We have studied the thermal stability of NCM622 cathode material for Li-ion batteries using real-time synchrotron x-ray scattering below 600°C in both air and vacuum. The expansion of the mean particle size, which reached maximum values of 10.3 μm in air and 10.6 μm in vacuum at 200°C, was attributed to the dehydration of intergranular water within the NCM622 powders. Across all annealing temperatures, the amount of crystal NCM622 phase in air was consistently higher than that in vacuum. The crystal domain sizes in air showed less variation than that in vacuum during annealing from RT to 500°C. These indicate that the crystal NCM622 phase is more thermally stable during annealing in air than in vacuum. This stability is attributed to the presence of 21% oxygen in air, which is absent under vacuum conditions.
The direct utilization of steelmaking by-product gases in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) offers a promising pathway to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the steel industry. In this study, a Sr-deficient and Ni-doped double perovskite oxide, Sr1.95Fe1.35Ni0.15Mo0.5O6-δ (SFNM), was investigated as an anode material for direct Linz-Donawitz converter gas (LDG)-fueled SOFCs. A single-phase double perovskite structure was successfully obtained after calcination at 1,200°C for 12 h, while exsolved metallic Ni nanoparticles were generated on the SFNM surface after reduction at 800°C. Electrochemical performance was evaluated using H2, simulated-LDG, and CO/CO2 (85:15) fuels at 800°C. The maximum power densities achieved were 1.23, 0.70, and 0.40 W cm-2 for H2, simulated-LDG, and CO/CO2 fuels, respectively. Although CO-containing fuels exhibited lower opencircuit voltages and power outputs than H2, the SFNM anode maintained stable operation and appreciable performance under direct simulated-LDG utilization. Impedance analysis revealed that the increased polarization resistance in simulated-LDG and CO/CO2 atmospheres was mainly associated with fuel adsorption/desorption and gas diffusion, while interfacial charge-transfer resistance remained relatively small. The superior performance obtained with simulated-LDG compared to the CO/CO2 mixture was attributed to the presence of a small amount of H2, which facilitated anode reaction kinetics. These results demonstrate that SFNM is a promising mixed ionic-electronic conductor anode for the direct electrochemical conversion of CO-rich steelmaking by-product gases into electricity.
Wearable temperature sensors are becoming increasingly important for continuous health monitoring, personalized healthcare, and biointegrated electronic systems. However, conventional temperature-sensing platforms often suffer from limited thermal sensitivity, insufficient mechanical compliance, and unstable performance under repeated deformation, making it difficult to detect subtle physiological temperature variations in real time. Here, this tutorial status report presents a fabrication strategy for highly sensitive wearable temperature sensors based on gold-doped crystalline silicon nanomembranes. Gold diffusion into crystalline silicon introduces deep-level impurity states that modulate the Fermi level and shift the freeze-out region toward the physiological temperature range, enabling an ultrahigh negative temperature coefficient of resistance. By integrating the gold-doped silicon nanomembrane with a polyimide-supported ultrathin platform, neutral mechanical plane design, and serpentine mesh interconnects, the resulting device can provide high thermal sensitivity, fast response, conformal skin attachment, and stable operation under mechanical deformation. This fabrication approach is expected to broaden the use of impurity-engineered silicon nanomembranes in next-generation wearable sensors, flexible bioelectronics, and multifunctional healthcare monitoring systems.
This review offers a critical overview of recent developments in lead-free piezoelectric materials and flexible device architectures for self-powered wearable and Internet of Things systems. It examines the scientific and technological rationale for replacing conventional battery-dependent power sources with ambient mechanical energy harvesters, and it evaluates the relative merits of inorganic ceramics, organic polymers, and composite systems in achieving efficient electromechanical conversion under practical operating conditions. The discussion further considers compositional tuning, phase boundary engineering, microstructural optimization, and device-level integration as key strategies for improving piezoelectric output, mechanical compliance, durability, and manufacturability. By connecting fundamental materials design with application-driven device requirements, the review identifies the principal challenges and emerging directions necessary for the realization of reliable, scalable, and sustainable electronic platforms.
The development of a large-area solution process for CuO nanowires, which are promising p-type thin film transistors (TFT) channel materials, is required. To overcome the limitations of the existing high-vacuum and high-cost deposition process, a large-area Cu nanowire network was formed on the substrate using the Mayer rod coating method, and a CuO channel was implemented by subsequent thermal annealing. Consequently, p-type TFT with an on/off current ratio of 1.4×104 and a field-effect mobility µFE≈10-4 cm2/(V⋅s). was fabricated and optimized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that the sample annealed at 200°C exhibited an incomplete oxidation state with a mixed Cu/Cu2O phase and a high fraction of M-OH species (58.78%), resulting in a low on/off current ratio (≈1.2). In contrast, annealing at 450°C leads to a CuOdominant phase, where the fraction of lattice oxygen(O1) increases to 31.11% and the oxygen vacancy (VO) component increases to 7.15%, indicating a significant improvement in hole concentration and charge transport. These phase transitions and surface chemical changes are identified as the key mechanisms for the enhanced TFT switching characteristics. The low-cost, large-area Mayer rodbased solution process proposed in this study provides a basic process platform for p-type TFTs applicable to flexible wearables and display technologies and suggests the possibility of commercialization through additional optimization of bias stability in the future.
There is an increasing demand for freeform stretchable display technologies capable of overcoming spatial limitations in next-generation platforms such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). To realize such stretchable displays, all constituent materials—including semiconductors, electrodes, insulators, and substrates—must exhibit sufficient mechanical elasticity. To date, stretchable gate insulators have primarily relied on organic polymers such as poly(4-vinylphenol-co-methyl methacrylate) (PVP-co-PMMA). However, their practical application is significantly limited by poor electrical properties, including low dielectric constant and instability. In this work, we propose a novel gate insulator structure that minimizes the use of solution-based processes, which often suffer from poor uniformity and may damage underlying layers during fabrication. The proposed structure integrates the advantages of both organic and inorganic materials by employing a hybrid configuration. Specifically, high-k HfO2 thin films are deposited on both the top and bottom of an organic layer composed of PVP-co-PMMA, poly(melamine-co-formaldehyde) (PMF) as a crosslinking agent, and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) as a solvent. This inorganic–organic–inorganic structure effectively compensates for the inherent electrical limitations of organic materials. As a result, the fabricated thin-film transistors (TFTs) exhibit improved electrical performance and reliability compared to devices employing a single organic gate insulator.
The rapid advancement of large-scale language models and artificial intelligence technologies has highlighted the importance of data processing efficiency. This study outlines a measurement optimization method for high-speed pulse equipment to accurately analyze the operating dynamics of ReRAM, a core hardware component for simulating neural networks. An optimized evaluation methodology combining connection compensation and a dual-channel configuration was established to minimize measurement errors caused by parasitic resistance and capacitance during pulse measurements using the Keithley 4200A-SCS and 4225-PMU modules, and to address HRS/LRS measurement errors caused by mismatches between the measurement range and source limits. The proposed precision measurement guidelines can be applied to the evaluation of semiconductor devices that require pulse measurements, such as transistors and DRAM.
β-Ga2O3 is an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor promising for high-power electronic applications; however, heteroepitaxial growth on sapphire is challenging lattice and symmetry mismatch. In this study, β-Ga2O3 thin films were grown on C-plane sapphire substrates with various off-axis angles (0–12°) using mist-CVD, and the influence of substrate miscut on structural and optical properties was investigated. All films grown at 900°C exhibited (-201) oriented β phase. The crystal quality was strongly dependent on the off-axis angle, with intermediate off-axis angles (Δa = 6–8°) showing the narrowest rocking curve width. Off-axis substrates promoted step-aligned growth behavior compared to on-axis growth. Optical measurements revealed enhanced transmittance and wider bandgap values (4.92–4.95 eV) for off-axis samples compared to the on-axis film (4.69 eV). The findings provide practical guidelines for optimizing heteroepitaxial β-Ga2O3 growth on low-cost sapphire substrates for high-performance device applications.
Lead-free bismuth sodium titanate (BNT)-based ceramics have attracted strong attention as environmentally benign dielectric materials for high-efficiency electrostatic energy-storage capacitors. A key challenge is that pristine BNT typically exhibits large hysteresis, high remnant polarization, and limited dielectric reliability, which restrict recoverable energy storage and efficiency under practical electric fields. Here, we present a focused mini-review of recent studies to clarify how composition design, phase boundary tuning, defect chemistry, and microstructural control collectively enable slim or pinched polarization-electric field (P-E) behavior and improved energy-storage functionality in BNT-related bulk ceramics. The reviewed outcomes consistently show that stabilizing relaxor states governed by polar nanoregions (PNRs), often via solid-solution engineering and secondary relaxor/antiferroelectric-like incorporation, suppresses irreversible switching and reduces hysteresis loss, while densification and grain-size control enhance electrical homogeneity and breakdown strength. In addition, defect-mediated tuning of oxygen vacancy-related complexes is highlighted as an independent lever to control relaxor ergodicity and polarization reversibility, providing a complementary route to slim-loop optimization. These insights are expected to guide integrated design strategies that couple phase/relaxor-state engineering with defect and microstructure optimization, accelerating the development of reliable, temperature-robust, lead-free dielectric capacitors based on BNT-related ceramics.
This study investigates the effect of dielectric layer thickness on the electrical and reliability characteristics of BaTiO₃- based X8R multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) for automotive applications. MLCCs with 30 dielectric layers and thicknesses ranging from 5 to 30 μm were fabricated, and key parameters―including capacitance, equivalent series resistance (ESR), insulation resistance (IR), breakdown voltage (BDV), DC-bias characteristics, temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC), and ripple current-induced heating―were evaluated. The dielectric constant (~2,000) and sintering shrinkage (~-25%) were nearly independent of thickness, confirming stable microstructure formation. ESR increased with thickness, while normalized BDV (V/μm) decreased due to defect accumulation. IR improved with increasing thickness but dropped sharply above 125℃. Dielectrics thinner than 10 μm exhibited significant capacitance degradation under DC-bias and temperature variation, reflecting strong internal field effects. Ripple-induced heating correlated directly with ESR. These results indicate that, although thinner layers enhance capacitance density, reducing the thickness below 10 μm compromises bias stability and thermal reliability. A minimum dielectric thickness of 10 μm is therefore recommended to achieve an optimal balance between electrical performance and durability in high-reliability X8R MLCCs.
In advanced device technologies such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), nanoscale electronics, optoelectronic components, and piezoelectric devices, the demand for enhanced mechanical, electrical, and optical performance together with high reliability continues to grow. In response, a variety of functional thin-film materials have been developed; among them, Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) thin films with high piezoelectric coefficients have emerged as key materials for realizing highperformance sensors and actuators. However, residual stress within thin films can adversely affect device reliability, performance, and lifetime. This tutorial paper provides a practical and step-by-step guide to residual stress analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD) based on the sin²φ method. As a representative case study, we quantitatively analyze the in-plane residual stress of a PZT thin film deposited on a flexible metal-foil substrate. Residual stress was evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) in combination with the sin²φ method. The present analysis is expected to deepen understanding of residual-stress behavior in thin films and to inform stress-aware design and reliability optimization of PZT-based devices
Electrochemical water splitting has emerged as a pivotal technology for green hydrogen production, offering a viable pathway toward a sustainable energy future. Among various electrolysis systems, Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis is particularly noteworthy as a cost-effective solution capable of operating under the fluctuating power inputs typical of renewable energy sources. However, the overall efficiency of water splitting is fundamentally limited by the oxygen evolution reaction, which exhibits sluggish kinetics compared to the hydrogen evolution reaction. While IrO2 and RuO2 serve as current benchmarks, their scarcity and high cost necessitate the development of earth-abundant alternatives. This review provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental OER mechanisms including the adsorbate evolution mechanism, lattice oxygen mechanism, and oxide path mechanism while highlighting how new pathways can circumvent traditional scaling relations. We discuss recent advancements in transition metal-based electrocatalysts, encompassing oxides, hydroxides, chalcogenides, phosphides, nitrides, and carbides, with a focus on innovative design strategies such as defect engineering, heteroatom doping, and heterostructure construction. This paper concludes by addressing current challenges and offering perspectives on future directions for the development of highly efficient and economically viable oxygen evolution electrocatalysts for large-scale applications.
This review systematically examines the structural characteristics, compositional design strategies, and recent research trends of layered double hydroxides (LDHs), which are recognized as promising electrocatalyst materials in electrochemical nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. Despite the rapid growth in related research, achieving simultaneous high selectivity and efficiency remains a significant technical challenge due to the complex mechanisms of the nitrate reduction reaction (NitRR) and its inherent competition with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this study, we analyzed the structural contributions of LDH catalysts for maximizing nitrate reduction efficiency and systematically established key catalyst design indicators required to ensure optimal performance. Specifically, we provide a detailed investigation of the physicochemical mechanisms for enhancing NH₃ production by precisely regulating the adsorption energies of reaction intermediates and maximizing charge transfer efficiency through compositional control and defect engineering. Furthermore, we discuss advanced structural design strategies, such as core-shell tandem structures, MOF-derived architectures, and interlayer anion control, as effective methods for enhancing catalytic performance and optimizing mass transport processes. These insights offer a strategic roadmap for designing high-performance LDH catalysts and represent a critical step toward the practical implementation of sustainable green ammonia production systems, particularly for integration into high-efficiency membrane electrode assembly (MEA) technologies.
As electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly adopted worldwide, large numbers are now transported by sea on dedicated car carriers. With this trend, concerns are increasing about fires and explosions caused by battery thermal runaway during marine transport, while existing SOC limits before loading remain largely empirical. This study experimentally investigates gas generation and explosion characteristics of EV lithium-ion cells under thermal runaway conditions representative of enclosed vehicle decks. We identify and quantify the main off-gas components and clarify the flammability behavior and explosion limits of key combustible species. The results provide basic data for assessing EV battery accidents at sea and support the development of safer ventilation and gas-management strategies for ships.
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, PM2.5, and PM0.1 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.
Humidity monitoring of exhaled breath has emerged as a vital approach for noninvasive respiratory health assessment, underscoring the need for sensitive and reliable humidity sensors. Despite its high conductivity and hydrophilic functional groups, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) often undergoes irreversible moisture adsorption and gradual oxidation by residual water, resulting in sensitivity degradation and long-term instability during cycling. In this study, a montmorillonite/reduced graphene oxide (MMT/rGO) composite is developed as a room-temperature humidity-sensing material, exhibiting an optimized response of 115%, more than 14 times higher than that of pristine rGO. This superior performance originates from the synergistic interaction between the reversible MMT swelling and the conductive rGO network near the electrical percolation transition, which ensures excellent stability and repeatability under repeated humidity cycles. These findings suggest that the MMT/rGO composite provides a cost-effective and biocompatible platform for next-generation wearable humidity sensors capable of continuous respiratory monitoring.
The growing demand for thinner, lighter, and more energy-efficient electronic systems has driven the development of acoustic technologies toward compact and flexible sound generation platforms. Despite significant progress, conventional electromagnetic speakers remain limited by bulky structures, energy losses, and poor compatibility with modern ultrathin devices. In this review, recent advancements in piezoelectric acoustic systems are presented, demonstrating a new generation of speakers capable of producing high-fidelity sound from ultra-slim, lightweight, and mechanically compliant designs. Through refined structural configurations and efficient electromechanical coupling, these piezoelectric exciters achieve strong acoustic output, fast response, and wide frequency operation while drastically reducing component thickness. These exciters also show their suitability for seamless integration into flexible displays, wearable devices, and automotive panels, offering enhanced spatial audio practicality and multifunctional operation, including demonstrative output and sensing. This advancement marks a step toward the convergence of acoustic, haptic, and interactive technologies, for the realization of sustainable and immersive humanmachine interfaces in future electronic and automotive systems.
e investigated the effects of post-annealing in vacuum, nitrogen, and hydrogen atmospheres on the structural, electrical, and optical properties of 600 nm thick Al-doped ZnO (ZnO:Al) thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Post-annealing in hydrogen atmosphere at 400℃ for 1 hour showed the most significant improvement in electrical properties. Resistivity decreased from 9.11×10⁻³ to 1.4×10⁻³ Ω·cm, electron mobility increased from 4.11 to 18.23 cm²/V·s, and electron carrier concentration increased from 1.63×10²⁰ to 4.85×10²⁰ cm⁻³. In contrast, post-annealing in vacuum and nitrogen atmospheres resulted in degraded electrical properties due to oxygen and nitrogen chemisorption at grain boundaries. The enhancement in hydrogen-annealed films was attributed to the formation of additional oxygen vacancies and desorption of adsorbed oxygen species from grain boundaries. All films maintained excellent optical transparency of 80-90% in the visible range. The optical bandgap exhibited a blue-shift from 3.365 eV to 3.624 eV due to the Burstein-Moss effect induced by the increased electron carrier concentration. These results confirmed that hydrogen atmosphere post-annealing is the most effective method for enhancing the electrical conductivity of ZnO:Al thin films while maintaining high optical transparency.
In this study, Y₂O₃ thin films were deposited on Si(100) wafers using an RF sputtering system with a Y₂O₃ target. The Y₂O₃ thin film was confirmed to have a thickness of 227 nm/min and a uniformity of 1.34% at a substrate temperature of 400℃. All samples were annealed at 600, 800, and 1,000℃ for 1 hour in an O₂ gas atmosphere using the furnace. The analysis of the XRD patterns revealed that the peak intensity increased with annealing up to 800℃, but decreased when the annealing temperature was raised to 1,000℃. The XPS analysis confirmed the onset of crystallization at 800℃, in agreement with the trends observed in the XRD results. According to the AFM results, the surface became slightly smoother after heat treatment, as indicated by a reduced RMS roughness of approximately 1.792 nm.
To ensure the long-term reliability of flexible photovoltaic (FPV) modules, it is crucial to develop an effective moisture barrier layer that prevents the infiltration of moisture and oxygen. We developed such a layer composed of parylene (700 nm) and AlOx (70 nm), optimizing its material properties, moisture-blocking performance, and processing conditions. The barrier layer applied to the Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) substrate demonstrated a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 6.33 × 10-2 g/m²/day and an average visible light transmittance (AVT) of 85.3% over the 380-780 nm wavelength range. For the FPV module with this barrier, Damp/Heat (DH) reliability testing was conducted at 85℃ and 85% relative humidity for up to 1,000 hours. During testing, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) decreased slightly from 25.4% (0 hr) to 24.7% (1,000 hr), reflecting a minimal reduction of only 0.7%. The primary cause of degradation was identified as a -4% relative change in shortcircuit current density (JSC) before and after DH testing. Consequently, the ETFE/parylene/AlOx multilayer moisture barrier proved highly effective in ensuring the long-term reliability of solar modules.
Silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) thin films are promising materials for copper diffusion barriers and hybrid bonding in semiconductor processes. Oxidation-resistant films are increasingly critical for realizing high-reliability devices, highlighting the need for process control and property evaluation. In this study, we analyzed the thin film properties as a function of tetramethylsilane (4MS) gas partial pressure ratio (PPR), deposition temperature, and dual-power plasma conditions in a PECVD-based SiCN deposition process. Based on the results, we experimentally demonstrated that the refractive index can be a valid indicator for oxidation resistance evaluation. The application of dual-power plasma conditions was instrumental in enhancing oxidation resistance. Under these conditions, the refractive index reached approximately 1.90 even at 200℃, comparable to values observed in films deposited at 350℃. These findings provide a basis for predicting oxidation resistance and optimizing low-temperature conditions, with applications in next-generation semiconductor and packaging technologies requiring high reliability.
Rietveld refinement has become an essential tool for the quantitative analysis of crystal structures in polycrystalline systems using X-ray diffraction data. This tutorial paper focuses on the background, case studies, and practical implementation of Rietveld refinement using the open-source software PROFEX. Key structural parameters, such as lattice constants and phase fractions, can be quantitatively extracted through full-pattern fitting. Case studies involving compositional variation, electric fields, temperature changes, and battery cycling demonstrate the broad applicability of Rietveld refinement in materials science, energy storage, and catalysis. A step-by-step procedure for performing Rietveld refinement is presented using Bi1/2Na1/2TiO3 perovskite ceramic as an example, providing guidance on software installation, preparing crystal structure information files, performing Rietveld refinement, evaluating results using R-factor and χ² values, and summarizing the results. This tutorial aims to improve understanding and accessibility of Rietveld refinement for researchers seeking to investigate structure-property relationships in complex material systems.
The rapid evolution of wearable technology has driven a surge in demand for sustainable, self-powered electronic devices. Flexible thermoelectric materials, capable of converting body heat into electricity, have emerged as a promising solution for powering next-generation wearables. This review comprehensively examines recent progress in organic (polymer-based) and hybrid thermoelectric materials, focusing on their design, fabrication, and integration into flexible architectures suitable for conformal contact with human skin. Key developments include advanced doping strategies, post-treatment techniques, and composite engineering, particularly in conductive polymers such as PEDOT: PSS and P3HT, which have significantly enhanced power factors and mechanical flexibility. Additionally, the integration of high-performance inorganic materials into stretchable systems has further elevated device efficiency and durability. The review highlights breakthroughs, ongoing challenges, and future opportunities in realizing practical, scalable, and high-efficiency wearable thermoelectric generators for sustainable energy harvesting applications.
Cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy provides valuable insights into the optical and electronic properties of materials by analyzing photon emission induced by electron beam excitation. In this study, we present a novel CL detection system integrated into a transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimen stage, enabling high-resolution optical analysis of internal microstructures. The system features a parabolic mirror, a focusing lens, and a UV-VIS range optical fiber to maximize light collection and transmission efficiency, with performance further enhanced by a liquid nitrogen cooling setup. Using this system, we successfully performed CL mapping of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and GaN thin films. The results revealed that threading dislocations act as non-radiative centers in GaN and locally increase the bandgap energy in InGaN MQWs, causing a blue-shift in CL emission. These findings support a model in which dislocations induce carrier delocalization, preserving high radiative efficiency despite high dislocation densities. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of the TEM-integrated CL system for nanoscale optical characterization, offering a new pathway for studying defect-related phenomena in semiconductor materials.
In this study, the dielectric and electrical properties of high-capacitance base metal electrode (BME) multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) fabricated using a BaTiO₃-MgO-Mn₃O₄-(Na₀.₅Bi₀.₅)TiO₃ (NBT)-(BaCa)SiO₃ dielectric system were investigated under reducing atmospheres with oxygen partial pressures (PO₂) ranging from 10⁻1⁰ to 10⁻12 MPa. By incorporating NBT, the dielectric performance remained stable across the entire range of reducing atmospheres. The fabricated MLCCs exhibited consistent capacitance values, low dielectric loss (<2.8%), and high insulation resistance, reaching up to 2.4 GΩ at 25℃ and 0.675 GΩ at 125℃. Furthermore, excellent breakdown voltage performance (up to 550 V at 25℃) and Class II-compatible temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) behavior were observed, meeting the X8R specification. The BaTiO₃-MgO-Mn₃O₄-NBT-(BaCa)SiO₃ dielectric system demonstrates that NBT can serve as a promising alternative to conventional rare-earth dopants in BME MLCCs, enabling excellent thermal and electrical stability, high capacitance, and longterm reliability even under reducing conditions. These results confirm the feasibility of developing cost-effective, sustainable, and rare-earth-free MLCCs for high-performance applications in automotive, industrial, and energy storage systems.
The continuous and long-lasting monitoring of physiological signals induced from the human body is crucial for health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and treatment. In this study, we have reported the Seebeck effect-based flexible selfpowered temperature sensor which can convert the electric signals from lateral temperature difference. For demonstrating temperature sensor arrays, the p-type thermoelectric (TE) composite films were fabricated by dispersing the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (BST) powders inside poly-vinylidene fluoride matrix and subsequently attached to the patterned electrode foils. The inorganic BST powders-embedded TE composite films with activated area of 0.5 × 1 cm² harvest a maximum voltage of 1.7 mV, a maximum current of 5.6 mA, and an output power of 2.6 nW from the temperature gradient (ΔT) of 20 K. Finally, the fabricated selfpowered temperature sensor array well detected the pattern images of external thermal source of ΔT = 20 K. This study manifests flexible temperature sensor array which paves the way for further advancements in this field.
Flexible micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) based on 2D MXenes offer strong potential for next-generation energy storage in wearable and integrated electronics, yet still face critical challenges such as limited energy density, mechanical reliability, and scalable large-area manufacturing. This review surveys recent strategies to address these limitations, with a particular focus on fabrication techniques and wafer-level integration approaches. Wafer-scale processing on both rigid and flexible substrates has emerged as a key milestone toward scalable, high-yield industrial production of flexible MSCs. By examining the strengths and drawbacks of current fabrication strategies, this review highlights essential directions for advancing MXene-based flexible MSCs toward practical and widespread application.
This study aimed to elucidate factors limiting power conversion efficiency (PCE) in GaN-based micro-light-emitting diodes (μ-LEDs). To this end, we investigated the effects of operating temperature and chip-size of μ-LEDs on their efficiency. For the investigation, 460 nm-emitting μ-LEDs with various chip-sizes were fabricated; then their characteristics were carefully measured from 100 to 400 K. As the chip-size decreases and the operating temperature increases, their PCE and external quantum efficiency (EQE) decrease, while voltage efficiency (VE) increases. This indicates that the EQE plays a more important role than the VE in determining the PCE of μ-LEDs. Particularly, for a chip-size of 20 × 20 μm2, the EQE was very lower and the ideality factor was unexpectedly higher compared to the others for all operating temperatures, which is believed to be due to the critical plasma damage at the sidewall during dry-etching process for the chip-size < 20 × 20 μm2.
Post-metallization annealing (PMA) has been employed in silicon-based CMOS fabrication to enhance MOSFET reliability and performance. However, although deuterium annealing can reduce interface traps between the Si and SiO₂ gate dielectric, it remains insufficient to fully passivate these traps. In this context, a multiple PMA process, including additional hydrogen annealing, is proposed to further reduce dangling bonds. Silicon-based MOSFETs are fabricated to verify the proposed annealing process architecture. Electrical characterization of the threshold voltage (VTH), subthreshold swing (SS), on-state current (ION), and carrier mobility (μn) is conducted to investigate the impact of the multiple PMA. This study provides a guideline for PMA in MOSFET fabrication, with improvements in both performance and reliability.
Piezoelectric materials, which convert mechanical energy into electrical signals, are widely used in various industrial applications such as sensors, actuators, and energy harvesting devices. This study aims to enhance the performance of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(Al1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O₃ (PMN-PAN-PZT) piezoelectric ceramics by investigating the effects of varying PAN and PMN content and adding Nb₂O₅ on their piezoelectric properties. The results show that with 2 mol% of PMN and PAN, the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region exhibits the highest piezoelectric properties. Additionally, excess Nb₂O₅ positively influenced the piezoelectric properties, maximizing electro-mechanical coupling factor (kp=63%, d33=440 pC/N). These findings contribute to developing next-generation high-performance piezoelectric materials, with potential for improved efficiency and performance in various industries.
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