Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas have pioneered a new field of plasma for biomedical application bridging plasma physics and biology. Biological and medical applications of plasmas have attracted considerable attention due to promising applications in medicine such as electro-surgery, dentistry, skin care and sterilization of heat-sensitive medical instruments [1]. Traditional approaches using electronic devices have limits in heating, high voltage shock, and high current shock for patients. It is a great demand for plasma medical industrial acceptance that the plasma generation device should be compact, inexpensive, and safe for patients. Microwave-excited micro-plasma has the highest feasibility compared with other types of plasma sources since it has the advantages of low power, low voltage, safety from high-voltage shock, electromagnetic compatibility, and long lifetime due to the low energy of striking ions [2]. Recent experiment [2] shows three-log reduction within 180-s treatment of S. mutans with a low-power palm-size microwave power module for biomedical application. Experiments using microwave plasma are discussed. This low-power palm-size microwave power module board includes a power amplifier (PA) chip, a phase locked loop (PLL) chip, and an impedance matching network. As it has been a success, more compact-size module is needed for the portability of microwave devices and for the various medical applications of microwave plasma source. For the plasma generator, a 1.35-GHz coaxial transmission line resonator (CTLR) [3] is used. The way of reducing the size and enhancing the performances of the module is examined.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.199-199
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• 2013

The distinctive cellular and mitochondrial dysfunctions of a human epithelial lung cancer cell line (H460) from a human lung fibroblastic normal cell line (MRC5) have been studied by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment. The DBD plasma device have generated large amount of H2O2 and NOx in culture media which is dependent on plasma exposure time. It is found that the cell number of lung cancer cell H460 has been reduced more than the lung normal cell MRC5 as being increased exposure and incubation time. Also these both cell lines have showed mitochondria fragmentation under 5 minutes' plasma exposure, which is a clue of apoptosis. It is noted in this study that AnnexinV staining has showed not only early apoptosis, but also late apoptosis in lung cancer cell H460. Mitochondria enzyme activity and ATP generation have been also much reduced in lung cancer cell H460. Their mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\psi}m$) has been found to be reduced in magnitude and shifted to the induced-potential level of cccp, while MRC5 mitochondrial membrane potential has been shifted slightly to that. These distinctively selective responses of lung cancer cell H460 from lung normal cell MRC5 gives us possibility of applying plasma to cancer therapy.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2010

We measured the temperature of target surface inducing by various physical phenomenon on magnetron sputtering target and confirmed the possibilities if the temperature distribution could affect plasma and deposited thin film. The target of magnetron sputtering has two types: round type and rectangular type. In a rectangular target, the concentrated discharge area by corner effect by magnetic field and non-uniform erosion of target are generated. And we found the generation of non-uniform temperature distribution on the target surface from this. This area was $10{\sim}20^{\circ}C$ higher than non-sputtering area. And if particles are generated during sputtering process, they were $20^{\circ}C$ higher than the area where is higher than non-sputtering area. These effects result in non-uniformity of thin films, crack of ceramic target, and shortening target life by non-uniform erosion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.489.2-489.2
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• 2014

The planar type flexible piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEH) based on PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) thin films on the flexible substrates are demonstrated to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. The planar type energy harvesters have been realized, which have an electrode pair on the PZT thin films. The PZT thin films were deposited on double side polished sapphire substrates using conventional RF-magnetron sputtering. The PZT thin films on the sapphire substrates were transferred by PDMS stamp with laser lift-off (LLO) process. KrF excimer laser (wavelength: 248nm) were used for the LLO process. The PDMS stamp was attached to the top of the PZT thin films and the excimer laser induced onto back side of the sapphire substrate to detach the thin films. The detached thin films on the PDMS stamp transferred to adhesive layer coated on the flexible polyimide substrate. Structural properties of the PZT thin films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To measure piezoelectric power generation characteristics, Au/Cr inter digital electrode (IDE) was formed on the PZT thin films using the e-beam evaporation. The ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties were measured by a ferroelectric test system (Precision Premier-II) and piezoelectric force microscopy (PFM), respectively. The output signals of the flexible PEHs were evaluated by electrometer (6517A, Keithley). In the result, the transferred PZT thin films showed the ferroelectric and piezoelectric characteristics without electrical degradation and the fabricated flexible PEHs generated an AC-type output power electrical energy during periodically bending and releasing motion. We expect that the flexible PEHs based on laser transferred PZT thin film is able to be applied on self-powered electronic devices in wireless sensor networks technologies. Also, it has a lot of potential for high performance flexible piezoelectric energy harvester.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.373-373
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• 2014

Resistive-change random access memory (ReRAM) device is one of the promising candidates owing to its simple structure, high scalability potential and low power operation. Many resistive switching devices using transition metal oxides materials such as NiO, Al2O3, ZnO, HfO2, $TiO_2$, have attracting increased attention in recent years as the next-generation nonvolatile memory. Among various transition metal oxides materials, HfO2 has been adopted as the gate dielectric in advanced Si devices. For this reason, it is advantageous to develop an HfO2-based ReRAM devices to leverage its compatibility with Si. However, the annealing temperature of these high-k thin films for a suitable resistive memory switching is high, so there are several reports for low temperature process including microwave irradiation. In this paper, we demonstrate the bipolar resistive switching characteristics in the microwave irradiation annealing processed Ag/HfO2/Pt ReRAM device. Compared to the as-deposited Ag/HfO2/Pt device, highly improved uniformity of resistance values and operating voltage were obtained from the micro wave annealing processed HfO2 ReRAM device. In addition, a stable DC endurance (>100 cycles) and a high data retention (>104 sec) were achieved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.398.1-398.1
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• 2014

The $Cu_2ZnSnSe_4$ (CZTSe) thin films solar cell is one of the next generation candidates for photovoltaic materials as the absorber of thin film solar cells because it has optimal bandgap (Eg=1.0eV) and high absorption coefficient of $10^4cm^{-1}$ in the visible length region. More importantly, CZTSe consists of abundant and non-toxic elements, so researches on CZTSe thin film solar cells have been increasing significantly in recent years. CZTSe thin film has very similar structure and properties with the CIGS thin film by substituting In with Zn and Ga with Sn. In this study, As-deposited CZTSe thin films have been deposited onto soda lime glass (SLG) substrates at different deposition condition using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique without post-annealing process. The effects of deposition conditions (deposition time, deposition temperature) onto the structural, compositional and optical properties of CZTSe thin films have been investigated, without experiencing selenization process. The XRD pattern shows that quaternary CZTSe films with a stannite single phase. The existence of (112), (204), (312), (008), (316) peaks indicates all films grew and crystallized as a stannite-type structure, which is in a good agreement with the diffraction pattern of CZTSe single crystal. All the films were observed to be polycrystalline in nature with a high (112) predominant orientation at $2{\theta}{\sim}26.8^{\circ}$. The carrier concentration, mobility, resistivity and optical band gap of CZTSe thin films depending on the deposition conditions. Average energy band gap of the CZTSe thin films is about 1.3 eV.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.258-258
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• 2014

Spark discharge in water generates shockwaves which have been utilized to generate mechanical actuation for potential use in pumping application. Discharge pulses of several microseconds generate shockwaves and vapor bubbles which subsequently displace the water for a period of milliseconds. Through the use of a sealed discharge chamber and metal bellow spring, the fluid motion can be used create an oscillating linear actuator. Continuous actuation of the bellow has been demonstrated through the use of high frequency spark discharge. Discharge in water forms a region of high electric field around the electrode tip which leads to the creation of a thermal plasma channel. This process produces fast thermal expansion, vapor and bubble generation, and a subsequent shockwave in the water which creates physical displacement of the water [1]. Previous work was been conducted to utilize the shockwave effect of spark discharge in water for the inactivation of bacteria, removal of mineral fouling, and the formation of sheet metal [2-4]. Pulses ranging from 25 to 40 kV and 600 to 900 A are generated inside of the chamber and the bellow motion is captured using a slow motion video camera. The maximum displacements measured are from 0.7 to 1.2 mm and show that there is a correlation between discharge energy input to the water and the displacement that is generated. Subsequent oscillations of the bellow are created by the spring force of the bellow and vapor in the chamber. Using microsecond shutter speed ICCD imaging, the development of the discharge bubble and spark can be observed and measured.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.174-174
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• 2014

Memristor devices are one of the most promising candidate approaches to next-generation memory technologies. Memristive switching phenomena usually rely on repeated electrical resistive switching between non-volatile resistance states in an active material under the application of an electrical stimulus, such as a voltage or current. Recent reports have explored the use of variety of external operating parameters, such as the modulation of an applied magnetic field, temperature, or illumination conditions to activate changes in the memristive switching behaviors. Among these possible choices of signal controlling factors of memristor, photon is particularly attractive because photonic signals are not only easier to reach directly over long distances than electrical signal, but they also efficiently manage the interactions between logic devices without any signal interference. Furthermore, due to the inherent wave characteristics of photons, the facile manipulation of the light ray enables incident light angle controlled memristive switching. So that, in the tautological sense, device orienting position with regard to a photon source determines the occurrence of memristive switching as well. To demonstrate this position controlled memory device functionality, we have fabricated a metal-semiconductor-metal memristive switching nanodevice using ZnO nanorods. Superhydrophobicity employed in this memristor gives rise to illumination direction selectivity as an extra controlling parameter which is important feature in emerging. When light irradiates from a point source in water to the surface treated device, refraction of light ray takes place at the water/air interface because of the optical density differences in two media (water/air). When incident light travels through a higher refractive index medium (water; n=1.33) to lower one (air; n=1), a total reflection occurs for incidence angles over the critical value. Thus, when we watch the submerged NW arrays at the view angles over the critical angle, a mirror-like surface is observed due to the presence of air pocket layer. From this processes, the reversible switching characteristics were verified by modulating the light incident angle between the resistor and memristor.