Dye adsorption is one of the most time-consuming processes in the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), typically requiring approximately 24 h at room temperature. In this study, the effect of adsorption temperature and time on photovoltaic performance of DSSCs was investigated in order to reduce processing time and improve device productivity. Nanoporous TiO₂ photoelectrodes were immersed in N719 dye solution at 60°C for 3 h, 10 h, 17 h, and 24 h, and their performance was compared with that of cells sensitized at room temperature for 24 h. Photovoltaic characterization under AM 1.5 illumination showed that DSSCs sensitized at 60°C exhibited improved performance compared to those sensitized at room temperature. The device sensitized at 60°C for 3 h showed comparable or higher conversion efficiency than the reference cell sensitized for 24 h at room temperature. The improvement in device performance is attributed to enhanced dye adsorption kinetics resulting from increased reaction rate between the carboxyl groups of N719 dye molecules and hydroxyl groups on the TiO₂ surface. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis revealed reduced recombination resistance at the TiO₂/dye/electrolyte interface for cells sensitized at elevated temperature. UV–Vis absorption analysis confirmed increased dye loading on the TiO₂ surface for the 60°C condition. These results demonstrate that elevated temperature dye adsorption significantly reduces processing time while maintaining photovoltaic performance, providing an effective strategy for improving manufacturing efficiency of DSSCs.

The continuous rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions highlights the urgent need for sustainable air purification technologies. Current Direct Air Capture (DAC) filters often rely on toxic amines, which limit long-term stability and safe application. Here, we report a non-toxic PAN-based nanofiber air filter fabricated by electrospinning and urea-assisted carbonization. Structural analyses confirmed the introduction of nitrogen functionalities that enhanced CO₂ affinity, while SEM and FT-IR revealed graphitic carbon formation. In air-chamber tests, the optimized carbonized nanofiber reduced CO₂ concentration from 25,000 ppm to 2,000 ppm, a level generally regarded as acceptable for indoor environments, while simultaneously removing over 95% of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM_0.1 particulates. This dual functionality, combined with facile fabrication and material safety, demonstrates strong potential for PAN-derived carbon nanofiber membranes in DAC systems and eco-friendly air purification devices. These findings suggest a viable pathway toward scalable, sustainable air-filter technologies for carbon-neutral applications.

Ceramic thin plates are widely utilized in various advanced technologies, such as fuel cells and heat dissipation substrates, due to their high mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. However, the trend of thinning ceramic plates increases warpage, which can critically affect product quality and reliability. Therefore, understanding and accurately measuring this warpage has become increasingly important. In this study, a non-contact measurement method, the light sectioning technique, was applied to measure the warpage of thin ceramic plates with a half-cell (anode/electrolyte) structure for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) by varying their area and thickness. The relationship between the physical properties of the thin plates and the warpage was analyzed. Additionally, a comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate warpage errors caused by compressive loads during the traditional contact measurement process. Finally, to verify the reliability of the non-contact measurement method, four types of non-contact measurement techniques - light sectioning technique, laser displacement measurement, optical confocal technique, and white-light interferometry technique - were used to compare warpage data by orientation. The results were also compared with those from contact measurement methods to analyze the average warpage values. Through this, the superiority and high reliability of the non-contact measurement method were demonstrated.

Aggressive device scaling has severely degraded the switching characteristics of CMOS transistors. This issue has led to the development of tunneling FETs (TFETs) as an alternative. TFETs, with their asymmetric doping of the source and drain regions, offer improved subthreshold swing (SS) compared to conventional MOSFETs. However, despite this advantage, TFETs still suffer from ambipolar current, which increases off-state current (IOFF). This paper introduces an approach to applying hetero gate dielectrics (HGDs) in nanosheet (NS) TFETs to reduce ambipolar current characteristics. The magnitude of the drain electric field is reduced by selectively forming a high-k dielectric near the source region This configuration allows the TFETs to avoid unintended band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) and suppress ambipolar current during the off-state.

The possibility of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) submodule was evaluated as an independent power source that can drive a smart liquid crystal window (SLW) that selectively blocks sunlight when electricity is applied. In order to save energy and increase the functionality of buildings, SLW operation was supplied directly from DSSC submodule, rather than connecting to the existing power system and external power sources. It was confirmed that the SLW can control light transmittance through self-generation using the DSSC submodule composed of 6 cells at low light of 2,500 lux. These results imply that there is a high possibility of combining smart windows and DSSCs suitable for window-type building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. DSSCs, which can self-generate power in low light, are expected to increase their usability in urban BIPV systems through combination with smart window technology.

This study proposes an innovative methodology for developing flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) capable of conforming to three-dimensional shapes, meeting the increasing demand for electronic circuits in diverse and complex product designs. By integrating a traditional flat plate-based fabrication process with a subsequent three-dimensional thermal deformation technique, we have successfully demonstrated an FPCB that maintains stable electrical characteristics despite significant shape deformations. Using a modified polyimide substrate along with Ag flake-based conductive ink, we identified optimized process variables that enable substrate thermal deformation at lower temperatures (~130℃) and enhance the stretchability of the conductive ink (ε ~30%). The application of this novel FPCB in a prototype 3D-shaped sensor device, incorporating photosensors and temperature sensors, illustrates its potential for creating multifunctional, shape-adaptable electronic devices. The sensor can detect external light sources and measure ambient temperature, demonstrating stable operation even after transitioning from a planar to a three-dimensional configuration. This research lays the foundation for next-generation FPCBs that can be seamlessly integrated into various products, ushering in a new era of electronic device design and functionality.

Oxygen evolution reaction is a critical bottleneck for the development of efficient electrochemical hydrogen production because of its sluggish reaction. Among various catalysts, transition metal-based layered double hydroxide has drawn significant attention due to their excellent catalytic properties and cost-effectiveness. This paper begins with basic crystal structures, and then conventional adsorbate evolution mechanism of layered double hydroxide. Strategies for enhancing catalytic properties based on adsorbate evolution mechanism and lattice oxygen mechanism that could surpass theoretical limit of adsorbate evolution mechanism are discussed. This paper ends with a brief discussion on the challenges and future directions of layered double hydroxide-based oxygen evolution reaction catalysts.

Currently, the most developed new energy source is solar energy. Because solar power is installed outside, it is exposed to many pollutants. Pollutants are causing the characteristics of solar energy to deteriorate. Therefore, this study aims to develop a water-repellent coating to prevent contamination of solar modules. Silica and Titania materials are mainly used as water-repellent coating materials. In this study, it was based on silica and the contact angle characteristics were measured according to the change in the amount of silica and ammonia water added and the number of coatings. As a result of the measurement, it was confirmed that the contact angle was more than 60 degrees when 0.5 mol of TEOS was added to 50 mL and 0.15 M when 1 mL of ammonia water was added to 296.47 ml of distilled water. And it was confirmed that the contact angle improved when the number of coatings was applied twice. A water-repellent coating material was applied to low iron tempered glass used to protect dye-sensitized solar cell modules. The characteristics of the module were measured after spraying DI-Water on low-emission tempered glass with a water-repellent coating. As a result of the measurement, the efficiency of the module without application, the efficiency of the module coated once, and the module coated twice were 4.87%, 4.90%, and 4.91%, respectively. It was confirmed that the efficiency of the module increased by applying water-repellent coating. As a result of this study, it is determined that the water-repellent coating material will help improve solar power generation efficiency and lifespan by being self-cleaning and non-reflective.

This study examines a manufacturing process for the photoelectrode material of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) intending to increase efficiency through the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of nanoparticles with a composite structure made of Ag and TiO₂. This invention involves the use of Ag and TiO₂ nanoparticles in the solar cell. These nanoparticles cause surface plasmon resonance, which amplifies and scatters incident solar energy, enhancing the dye’s rate of light absorption. It also makes it possible to absorb energy in wavelength ranges that were previously difficult to do, which increases efficiency. Centrifugal separation and heat synthesis are used to create the composite metal structures, and certain combinations are used to decide the particle morphologies. To increase the efficiency of organic solar cells and DSSC, the Ag/TiO₂ composite structure is therefore quite likely to be used.

Recently, as interest in personal hygiene has increased due to the community spread of COVID-19 and variant viruses, fixed and potable UV germicidal equipment to sterilize indoor spaces and hand-held UV germicidal equipment to sterilize household items such as masks and mobile phones are continuously being developed and sold. However, the development and sales of the product are difficult because appropriate testing methods have not yet been established. In this situation, if an uncertified product is distributed in the market, it can cause serious harm to consumers. In this study, we investigate the photobiological risks and safety devices against UV exposure of UV germicidal equipment distributed domestically, and propose appropriate test methods for portable UV germicidal equipment based on the research results.

In this paper, we discussed the effect of field plate dielectric materials such as silicon dioxide (SiO₂), aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), and hafnium oxide (HfO₂) on the breakdown characteristics of β-Ga₂O₃ Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). The breakdown voltage (BV) of the SBDs with a field plate was higher than that of SBDs without a field plate. The higher dielectric constant of HfO₂ contributed to the superior reduction in electric field concentration at the Schottky junction edge from 5.4 to 2.4 MV/cm. The SBDs with HfO₂ field plate showed the highest BV of 720 V, and constant specific on-resistance (R_on,sp) of 5.6 mΩ·㎠, resulting in the highest Baliga’s figure-of-merit (BFOM) of 92.0 MW/㎠. We also investigated the effect of dielectric thickness and field plate length on BV.

We investigated the microstructure, crystal structure, dielectric, and elecromechanical strain properties of lead-free BaTiO₃ (BT)-modified (Bi_1/2Na_1/2)TiO₃-SrTiO₃ (BNT-ST) piezoelectric ceramics. Samples were prepared by a conventional ceramic processing route. Temperature dependent dielectric properties confirmed that a phase transition from a nonergodic relaxor to an ergodic relaxor was induced when the BT concentration reached 1.5 mol%, interestingly, where the average grain size reached a maximum value of 4.5 μm. At the same time, enhanced electromechanical strain (S_max/E_max = 600 pm/V) was obtained. It is suggested that the induced ferroelectric-relaxor phase transition by the BT modification is responsible for the enhancement of electromechanical strain in 1.5 mol% BT-modified BNT-ST ceramics.

Bulk-sized PbTiO₃ (PT), which is widely known as a high-performance ferroelectric oxide but cannot be fabricated into a monolithic ceramic due to its high c/a ratio, was successfully prepared with a high tetragonality by partially substituting Ni ions for Pb ions using a solid-state reaction method. We found that Ni-doped PT was well-fabricated as a bulk monolith with a significant c/a ratio of ~1.06. X-ray diffraction on as-sintered and crushed samples revealed that NiTiO₃ secondary phase was present at the doping level of more than 2 at.%. Scanning electron microscopic study showed that NiTiO₃ secondary phase grew on the surface of PT specimens regardless of the doping level possibly due to the evaporation of Pb during sintering. We demonstrated that an unconventional introduction of Ni ions into A-site plays a key role on the fabrication of bulk PT, though how Ni ion functions should be studied further. We expect that this study contributes to a further development of displacive ferroelectric oxides with a high c/a ratio.

We report highly efficient quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) with TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as an alternative electron transport layer (ETL) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as an insulating layer. TiO₂ NPs were applied as ETLs of inverted structured QLEDs and the effect of the addition of PMMA between ETL and emission layer (EML) on device characteristics was studied in detail. A thin PMMA layer supported to make the charge balance in the EML of QLEDs due to its insulating property, which limits electron injection effectively. Green QLEDs with a PMMA layer produced the maximum luminance of 112,488 cd/㎡ and a current efficiency of 25.92 cd/A. We expect the extended application of TiO₂ NPs as the electron transport layer in inverted structured QLEDs device in the near future.

With the advent of the IoT (internet of things) era, there has been discussion on how to efficiently use various information from daily life. In academic and industrial society, various smart devices such as smart watches, smart phones, and smart glasses have been developed and commercialized for narrowing the physical/psychological distance with user information. According to recent developments of smart devices, the contemporary people have desired to check their body information and treat disease by themselves. According to the needs of the time, biological researches by phototherapy/monitoring have been actively conducted. Among various light sources, microLEDs have been spotlighted due to their superior optoelectric properties and stability. In this paper, we would like to review the state-of-the research results on the next-generation biological therapy devices via microLEDs.

Micro-LEDs can be applied to various parts of a product. However, it has disadvantages compared to general LEDs in large displays such as low efficiency, intensity, and contrast ratio, among others, owing to their short history of study. The simulations were carried out using ray-tracing software to investigate the change in light intensity and light distribution according to pattern shapes on the sapphire substrate of the flip-chip micro-LED (FC μ-LED) array. Three patterns-concave square patterns, convex square patterns, and Ag coated convex patterns-which existed on the opposite side of FC μ-LEDs (115 ㎛ × 115 ㎛) array, were applied. The intensity of FC μ-LEDs on the center of the receivers depends on the pattern depth with shape. The concave square patterns having FC μ-LEDs arrays show that decreasing intensity as the patterns depth. On the contrary, the convex square patterns having FC μ-LEDs arrays shows that increasing intensity as the patterns depth. In addition, the highest intensity shows that FC μ-LEDs having Ag-coated convex patterns on the opposite side of sapphire lead to a reduction in light crosstalk owing to the Ag film.

This study tested the electrical, structural, and thermal safety of LED lighting products, available on the market. Five recessed LED systems, 20 W each, and five fixed LED systems, 25 W each, were selected. Dielectric strength tests, live part electric shock protection tests, and thermal tests were conducted on the LEDs. These were key tests for user safety, according to the specification of the safety criteria for electric products, KC 60598-1, South Korea. In addition, the wiring temperature of UL1007, 60227 IEC 08, and UTP cables, was measured. The results of the study gave an in-depth examination of the safety of LED lighting systems for users.

In this study, the following results were obtained by analysis of electric properties with FT-IR, DSC, XRD, and SEM, in the range of temperature 30~160℃ and frequency 0.1~200 kHz, when filling agent (0~100 phr) and silicone oil (0~12 phr) were added to raw silicone rubber. In the case of 100 phr mixed samples, the relative dielectric constant εr gradually decreased from 4.3 to 3.96 as frequency increased, and the dielectric loss tan δ decreased to 0.01 at 300 Hz, then increased to 0.022 at 30 kHz, then decreased to 200 kHz. The FT-IR analysis identified the same binding structure according to the chemical composition of added silica (SiO₂). Through DSC analysis, we could determine the change of heat quantity and the glass transition temperature of each specimen. In the XRD analysis, it was found that the images SiO₂, TiO₂, and Fe₂O₃ appeared for specimens with 0%, 50% and 100% filling agent. Finally, the SEM analysis confirmed that particles of 0.5 to 1.5 μm size with silica (SiO₂) mixing were dispersed evenly.

It was proven that the light outputs of blue GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was seriously influenced by the application of external stress. We have simulated the wave function overlap of an electron and hole, which are significantly reduced by the development of stress. Consequently, its internal quantum efficiency decreased from 67.0% to 37.5%. To experimentally investigate the effect of stress, we designed and prepared a special zig system. By applying external tensile stress to compensate for the compressive stress innately developed in Blue LEDs, it was found that the optical output was greatly enhanced from 83.1 mcd to 117.2 mcd at a current of 100 mA, an increase of approximately 41%. In contrast, when the compressive stress is developed more by external compressive stress, we observed that the light output power was reduced from 89.0 mcd to 80.7 mcd, a decrease of approximately 9.3%.

Raman spectra of a-C:H thin films deposited with an unbalanced magnetron sputtering system showed that the G peak shifted to a higher wavenumber as the target power density increased and ID/IG ratio increased from 0.902 to 1.012. Moreover, the transmittance of a-C:H films fabricated at 60 nm tended to decrease with increasing target power density; at 550 nm in the visible light region, the transmittance decreased from 69% to 58%. The rms surface roughness values of the a-C:H thin films decreased with increasing target power density, and varied from 1.11 nm to 0.71 nm. In order to achieve efficient light trapping, the light scattering at the rough interface must be enhanced. Consequently, the surface roughness of the thin film will decrease with the target power density. Further, the refractive index and reflectivity of the a-C:H thin films increased with increasing target power density; however, the Brewster angle decreased with the target power density. Hence, dye-sensitized solar cells using an a-C:H antireflective coating increased the CE, VOC, and JSC by approximately 8.6%, 5.5%, and 4.5%, respectively.

Recently, the application field of solar panels is increasing. Accordingly, the demand for flexible devices is also steadily increasing. It is therefore necessary to develop TiO₂ paste for low-temperature annealing for flexible DSSC fabrication. In this study, the TiO₂ paste for low-temperature annealing with varying molar ratio of titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) was prepared, and DSSC was fabricated and its characteristics were compared. As a result, there was no deformation of the particles on the surface in the SEM data. However, the highest open circuit voltage, short circuit current, and fill factor were measured in the DSSC unit cell prepared by adding 0.5 mol of TTIP to the TiO₂ paste, and the highest efficiency was 4.148%.

Perovskite solar cells have received increasing attention in recent years because of their outstanding power conversion efficiency (exceeding 22%). However, they typically contain toxic Pb, which is a limiting factor for industrialization. We focused on preparing Pb-free perovskite films of Ag-Bi-I trivalent compounds. Perovskite thin films with improved optical properties were obtained by applying an anti-solvent (toluene) washing technique during the spin coating of perovskites. In addition, the surface condition of the perovskite film was optimized using a multi-step thermal annealing treatment. Using the optimized process parameters, AgBi₂I₇ perovskite films with good absorption and improved planar surface topography (root mean square roughness decreased from 80 to 26 nm) were obtained. This study is expected to open up new possibilities for the development of high performance AgBi₂I₇ perovskite solar cells for applications in Pb-free energy conversion devices.

Herein, for the quantitative analysis of the arc beads related to electric fire, we used electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), a measuring device for grain orientation of materials, we compared and analyzed the surface texture of primary and secondary beads according to the difference in cooling rate at ambient temperature. This analysis revealed that the primary beads showed similar distribution at both low and high angles, while the secondary beads showed a higher distribution at low angles than at high angles. Thus, EBSD can be used for quantitative analysis of the beads and can be applied to identify beads in the future.

Thermal and structural stability in the glass transition region of chalcogenide glasses has been investigated in terms of thermodynamics for application to various optoelectronic devices. In this study, the compositions of Ge_xSb₂₀Se_80-x (x = 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30) were selected to investigate the glass stability according to germanium ratios. The chalcogenide bulks were fabricated by using a traditional melt-quenching method. Thin films were deposited by a thermal evaporation system, maintaining the deposition ratio of 3~5 A in order to have uniformity. The thermal and structural properties were measured by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The DSC analysis provided thermal parameters and theoretical glass region stabilities. The XRD analysis supported the theoretical stabilities because of where the crystallization peak data occurred.

Recently perovskite materials with much cheaper cost and marvellous optoelectronic properties have been studied for next generation LED display devices overseas. Technology development trends of inorganic CsPbX₃(X=halogen) based LEDs (PeLEDs) with assumed high stability were investigated on literature worldwide. It was found that syntheses methods of these nanocrystals (NCs, mainly quantum dots, QDs) made great progress. A new room temperature synthesis method showed outstanding PL (photoluminescence) properties such as high quantum yield (QY), narrow emission width, storage stability comparable with, or often exceeding those of conventional hot injection method and CdSe@ZnS type inorganic colloidal QDs. PeLEDs with shell layers might be more promising, indicating urgent real research start of this solution processing technology for small businesses in Korea.

ZnO nanorods were grown on SiO2 coated Si wafers and glass by the hydrothermal method. The structural and optical properties variation of ZnO nanorods as a function of growing time was studied. ～10 nm-thick ZnO thin films deposited on substrates by rf magnetron sputtering were employed as seed layers. Zinc nitrate hexahydrate (0.05 M) and hexamethylenetetramine (0.05 M) mixed in DI water were used as a reaction solution. ZnO nanorods were respectively grown for 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, and 4 h by maintaining the reactor at 90℃. Crystallinity of ZnO nanorods was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, and the morphology of nanorods was observed by a field emission scanning electron microscope. Transmittance and absorbance were measured by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and energy band gap and urbach energy were obtained from the data. Photoluminescence measurements were carried out using Nd-Yag laser (266 nm).

In this paper, we fabricated flexible CNT/PVDF piezoelectric composite device by introducing CNTs (carbon nanotubes) into PVDF (poly-vinylidene fluoride) solution using spray coating technique. Flexible PEDOT:PSS conducting polymer was used as electrodes. We tried to improve the piezoelectric performance from the CNT/PVDF composite film by increasing the portion of the β-phase PVDF in the film. We confirmed the structural conformation of the CNT/PVDF composite film as a function of CNT concentration by using FT-IR (fourier transform infra-red). As increasing CNT concentration, portion of the β-phase PVDF and resulting piezoelectric performance increased in the CNT/PVDF composite film. We found that CNTs introduced were played as seeds for formation of the β-phase PVDF in the CNT/PVDF composite film and resulting improvement of the piezoelectric performance.

It is highly important issue to use an energy efficiently for sustainable prosperity of mankind. From this point of view, using LED lighting can be a good alternative because it has a lot of advantages such as high efficiency, long life time and eco-friendly manufacturing process. That is the reason why using LED lighting has been encouraged worldwide. However, in situations that LED lighting is replacing traditional lighting quickly, the problem of the flicker of LED lighting has emerged as an important issue. Therefore, in foreign countries like US or Japan in order to ensure the reliability of LED lighting, study for flickering effects of the human body and test methods are have been actively conducted. But related research in domestic situation is an insufficient condition. In this study, a flicker characteristic was measured conventional lamps such as incandescent lamps or fluorescent lamp and 81 items of LED lightings which are distributed in domestic markets.

Single-layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit more interesting physical properties than those of bulk TMDs owing to the indirect to direct bandgap transition occurring due to quantum confinement. In this research, we demonstrate that layer-by-layer laser etching of molybdenum diselenide (MoSe₂) flakes could be controlled by varying the parameters employed in laser irradiation (time, intensity, interval, etc.). We observed a dramatic increase in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity (1.54 eV peak) after etching the samples, indicating that the removal of several layers of (MoSe₂) led to a change from indirect to direct bandgap. The laser-etched (MoSe₂) exhibited the single (MoSe₂) Raman vibration modes at ~239.4 cm^-1 and ~295 cm^-1, associated to out-of-plane A_1g and in-plane E¹ _2g Raman modes, respectively. These results indicate that controlling the number of MoSe2 layers by laser etching method could be employed for optimizing the performance of nano-electronic devices.

The bonding characteristics of MLCCs (multi layer ceramic capacitor, C1608) lead-free solder (SAC305) joints were evaluated through thermal shock test (-40℃~125℃, total 1,800 cycle). After the test, IMCs( intermetallic compounds) growth and cracks were verified, also shear strengths were measured for degradation of solder joints. In addition, The thermal stress distributions at solder joints were analyzed to compare the solder joints changes before and after according to thermal shock test by FEA (finite elements analysis). We considered the effects of IMCs growth at solder joints. As results, the bonding characteristics degradation was occurred according to initial crack, crack propagations and thermal stress concentration at solder-IMCs interface, when the IMCs grown to solder inside.