Piezoelectricity refers to the phenomenon where mechanical stress is converted into electrical signals or, conversely, electrical signals are converted into mechanical stress. Ferroelectric materials, characterized by high dielectric permittivity and spontaneous polarization, retain their polarization even after the removal of an electric field. In such materials, poling plays a crucial role in enhancing the piezoelectric effect, with the process of aligning dipoles being known as poling. This review focuses on studies that have compared and analyzed the enhancement of piezoelectric properties in ceramics and polymers through two representative poling methods: AC poling (ACP) and DC poling (DCP). Even within the same category of ceramics or polymers, variations in piezoelectric properties are observed based on the material type, poling method, and poling conditions. Under certain conditions, ACP has been shown to provide superior poling effects compared to DCP. Through this review, we propose that ACP has the potential not only to replace the traditionally used DCP in the poling of piezoelectric materials but also to serve as a more effective method. This could spark increased interest in the study of poling methods for piezoelectric polymers, a field that has received relatively less attention.
We investigated the potential of IO:H thin films and hydrogen doping to improve current density and fill factor for enhancing the performance of silicon heterojunction solar cells. We revealed that a transmittance of 86.7% and work function of 5.4 eV could be achieved by injecting 3 sccm of hydrogen gas. The lattice constant of 1.037 nm at the AB site indicates an anion antibonding tendency, and the work function increases as the Fermi level shifts to the valence band. Based on these findings, we fabricated a silicon heterojunction solar cell and achieved an efficiency of 18.53%, while computer simulation confirmed a conversion efficiency of 24.65%, an open-circuit voltage of 724 mV, and a fill factor of 82.72% at a current density of 41.15 mA/㎠.
Quantum computing is set to transform the field of materials science, offering computational methods that could far surpass conventional approaches for tackling intricate material design challenges. This review introduces the foundational principles of rapidly growing quantum computing and its application trends in the design and analysis of nanomaterials. We explain how quantum speedup, achieved through quantum algorithms utilizing qubit superposition and entanglement, is applied to material design. Additionally, the principles and research trends of quantum variational methods, including the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE), which has recently gained attention as a quantum algorithm simulation technique, will be discussed. By combining new techniques based on quantum algorithms with the quantum speed-up, the quantum computing is expected to offer new insights into data-intensive materials research and provide innovative methodologies for the development of new functional materials. With the advancement of quantum algorithms, the field of materials science could enter a new era, enabling more precise and efficient approaches in materials design and functional analysis.
In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, electronic devices are becoming increasingly miniaturized and lightweight to overcome spatial limitations, necessitating lower power consumption. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), which convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, offer an ideal solution as small-scale power generators for these compact devices. Recent research has focused on various materials and structural designs to maximize the output of triboelectric energy harvesters, highlighting the growing importance of theoretical structure analysis software for precise evaluation. COMSOL Multiphysics software provides an accurate method for simulating the electrical characteristics of TENGs. This Tutorial Status Report introduces the process of modeling TENGs and analyzing their electrical output using COMSOL Multiphysics
As the operating environment in semiconductor processes becomes demanding, research is being conducted to manufacture dense alumina substrates without defects after sintering to ensure high durability of electrostatic chucks, which are critical components in semiconductor equipment. Therefore, in this study, in order to manufacture green sheets with a high filling ratio for implementing a high-density substrate, alumina powders with average particle sizes of 2.07 μm (L) and 0.37 μm (S) were mixed in ratios of 9:1, 8:2, 7:3, and 6:4, respectively, and green sheets were manufactured and the filling ratio and sintering behavior were observed. Green sheets were fabricated by preparing a slurry using organic materials in Al2O3 powders of different particle sizes. The packing density of the green sheet mixed with L and S alumina powders with different average particle sizes in a ratio of 7:3 before and after binder burn-out showed the highest values of 3.19 g/cm3 and 2.87 g/cm3, respectively. As a result of observing the sintered density based on the mixing ratio of alumina powders revealed that the alumina sheet mixed at a 6:4 ratio of L and S powders, sintered at 1,700℃, exhibited the best sintering characteristics with a density of 3.96 g/cm³.
MBB (multi-busbar) technology is a module technology to achieve high power, and the use of a number of thin circular metal wires increases light-receiving capacity and reduces resistance. In the process of interconnection using a wire, the stress of the cell increases depending on the degree of coupling between the wire and the cell and the degree of damage caused by heat, or the mobility of current decreases due to poor bonding. The degree of such loss is affected by IR lamp, hot plate temperature and wire thickness. In addition, the values of contact resistance were compared and analyzed to analyze the cause of the decrease in electrical characteristics. In this study, process condition optimization was carried out through peeling test, SEM analysis, EL test, and pre/post bonding efficiency characteristic analysis of the bonded cell according to process conditions, compared the contact resistance.
Dielectric resonators with BT (BaTiO₃), TiO₂, and ZrO₂ powders without using the rare earth oxide powders were fabricated for the target relative permittivity of between 30 and 40 and the filter characteristics of metal cavity filter with the dielectric resonators inside were evaluated. Powder characteristics such as particle size distributions and specific surface areas were measured for the composing raw powders to evaluate the powder states. After measuring and comparing the relative permittivity and dielectric losses of the dielectrics of three different compositions, the specific composition was determined (BT:TiO₂:ZrO₂=1:4:1 in mole) and the dielectric resonators were fabricated with that composition, which shows relative permittivity of around 35. The powder characteristics of mixed powders with the determined composition were also evaluated to investigate any agglomerates possibly formed in the process of powder mixing. Dielectric resonators were fabricated by the powder compaction (compaction pressure: 31 MPa) and firing method. The peak firing temperature was 1,300℃ and the holding time at the peak temperature was 3 hours. After firing, cylindrical resonators with one end closed were mechanically machined to eliminate any size differences in dielectric resonator which can be caused by the shrinkage difference during each firing process of resonator fabrication. After measuring the resonator characteristic in the frequency range from 3.6 GHz to 3.8 GHz by changing the height of dielectric resonator, the height of the resonator was determined to be 11.7 mm. Finally, filter characteristics of TM (Transverse Magnetic) mode metal cavity filters with the dielectric inside were measured and evaluated. The metal cavity filters with the dielectric resonators showed the insertion losses of below 1 dB with the band widths of 200 MHz and over 20 dB return losses from 3.6 GHz to 3.8 GHz, whose filter characteristics well satisfied the requirements of the band pass filters for the base stations and it was proved that the dielectrics using the proposed composition could be used as dielectric resonator.
The display industry has recently been at the forefront of innovative advancements in modern electronic devices. Technological progress such as flexible display holds significant potential across various application fields, particularly in wearable devices and rollable displays. A low-temperature process is essential for fabricating such displays. One of the key technologies in displays is the thin film transistor (TFT), with amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) receiving particular attention. a-IGZO is widely applied in high-performance displays due to its high charge mobility and stability. While a thermal treatment above 350℃ is typically required to maximize the electrical performance of a-IGZO TFTs, such high temperatures pose challenges for utilizing polymer substrates like plastics. Here, we thesis investigates the simultaneous lowtemperature plasma annealing process to develop next-generation high-performance flexible display devices. To define the optimal temperature, devices were fabricated and analyzed at varying temperatures of 40℃, 80℃, 120℃, and 160℃. Experimental results indicated that devices fabricated at 160℃ and 80℃ exhibited superior performance, with those at 160℃ demonstrating better performance in terms of current ratio, threshold voltage, and subthreshold swing. These findings confirm that the simultaneous low-temperature plasma annealing process is effective for next-generation high-performance displays.
One method to increase the output of solar modules is the application of the Half-cut technique, which requires a scribing process involving direct irradiation of infrared lasers on the solar cells. During this process, the laser melts the surface of the solar cells at high temperatures, enabling mechanical division, but this can lead to output loss due to thermal degradation caused by the laser. To minimize such losses, a low-temperature and low-loss division method has been devised. In this study, we compared the electrical characteristics and leakage currents affecting output degradation between the newly devised low temperature and low-loss cell division method and the conventional laser division method. Additionally, we conducted a 3-point flexural test to evaluate the mechanical properties of both methods.
Human-centric lighting (HCL) aims to enhance well-being and performance by tailoring lighting to human needs. However, LED flicker-rapid brightness changes-remains a critical issue, causing discomfort and reduced productivity. This paper addresses flicker problems in living and industrial spaces with LED lighting. We propose solutions to mitigate flicker by examining causes like power supply variations and LED driver design. Techniques such as high-quality LED drivers, advanced dimming methods, and digital control systems are explored. Our findings show these techniques can significantly reduce flicker, achieving less than 1% flicker performance while meeting HCL’s diverse requirements. Implementing flicker-free lighting in residential spaces enhances comfort and reduces eye strain, while in industrial settings, it improves productivity and safety. This paper emphasizes the importance of control circuits that maintain sub-1% flicker performance while integrating various HCL solutions, enhancing indoor lighting quality, and promoting better health and performance.
Memristors, as next-generation memory devices, have garnered significant academic interest. Among them, TiO2/TiO2-x based memristors have particularly attracted substantial scholarly attention. Research on the activation and stability of TiO2 based memristor devices through process parameters is essential. Here, to determine the impact of process parameters on the activation of TiO2/TiO2-x based memristor devices, we fabricated the memristor devices using a sputtering system andconducted annealing at 400℃. Additionally, to analyze the electrical characteristics of the devices, we measured the I-V curves and C-V curves. Also, we examined TiO2/TiO2-x based memristor devices surface using SEM. Consequently, it was observed that the devices subjected to annealing exhibited improved hysteresis curves in the I-V characteristics, a reduced bandgap, and changes in resistance compared to the non-annealed devices. The retention test results further demonstrated that the set/reset characteristics of the devices were stable, confirming their potential applicability as memory devices.
Gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) is emerging as a next-generation power semiconductor material due to its excellent electrical properties, including an ultra-wide bandgap of approximately 4.8 eV and a breakdown electric field of about 7 MV/cm. However, its low thermal conductivity of around 0.13 W/cmK presents significant challenges to the performance and reliability of Ga₂O₃- based devices. In this study, we employed the Silvaco TCAD simulator to analyze the thermal and electrical characteristics of Ga₂O₃ Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with heat sinks of varying thermal conductivities. The results demonstrate that heat sinks with higher thermal conductivity effectively mitigate the temperature rise in the device, leading to an increase in current density. The limitation in heat dissipation due to parasitic on-state resistance not only affects device performance but also impacts longterm reliability. Therefore, this study contributes to the development of effective thermal management strategies for Ga₂O₃-based power semiconductors.
In this study, the electrical properties of a C0G (class 1 ceramic) dielectric composition with internal reducibility, specifically (Ba0.27CaSr)(Zr0.95Ti0.05)O₃, were investigated by fixing Ba at the A site and varying the Ca/Sr molar ratio. The potential application of this composition in high-permittivity C0G MLCCs was examined. The powder was calcined at 1,150℃ for 2 hours, as determined by TG-DTA analysis, and the resulting powder was ground to achieve a particle size (D50) of 0.35 to 0.4 μm and a specific surface area (BET) of 4.5 to 5.0 g/m². With a Ca/Sr molar ratio of 0.3, the composition (Ba0.27Ca0.17Sr0.56) (Zr0.95Ti0.05)O₃ exhibited electrical properties with a permittivity of 41.9, a loss of less than 0.008%, and an insulation resistance exceeding 2.2×10¹³ Ω. The feasibility of using this composition for high-capacitance C0G MLCCs was confirmed.
Recently, as environmental issues caused by gas stoves have led to the widespread adoption of induction appliances, specialized cookware for induction is essential. However, due to the inability of ceramic containers to be directly used on induction cooktops, a conductive coating is required on the bottom of the cookware, presenting limitations such as complex deposition processes and extended coating times in existing methods including thermal spraying, dip coating, and transcription method. We confirmed the potential of heat-resistant cookware for induction use by coating the bottom of the ceramic container with Ag through a simple manufacturing process of screen-printing and measuring its thermal conductivity and reliability. The Ag-coated ceramic cookware produced by screen-printing demonstrated similar thermal conductivity and reliability to those made using the traditional method of transfer printing. In addition, the adhesive strength before and after thermal shock testing was even superior in the screen-printing method, which suggests a higher expected lifespan. As a result, it is expected that induction-compatible heat-resistant ceramic containers with excellent performance and lifespan will be manufactured through the screen-printing process, which is more cost-effective and efficient compared to other methods.
Department of Electric Materials Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, Korea (Received June 13, 2024; Revised July 8, 2024; Accepted July 10, 2024) Abstract: Wide bandgap (WBG) devices, especially SiC, are gaining traction as materials for high-power EV conversion devices due to their superior efficiency and switching capabilities compared to Si-based power devices. SiC allows for high power, high temperature, and high frequency applications because of its outstanding thermal conductivity, saturation velocity, and dielectric breakdown field. SiC-based MPS diodes combine the advantages of SiC-based SBDs and PiN diodes, allowing high-frequency switching operation with low leakage currents under high voltage conditions. However, MPS diodes exhibit snapback phenomena influenced by the P+ region’s size, necessitating optimization. A TCAD simulation studied the impact of the P+ region’s depth and width on MPS diode performance. Increasing the P+ width raised the On-specific resistance (Ron,sp) and lowered the maximum voltage during snapback (Vsnap). Increasing the depth decreased both Breakdown voltage (BV) and Vsnap. A trade-off between the semiconductor performance index BFOM and Vsnap was identified, leading to optimized dimensions. The optimized MPS diode shows a low Vsnap of about 3.89 V and a high BFOM of 1.72 GW·㎠, highlighting its potential as a next-generation high-performance power conversion device.
First
Prev
