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Review Paper

Tutorial Status Report

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.
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Research Articles

Regular Paper

Solvent-Dependent Crystallization and Charge Transport Evolution in Thermally Annealed P3HT:PCBM Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells
Dong-Kyun Kim, Byungyou Hong, Hyung Jin Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2026;39(4):400-406.   Published online July 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2026.39.4.10
Organic solar cells based on bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structures have attracted considerable attention because of their low fabrication cost, mechanical flexibility, and compatibility with solution-processing techniques. In BHJ organic photovoltaic devices, nanoscale morphology and crystallinity of the photoactive layer critically influence photovoltaic performance. In this study, the effects of solvent selection and thermal annealing on crystallization evolution and photovoltaic characteristics of P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells were systematically investigated. Three different solvents, including toluene, chlorobenzene (CB), and dichlorobenzene (DCB), were employed for active-layer fabrication, followed by post-thermal annealing treatment. UV–visible absorption spectroscopy revealed solvent-dependent differences in molecular ordering and intermolecular π–π interactions within the active layer. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that thermal annealing significantly enhanced crystallinity and lamellar ordering of P3HT domains, particularly for CB-processed films. Electrical characterization demonstrated that solvent evaporation behavior strongly affects photovoltaic performance. Among the investigated devices, the thermally annealed CB-processed device exhibited the highest power conversion efficiency of 1.83% with an enhanced short-circuit current density of 7.057 mA cm⁻². The improved device performance is attributed to optimized crystallization behavior and balanced nanoscale phase separation induced by the moderate evaporation characteristics of CB. In contrast, although DCB-assisted films exhibited relatively strong optical absorption and enhanced crystallinity, excessively slow solvent evaporation likely induced excessive aggregation and coarse phase separation, limiting efficient photovoltaic characteristics. These results demonstrate that solvent engineering combined with thermal annealing is an effective strategy for controlling morphology evolution and crystallization behavior in P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells.
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Early Stage Report : Graduate Research

Electrical Characteristics of Oxide Thin-Film Transistors for Stretchable Displays Using a Triple-Layer Gate Dielectric
Chae Yeon Kim, Sung-Hwan Choi
J Electr Electron Mater 2026;39(3):281-287.
Published online May 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2026.39.3.7
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.
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Regular Paper

Enhanced Photoluminescence of CsPbBr3 via Improved Optical Transparency of Thermally Treated GaN Nanowires
Kwang Jae Lee, Jungwook Min
J Electr Electron Mater 2026;39(3):272-280.
Published online May 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2026.39.3.6
GaN nanowire (NW)-based hybrid structures have attracted attention for optoelectronic applications due to their high surface area and efficient carrier transport. However, the optical transparency of GaN NWs is often limited by unintended residual species accumulated on the surface and in the inter-wire regions, as well as defect-related absorption, leading to reduced light transmission. In this work, we demonstrate that thermal annealing significantly improves the optical transparency of GaN NWs grown on indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass substrates. The transmittance increased from 47.9% to 78.5% at 550 nm after rapid thermal annealing at 800oC for 3 min, while a comparable value (~75.5%) was achieved at 600oC for 5 min. PbBr3 was deposited onto the GaN NWs to form hybrid structures, and temperature-dependent photoluminescence (TDPL) measurements revealed enhanced emission stability with suppressed peak shift and reduced spectral broadening. Arrhenius analysis based on a two-channel model revealed that the activation energy of the dominant non-radiative recombination pathway increased from 62 meV in the as-grown sample to 85 meV after thermal annealing, while its relative contribution remained nearly unchanged. In contrast, the shallow trap-assisted pathway exhibited a similar activation energy of approximately 6 meV in both samples, but its contribution decreased from 0.35 to 0.17 after annealing. As a result, the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) improved from 75.9% to 87.4%. These results show that thermal annealing improves optical transparency by removing residuals and suppresses defect-related recombination, leading to enhanced carrier dynamics and improved optical performance of PbBr3-based hybrid structures.
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Recent Advances in Artificial Synapses and Neurons Based on Organic Electrochemical Transistors
Hyunhak Jeong
J Electr Electron Mater 2026;39(2):147-162.
Published online March 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2026.39.2.4
Neuromorphic computing, which mimics the energy-efficient parallel processing capabilities of the human brain, has emerged as an alternative to traditional von Neumann architectures that struggle with high power consumption in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite the potential of Si-based neuromorphic chips, they often face fundamental limitations in integration density and biological compatibility, necessitating the development of next-generation devices that can better emulate the ionic signaling of biological systems. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the recent research trends in artificial synapses and neurons based on organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), highlighting their unique ability to achieve high transconductance and mixed ionic-electronic conduction at ultra-low operating voltages. We discuss how OECTs successfully replicate diverse synaptic plasticities and complex neuronal spiking behaviors through advanced material engineering and structural optimizations such as vertical architectures. Furthermore, this review discusses the implementation of high-order neural functions, including associative learning and logic operations, which are facilitated by the inherent electrochemical dynamics of organic semiconductors. Finally, overcoming current challenges in reliability and scalability will establish OECTs as a pivotal platform for low-power neuromorphic hardware and bio-integrated electronics.
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Enhanced Electrical Stability of MoS₂ FETs with Sb₂Te₃ vdW Contacts via h-BN Encapsulation
Eun Bi Lee, Se Hee Lim, Jae Mo Yun, Yoon Kyeung Lee
J Electr Electron Mater 2026;39(2):217-223.
Published online March 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2026.39.2.12
MoS₂ has attracted significant attention as a next-generation semiconductor material to overcome the physical scaling limits of silicon-based devices due to its atomic thinness and excellent electrical properties. However, high contact resistance and the formation of Schottky barriers resulting from interface defects during the metal deposition process remain major bottlenecks that degrade overall device performance and reliability. In this study, we fabricated MoS₂ FETs by employing Sb₂Te₃, van der Waals (vdW) contacts. Minimized interface inhomogeneity was achieved through a hemispherical stamp-based dry transfer of h-BN for device encapsulation. h-BN encapsulation decreased the hysteresis window in the ±25 V gate voltage range from 17 V to 11.5 V compared to un-capped devices, confirming that charge trapping phenomena induced by external environmental factors were suppressed. Consequently, the dry transfer technique of h-BN using a hemispherical stamp demonstrated in this study provides a potential solution for securing the long-term reliability of MoS₂ devices with vdW contact by minimizing interface contamination.
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A Study on the Explosion Characteristics of Off-Gases from Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Runaway for EVs Marine Transport Safety
Jeong-hoon Park, In-chul Park
J Electr Electron Mater 2026;39(1):52-58.   Published online January 1, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2026.39.1.6
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.
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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.
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Freeness-Dependent Performance Evaluation of Unbleached Kraft Pulp Insulation Paper for Eco-Friendly Electrical Insulation Applications
Chanyong Lee, Hangoo Cho, Jaehyeong Lee
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(6):666-671.   Published online November 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2025.38.6.9
To ensure high-voltage stability and thermal resistance of insulation paper used in transformers, this study evaluated the structural and electrical properties of four types of insulation paper samples fabricated using unbleached kraft pulp (UKP). The samples were prepared under controlled conditions with different freeness levels (300-700 ml). Tensile strength, dielectric constant, breakdown strength (dry and oil), volume resistivity, water absorption, and oil absorption were quantitatively measured. The sample with a beating degree of 300 exhibited the highest breakdown strength (53.85 kV/mm) and volume resistivity (1.49×1016 Ω·cm), whereas the samples with higher beating intensity showed improved fiber bonding and densification. These findings demonstrate the practical applicability of UKP-based insulation paper as a high-performance, eco-friendly insulating material for transformer systems, providing a scientific foundation for process optimization in insulation paper design.
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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.
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Research Trends on the Hole Transport Layer Interface in Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes
Seungmin Baek, Donghwan Yun, Gwang Yong Shin, Youngchae Cho, Hyeseon Shin, Mihyun Kim, Harin Kim, Gi-hwan Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(6):629-637.   Published online November 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2025.38.6.4
Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PELEDs) are emerging as promising candidates for next-generation displays, thanks to their narrow full width at half maximum and low-cost solution processing capabilities. Blue PeLEDs are essential for achieving a full-color gamut; however, efficiency and stability challenges limit their practical use. A primary bottleneck arises from interfacial issues between the perovskite emissive and charge transport layers. This review summarizes the key interfacial challenges hindering the performance of blue PeLEDs and highlights recent advances in interfacial engineering strategies. By focusing on interfacial engineering between the hole-transport layer and perovskite, this review compares different strategies and outlines future directions for developing high-performance blue light-emitting devices.
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Recent Advances in Transfer and Bonding of Micro-LEDs for Micro-LED Display Fabrication
Jungho Shin, Jiho Joo
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(6):604-616.   Published online November 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2025.38.6.2
Micro-LEDs, which have a chip size of less than 100 × 100 μm², have been potential candidates for conventional LCDs and OLEDs due to their high optical power, outstanding stability, and nanosecond response time. However, Micro-LED chips are fabricated only on limited substrates due to the high-temperature metal-organic chemical vapor deposition process and lattice-mismatch issues. Therefore, the fabrication of Micro-LED displays requires complex processes such as chip fabrication, transfer, bonding, and repair. Especially, Micro-LED transfer and bonding have been critical challenges for the Micro-LED display commercialization. Here, recent advances in the transfer and bonding of Micro-LEDs are introduced, and novel Micro- LED display fabrication methods are reviewed to provide a practical outlook for both mass production and commercialization of Micro-LED displays.
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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.
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Enhanced Ambipolarity of Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes by Thermal Annealing for High-Performance CMOS-like Circuits
Jeong-min Lee, Ji-yoon Jung, Kang-jun Baeg
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(5):530-537.   Published online September 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2025.38.5.8
With the advancement of the information society, the demand for highly integrated and multi-functional electronic devices is rapidly increasing. To meet these demands, high-performance transistors with low power consumption, high-speed operating, and mechanical flexibility are essential. Among various candidates, semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNT)-based transistors, which exhibit intrinsically ambipolar characteristics, have emerged as promising components for CMOS-like circuits. In this study, s-SWCNT were selectively dispersed using rr-P3DDT, a thiophene-based conjugated polymer, and filed-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated by inducting directional alignment for enhanced charge transport through an off-centered spin-coating process. The electrical characteristics of the fabricated s-SWCNT FETs were evaluated under various thermal annealing conditions (100℃, 150℃, 200℃, and 250℃). Off-centered spin-coated and high temperature annealed s- SWCNT FETs exhibited high field-effect mobilities over 5 cm²/Vs in both p-type and n-type operation, along with ideal Vshaped ambipolar transfer curves. These results indicate a significant enhancement in ambipolar performance due to efficient desorption of residual oxygen and water molecules in active channel via high temperature annealing. Furthermore, CMOS-like inverter circuits demonstrated an ideal inversion voltage (VIN = VDD/2) and a high voltage gain of approximately 9.5. These findings highlight the potential of SWCNT-based materials for realizing next-generation flexible electronic circuits that combine high-performance, energy efficiency, and simplified solution-processing.
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Phase Transition and Phase Fraction Analysis Using Rietveld Refinement
Gwangbo Sim, Muhammad Sheeraz, Hwan Min Kim, Sung-lae Cho, Chang Won Ahn
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(5):481-498.   Published online September 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2025.38.5.3
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.
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A Study on the Development of an Uninterruptible Diagnosis Determination Method for Molded Transformers Using Multiple Diagnosis Sensors
Seok Myung Bae, Yong Moo Chang, Hyo Jin Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(5):573-579.   Published online September 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JEEM.2025.38.5.14
With the rapid development of digital technologies such as IoT, AI, and big data, electrical energy consumption is rapidly increasing. Electrical facilities that supply electrical energy are operated with high reliability and stability for end-of-life time. In addition, depending on the type of electrical load that consumes electrical energy in various forms, electrical insulation systems deteriorate due to electrical and thermal stress, which reduces electrical and mechanical insulation strength. Due to such continuous stress and electrical transient phenomena, electrical facilities may experience electrical accidents due to electrical insulation breakdown before the expected design lifetime. In addition, periodic inspections according to related regulations must be conducted to prevent unexpected electrical accidents, but this leads to problems in which the electrical facilities cannot be turned off. Therefore, it is believed that an uninterruptible diagnostic judgment technique that determines compliance with related regulations such as electrical facility technology standards, internal wiring regulations, and inspection regulations without turning off the electrical facilities and at the same time detects abnormal conditions of the facilities early, it is possible to prevent electrical accidents and improve the efficiency of electrical facilities. In this paper, we propose an uninterruptible power diagnosis judgment technique that can prevent or reduce electrical accidents in cast-iron transformers by applying judgment criteria of diagnostic sensors for various types of measurement parameters that can diagnose and evaluate the presence or absence of abnormalities in electrical equipment, including partial discharge, and AI algorithms learned from data of diagnostic sensors.
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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.
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Improved Electrical Stability of In₂O₃ Thin-Film Transistors Through Temperature-Controlled H₂O₃ Processes
Jeong Hun Choi, Jae-yun Lee, Beom Gu Lee, Jeong Moo Seo, Sung-jin Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(4):418-424.   Published online July 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.4.10
In this study, we investigated the electrical stability and performance enhancement of In₂O₃ thin-film transistors (TFTs) through hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and ultraviolet (UV) treatment under controlled temperature conditions. The In₂O₃ TFTs were fabricated using a sol-gel process, followed by H₂O₂ treatment at 40, 50, and 60℃ in combination with UV irradiation. The impact of these processing conditions on the device characteristics, including mobility (μ), threshold voltage (Vth), subthreshold swing (S/S), and on/off current ratio, was systematically analyzed. The results indicate that the 50℃ TFTs exhibited the most stable electrical performance, with minimal Vth shift under negative bias stress (NBS) conditions and optimized switching behavior. Furthermore, static inverter measurements confirmed the reliable voltage transfer characteristics (VTCs) and gain performance of the optimized In₂O₃ TFTs. These findings suggest that the proposed H₂O₂ and UV treatment technique can effectively improve the reliability and long-term stability of In₂O₃-based electronic devices, making them promising candidates for future electronic applications.
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Effect of Concurrent Low-Temp Plasma Annealing on a-IGZO TFT Performance Over Time
Jeong Hun Choi, Jae-yun Lee, Beom Gu Lee, Jeong Moo Seo, Sung-jin Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(3):265-271.   Published online May 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.3.4
Recently, oxide semiconductors have assumed a pivotal role in electronic displays and transparent electronic devices such as amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO), characterized by high electron mobility and excellent stability. a- IGZO is very suitable for next-generation applications such as flexible displays because it is possible to manufacture highperformance transistors even at low temperatures. However, since the electrical properties tend to deteriorate in hightemperature environments, research aimed at improving thermal stability is needed. In this study, a low-temperature plasma annealing process was introduced to improve the high-temperature stability of the a-IGZO thin film. This process enhances electron mobility by reducing defects in the a-IGZO film and provides stable device performance even under high-temperature conditions. As a result of the experiments of 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, and 20 min, the a-IGZO TFT, which was subjected to plasma annealing at 160℃ for 5 min, showed the best electrical performance, especially in charge mobility and current-voltage characteristics. The technical potential for improving the performance of a-IGZO-based display device was emphasized, and the foundation for applying this power generation to flexible displays and next-generation electronic devices was laid. Future research will focus on determining the optimal annealing conditions by exploring various temperature ranges and plasma parameters to integrate these results into the actual device manufacturing process. These efforts are expected advance significantly to advancing next-generation high-performance display technology.
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Neuromorphic Characteristics of Sol-Gel AlOx-Based Floating Gate Memory Transistors with Phosphonic Acid Self-Assembled Monolayers
Hee-won Hwang, Sneha Bhise, Young-seok Song, Tae-wook Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(3):336-345.   Published online May 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.3.15
Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the biological mechanisms of neural signal transmission, has emerged as a promising technology for efficient and parallel data processing with minimal power consumption. In this study, we developed floating-gate organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) with self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-based tunneling layers to mimic the characteristics of artificial synapses. The tunneling layers were formed using mixed phosphonic acid SAMs with varying ratios of octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) and 12-pentafluorophenoxydodecylphosphonic acid (PFPA). The influence of these ratios on the memory and neuromorphic characteristics of the devices was systematically evaluated. Our results revealed that the ODPA ratio significantly impacts the hysteresis window, with higher ODPA content yielding improved memory characteristics. Conversely, the PFPA : ODPA ratio of 2:1 exhibited the lowest non-linearity (NL = 0.48), demonstrating the potential for highly accurate weight updates in neuromorphic devices. Additionally, pulse width modulation studies showed that a pulse width of 100 ms optimized the linearity and stability of long-term potentiation (LTP) and depression (LTD) characteristics. The combination of sol-gel processed AlOx as a floating-gate layer and tailored SAM-based tunneling layers allowed for precise control of device performance. These findings highlight the importance of molecular engineering in designing SAM layers to balance memory retention and neuromorphic functionality. This study provides a pathway for advancing organic floating-gate transistors as a core component in next-generation neuromorphic computing systems.
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Study on Multiple Post-Metallization Annealing for Enhancing the Performance and Reliability of Silicon MOSFETs
Sang-min Kang, Yu-jin Choi, Hyo-jun Park, Tae-hyun Kil, Ju-won Yeon, Moon-kwon Lee, Eui-cheol Yun, Min-woo Kim, Su-jin Jeon, Moon-seok Kim, Jun-young Park
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(2):187-192.   Published online March 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.2.9
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.
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Measurement of Transverse Piezoelectric Coefficient of Piezoelectric Thin Films Using Laser Doppler Vibrometer
Muhammad Sheeraz, Bong Chan Park, Chang Won Ahn
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(2):143-152.   Published online March 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.2.3
Piezoelectric thin films have become increasingly significant in applications such as MEMS devices, wearable electronics, and lab-on-a-chip systems due to the miniaturization and integration of electronic devices. For piezoelectric thin films, even when an electric signal is applied in the thickness direction, greater deformation can often be observed in the in-plane direction, which is perpendicular to the electric field. Therefore, piezoelectric thin film devices are frequently designed using the transverse mode. As a result, it is crucial to evaluate piezoelectric thin films by measuring their transverse piezoelectric coefficient. This tutorial paper introduces a method for evaluating the effective transverse piezoelectric coefficient (e31,f) of piezoelectric thin films using laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV). Additionally, the paper outlines a step-by-step procedure for measuring e31,f while using Bi1/2Na1/2TiO3-based piezoelectric thin films as an example. This tutorial is expected to provide a practical and valuable method for measuring and analyzing the transverse piezoelectric properties, thereby supporting the development of new piezoelectric thin film materials.
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Influence of Al Content on the Resonant Characteristics of Al-Mo Thin Film-Based SAW Devices
Jae-cheol Park
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(1):65-71.   Published online January 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.1.8
Al-Mo thin films were fabricated using combinatorial sputtering system to realize highly sensitive surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. The Al-Mo sample library was grown with various chemical compositions and electrical resistivities, which provided important information for selecting the most suitable materials for SAW devices. As the SAWs generated from piezoelectric materials are significantly affected by the resistivity and density of the interdigital transducer (IDT) electrodes, three types of Al-Mo thin films with different Al contents were fabricated. The thickness of the Al-Mo thin film used in the SAW-IDT electrode was fixed at 150 nm. As the Al content of the Al-Mo thin film decreased from 81.2 to 30.3 at%, the resistivity decreased slightly from 5.43±0.15 to 4.87±0.1×10-5 Ω-cm, whereas the calculated density increased significantly from 4.1 to 7.9 g/㎤. The SAW device composed of Al-Mo IDT electrodes resonated at 143 MHz without frequency shifts; however, the selectivity of the resonant frequency and insertion loss deteriorated as the Al content decreased. This suggest that the resonant characteristics of the SAW devices fabricated with Al-Mo thin films were more strongly influenced by the material density rather than the electrical properties of the IDT electrodes.
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Fabrication and Evaluation of Thin Film Transistors
Hana Kang, Hayoung Kim, Jaemo Yun, Yoon Kyeung Lee
J Electr Electron Mater 2025;38(1):33-41.   Published online January 1, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2025.38.1.4
In this study, the electrical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on oxide semiconductors were analyzed. As interest in next-generation transparent and flexible displays grows, ZnO, which offers high field-effect mobility and transparency, has emerged as a promising material to overcome the limitations of amorphous silicon (a-Si)-based TFTs. ZnO has a wide bandgap and optical transparency and can be deposited on various substrates at low temperatures, making it a suitable channel material for future display devices. In this study, ZnO TFTs were fabricated with an inverted staggered structure using a p++ Si wafer coated with SiO2 as the substrate. The ZnO channel layer was deposited by RF magnetron sputtering, and the ITO source/drain electrodes were formed using an e-beam evaporator. The electrical characteristics was evaluated using Keithley 4200A-SCS parameter analyzer. Mobility, On/Off ratio, and subthreshold swing (SS) were calculated from the measurements.
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Simultaneous Low-Temperature Plasma Annealing Process for Enhancing the Electrical Performance of a-IGZO Thin Film Transistors
Jung Hun Choi, Jae-yun Lee, Beom Gu Lee, Jung Moo Seo, Sung-jin Kim
J Electr Electron Mater 2024;37(6):630-636.   Published online November 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2024.37.6.8
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.
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A Study of Conductive Materials and Performance Comparison According to the Manufacturing Process for Induction Heating Ceramics Container
Jun-woo Lee, Ji-hui Oh, Yong-nam Kim, Sang-mo Koo, Dong-won Lee, Jong-min Oh
J Electr Electron Mater 2024;37(6):668-674.   Published online November 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2024.37.6.14
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.
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A Review of Electronic Devices Based on Halide Perovskite Materials
Hyeong Gi Park, Jungyup Yang
J Electr Electron Mater 2024;37(5):519-526.   Published online September 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2024.37.5.8
This review examines the use of halide perovskite materials in electronic devices, highlighting their exceptional optoelectronic properties and the challenges associated with them. Despite their potential for high-performance devices, practical applications are limited by sensitivity to environmental factors such as moisture and oxygen, etc. We discuss advances in enhancing stability and operational reliability, featuring innovative synthesis methods and device engineering strategies that help mitigate degradation. Furthermore, we explore the integration of perovskites in applications such as field-effect transistors and LEDs, emphasizing their transformative potential. This review also outlines future research directions, stressing the need for ongoing improvements in material stability and device integration to fully realize the commercial potential of perovskites.
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Recovery of Radiation-Induced Damage in MOSFETs Using Low-Temperature Heat Treatment
Hyo-jun Park, Tae-hyun Kil, Ju-won Yeon, Moon-kwon Lee, Eui-cheol Yun, Jun-young Park
J Electr Electron Mater 2024;37(5):507-511.   Published online September 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2024.37.5.6
Various process modifications have been used to minimize SiO₂ gate oxide aging in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). In particular, post-metallization annealing (PMA) with a deuterium ambient can effectively eliminate both bulk traps and interface traps in the gate oxide. However, even with the use of PMA, it remains difficult to prevent high levels of radiation-induced gate oxide damage such as total ionizing dose (TID) during long-term missions. In this context, additional low-temperature heat treatment (LTHT) is proposed to recover from radiation-induced damage. Positive traps in the damaged gate oxide can be neutralized using LTHT, thereby prolonging device reliability in harsh radioactive environments.
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Transparent Electrode Characteristics of SnO2/AgNi/SnO2 Multilayer Structures
Min-ho Hwang, Hyun-yong Lee
J Electr Electron Mater 2024;37(5):500-506.   Published online September 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2024.37.5.5
The transparent electrode characteristics of the SnO₂/AgNi/SnO₂ (OMO) multilayer structures prepared by sputtering were investigated according to the annealing temperature. Ni-doped Ag of various compositions was selected as the metal layer and heat treatment was performed at 100~300℃ to evaluate the thermal stability of the metals. The manufactured OMO multilayer structures were heat treated for 6 hours at 400~600℃ in an N₂ atmosphere. The structural, electrical, and optical properties of the OMO structures before and after annealing were evaluated and analyzed using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer, 4-point probe, XPS, FE-SEM, etc. OMO with Ni-doped Ag shows improved performance due to the reduction of structural defects of Ag during annealing, but OMO structure with pure Ag shows degradation characteristics due to Ag diffusion into the oxide layer during high-temperature annealing. The figure of merit (FOM) of SnO₂/Ag/SnO₂ was highest at room temperature and gradually decreased as the heat treatment temperature increased. On the other hand, the FOM value of SnO₂/AgNi/SnO₂ mostly showed its maximum value at high temperature(~550℃). In particular, the FOM value of SnO₂/Ag-Ni (3.2 at%)/SnO₂ was estimated to be approximately 2.38×10-2 Ω-1. Compared to transparent electrodes made of other similar materials, the FOM value of the SnO₂/Ag-Ni (3.2 at%)/SnO₂ multilayer structure is competitive and is expected to be used as an alternative transparent conductive electrode in various devices.
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Sintering Behavior of Borate-Based Glass Ceramic Solid Electrolytes for All-Solid Batteries
Jeong Min Lee, Dong Seok Cheong, Sung Hyun Kang, Tirtha Raj Acharya, Eun Ha Choi, Weon Ho Shin
J Electr Electron Mater 2024;37(4):445-450.   Published online July 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4313/JKEM.2024.37.4.13
The expansion of lithium-ion battery usage beyond portable electronic devices to electric vehicles and energy storage systems is driven by their high energy density and favorable cycle characteristics. Enhancing the stability and performance of these batteries involves exploring solid electrolytes as alternatives to liquid ones. While sulfide-based solid electrolytes have received significant attention for commercialization, research on amorphous-phase glass solid electrolytes in oxide-based systems remains limited. Here, we investigate the glass transition temperatures and sintering behaviors by changing the molecular ratio of Li2O/B2O3 in borate glass comprising Li2O-B2O3-Al2O3 system. The glass transition temperature is decreasing as increasing the amount of Li2O. When we sintered at 450℃, just above the glass transition temperature, the samples did not consolidate well, while the proper sintered samples could be obtained under the higher temperature. We successfully obtained the borate glass ceramics phases by melt-quenching method, and the sintering characteristics are investigated. Future studies could explore optimizing ion conductivity through refining processing conditions, adjusting the glass former-to-modifier ratio, and incorporating additional Li salt to enhance the ionic conductivity.
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