This review introduces Corning’s Ribbon Ceramic process and the broader idea of ribbon ceramics―continuous, ultra-thin ceramic sheets made by tape or slot-die casting and fast, continuous sintering―covering key materials such as Al2O3, YSZ/ScSZ, PZT, LLZO, and LCO. Motivated by the need for scalable, energy-efficient ceramic components for electrification (green-hydrogen SOECs), next-generation Li-metal batteries, and compact piezo devices, we summarize capabilities and use cases using only publicly available information. Our main contribution is a clear platform view: continuous roll-to-roll conveyance with minutes-scale firing produces fully dense, fine-grained, high-purity ceramics at ~10-100 μm thickness with smooth native surfaces and controlled shapes, delivered as long rolls (up to ~300 ft), panels (~100 mm wide), or narrow strips (~0.5 mm). Illustrative results include 20-40 μm 3YSZ electrolytes for SOECs (high oxygen-ion conductance, ~1 GPa bend strength), LLZO garnet separators that cycle at 25℃ with interlayers, and free-standing LCO cathode ribbons tunable from dense to ~30% porous. For piezo acoustics, 60-80 μm PZT sheets (d33 ~300 pC/N) enable fine metallization and on-screen speakers, while fast firing reduces volatile loss and yields smaller grains. Together, these advances point to high-volume, lower-footprint manufacturing and faster adoption of novel ceramic membranes and substrates in SOEC/green-hydrogen systems, solid-state or hybrid lithium batteries, RF/power electronics, and piezo applications.
Nozzle-printing dispensers, which utilize air pulsation as a dispensing principle, operate by transmitting air pressure to the liquid to push a constant amount of liquid. Nozzle printers have the advantage of precisely controlling energy based on liquid properties, such as viscosity and surface tension, enabling the precise application of liquid at specific locations and quantities. This study introduces a printing process sequence using a nozzle printer equipped with a high-resolution vision alignment system. It compares printing patterns according to key process variables (jet pressure, tip height, and travel speed) that affect coating quality. Experimental results showed that a coating standard deviation of 2.14 μm was achieved at a moving speed of 20 mm/s and a nozzle height of 0.2 mm, resulting in the most stable and uniform coating quality. Through these experiments, optimal conditions were identified based on factors such as coating width, uniformity, and presence of discontinuity, and the effects of these conditions on the precision manufacturing process are discussed.
With the extensive industrial growth driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the excessive use of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions have accelerated global warming. Energy harvesting technologies have garnered significant attention as a potential solution to this issue. Among them, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as promising candidates for energy collection and conversion. However, TENGs typically face limitations in providing an efficient energy supply due to their high output voltage and low output current. To overcome these challenges, numerous studies have explored various methods to enhance the output performance by increasing the surface area of the triboelectric materials. Herein, we report a high-output TENG fabricated through a simple scratch process. By utilizing sandpaper, typically used for abrasion or polishing, the surface roughness of the triboelectric material PFA was increased through surface scratching. The surface-engineered TENG, prepared through this simple and rapid process, demonstrated enhanced output characteristics with a voltage of 276 V and a current of 72 μA, showing a 21% increase in voltage and a 41% increase in current compared to the non-engineered counterpart, providing sufficient energy to power an LED. These results indicate that the scratch-based surface modification process using sandpaper offers an effective solution for improving triboelectric output performance, establishing TENGs as a key contributor to sustainable energy supply.
The laser (LASER), originating from the principle of stimulated emission proposed by Albert Einstein, has been a catalyst for substantial advancements across numerous industrial and scientific domains. Initially confined to research and laboratory applications, the scope of laser technology has expanded rapidly over time. This expansion is primarily due to the laser's unique characteristics, such as high-density energy output and precise beam control, which have facilitated its widespread integration into contemporary industrial practices. Specifically, laser materials processing technology enables the machining of diverse materials, including metals, ceramics, and polymers, in a non-contact manner, thereby achieving high precision without the risk of wear or contamination. As a result, laser processing has become indispensable in fields such as advanced electronics manufacturing, medical device production, aerospace, and the automotive industry. Furthermore, laser materials processing exhibits significant potential for high-precision applications that demand minimal thermal deformation of materials, such as microfabrication and the production of complex geometries. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the development and necessity of laser processing technology, explores various laser types and their possible applications, and elucidates why laser technology has emerged as a fundamental component of modern manufacturing, alongside its trajectory for future development.
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.
Next-generation wide-bandgap semiconductors such as SiC, GaN, and Ga2O3 are being considered as potential replacements for current silicon-based power devices due to their high mobility, larger size, and production of high-quality wafers at a moderate cost. In this study, we investigate the gradual modulation of chemical composition in multi-stacked metal oxide semiconductor thin films to enhance the performance and bias stability of thin-film transistors (TFTs). It demonstrates that adjusting the Ga ratio in the indium gallium oxide (IGO) semiconductor allows for precise control over the threshold voltage and enhances device stability. Moreover, employing multiple deposition techniques addresses the inherent limitations of solution-processed amorphous oxide semiconductor TFTs by mitigating porosity induced by solvent evaporation. It is anticipated that solution-processed indium gallium oxide (IGO) semiconductors, with a Ga ratio exceeding 50%, can be utilized in the production of oxide semiconductors with wide band gaps. These materials hold promise for power electronic applications necessitating high voltage and current capabilities.
This paper is an experimental study on the optimal operating conditions of direct charging type electrospray for particulate matter collection. To perform the research, a direct charging type electrospray visualization system was configured to photograph the spray shape of microdroplets, and experiments were performed with varying electrode distance, flow rate, and applied voltage, which are the main factors affecting the particulate matter collection efficacy. Through image processing, the total number of microdroplets according to each condition was analyzed, and the number of microdroplets with a diameter of 1.5 mm or less was confirmed. In addition, by calculating the number of microdroplets per power consumption according to the applied voltage, the optimal operating conditions were derived in terms of energy consumption efficacy, and the microdroplet size distribution was analyzed under the optimal operating conditions. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the optimal operating condition was at a flow rate of 10 mL/min and a voltage of -20 kV in case of 5 mm electrode distance, and at a flow rate of 15 mL/min and a voltage of -30 kV in case of 100 mm electrode distance.
In recent years, the transparent amorphous oxide thin film transistor represented by indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) has become the first choice of the next generation of integrated circuit control components. This article contributes an overview of IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs), including their fundamental principles and recent advancements. The paper outlines various TFT structures and places emphasis on the fabrication process of the active layer. The result showed that the size of the active layer including the length-to-width ratio and the width could have a significant effect on the mobility. And the process of TFT could influence the crystal structure of IGZO thin film. Furthermore, the article presents an overview of recent applications of IGZO TFTs, such as their use in display drivers and TFT memories. At last, the future development of IGZO TFT is forecasted in this paper.
The value of experimentally obtained data becomes highest when they are properly analyzed based on valid logics. Many physical and chemical properties such as electrical and magnetic properties, chemical reaction rates, etc. are known to be thermally activated; thus, a proper understanding of thermally-activated processes is of importance. However, there are still a number of papers published with falsely analyzed data. In this contribution, we would like to revisit the meaning of thermally-activated processes, and then reanalyze a data set published misinterpreted. By showing a step-by-step procedure for the reanalysis, we would like to help researchers who may come across such data in the future not to make mistakes in their analysis.
Nano Pt particles were dispersed on carbon-based supports by a polyol process for a catalyst application in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. We tried to optimize the effect of pH on the electrostatic forces between the support and the Pt colloids. We investigated the relationship among the surface charges on the carbon support, the solution pH, and the concentration of a glycolate, and the Pt particle size. The produced catalyst with nano Pt particles on the support was evaluated by the long-term cyclic voltammetry (CV) performance test and compared with the results from a commercial catalyst. Our experimental results reveal that the pH-control can modify the particle size distribution and the dispersion of the nano Pt particles. This resulted in a cost-effective method for the synthesis of highly Pt loaded Pt/C catalysts for fuel cells better than a commercial catalyst system.
Recently, the global demands for high voltage power semiconductors are increasing across various industrial fields. The use of electric cars with high safety and convenience is becoming practical, and IGBT modules of 3.3 kV and 1.2 kA or higher are used for electric locomotives. Delicate design and advanced process technology are required, and research on the optimization of high-voltage IGBT parts is urgently needed in the industry. In this study, we attempted to design a simulation process through TCAD (technology computer-aid design) software to optimize the process conditions of the fielding process among the core unit processes for an especial high yield voltage. As well, the prior circuit technology design and a ring pattern with a large number of ring formation structures outside the wafer similar to the chip structure of other companies were constructed for 3.3 kV NPT-IGBT through a unit process demonstration experiment. The ring pattern was designed with 21 rings and the width of the ring was 6.6 μm. By changing the spacing between patterns from 17.4 μm to 35.4 μm, it was possible to optimize the spacing from 19.2 μm to 18.4 μm.
Currently, semiconductor manufacturing industry heavily relies on a wide range of high global warming potential (GWP) gases, particularly during etching and cleaning processes, and their use and relevant carbon emissions are subject to global rules and regulations for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. To replace high GWP gases in near future, dry etching using alternative low GWP gases is thus being under intense investigations. In this review, we report a current status and recent progress of the relevant research activities on dry etching processes using a low GWP gas. First, we review the concept of GWP itself and then introduce the difference between high and low GWP gases. Although most of the studies have concentrated on potentially replaceable additive gases such as C4F8, an ultimate solution with a lower GWP for main etching gases including CF4 should be developed; therefore, we provide our own perspective in this regard. Finally, we summarize the advanced dry etch process research with low GWP gases and list up several issues to be considered in future research.
YBa2Cu3O7-y bulk as a high temperature oxide superconducting conductor has the high critical temperature of 92 K. YBa2Cu3O7-y bulk superconductors have been fabricated by a seeded melting growth. Magnetic properties were studied by using superconductor of melted YBa2Cu3O7-y oxides. It was demonstrated that Y2BaCuO5 particles acts as a pinning center which plays an important role on the magnetic properties. The thickness of the upper and lower pellets of the YBa2Cu3O7-y bulk was formed at 40 mm with 55 g of the composition, and the YBa2Cu3O7-y superconductor was manufactured through a heat treatment process. Manufacturing the superconducting bulk, it is possible to improve the pore density of the superconducting bulk by providing a path through which oxygen could be emitted.
The gas insulation switchgear, which is a device for protecting a power system, cannot be supported by the insulation gas itself in a charge unit stored in a metal container. Therefore, molding technology is required to manufacture a gas insulation switch spacer. The APG method injection molding simulation was performed by applying the variables obtained through the physical properties of an epoxy composite used for manufacturing an insulating spacer to a moldflow software. After varying the temperature conditions of heater in the simulation, the thermal characteristics and the degree of hardening of the spacer were analyzed, based on which the optimum process conditions are presented.
High pressure deuterium (HPD) annealing is an advancing technology for the fabrication of modern semiconductor devices. In this work, gate-enclosed FETs are fabricated on a silicon substrate as test vehicles. After a cycle for the HPD annealing, the device parameters such as threshold voltage (VTH), subthreshold swing (SS), on-state current (ION), off-state current (IOFF), and gate leakage (IG) were measured and compared depending on the HPD. The HPD annealing can passivate the dangling bonds at Si-SiO2 interfaces as well as eliminate the bulk trap in SiO2. It can be concluded that adding the HPD annealing as a fabrication process is very effective in improving device reliability, performance, and variability.
The field of liquid crystal display (LCD) is constantly in the spotlight and the process of depositing an alignment layer in the LCD manufacturing process is very important to obtain excellent performance such as low-power driving and high-speed response to improve LCD performance. Therefore, research on liquid crystal (LC) alignment is being actively conducted. When manufacturing LCD, it is necessary to consider the effect of the alignment layer thickness as one of the factors affecting various LCD performances. In addition, previous studies confirmed the LC alignment characteristics correlate with the rotation speed in the spin coating process. Therefore, the electro-optical properties of the LCD were investigated by manufacturing a polyimide alignment layer by varying the rotation speed in the spin coating process in this study. It was confirmed that the thickness of the polyimide alignment layer was controlled according to the spin coating conditions. The average transmittances of anti-parallel LC cells at the spin coating speed of 2,500 rpm and 3,000 rpm are about 60%, which indicates that the LC cell has relatively higher performance. At the spin coating speed of 3,000 rpm, the voltage-transmittance curve of twisted nematic (TN) LC cell was below 1.5 V, which means that the TN LC cell operated at a low power. In addition, high-speed operating characteristics were confirmed with a response time of less than 30 ms. From these derived data, we confirmed that the ideal spin coating speed is 3,000 rpm. And these results provide an optimized polyimide alignment layer process when considering enhanced future LCD manufacturing.
Electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing, a type of direct contactless microfabrication technology, is a versatile fabrication process that enables a wide range of micro/nanopattern arrays by applying a strong electric field between the nozzle and the substrate. In general, the morphology and the thickness of polymers/quantum dot micropatterns show a systematic dependence on the diameter of the nozzle and the ink composition with a fully automated printing machine. The purpose of this report is to provide typical examples of e-jet printed micropatterns of polymers/quantum dots to explain the effect of each process variable on the result of experiments. Here, we demonstrate several operating conditions that allow high-resolution printing of layers of polymers/quantum dots with a precise control over thickness and submicron lateral resolution.
Two-dimensional materials have shown a great promise for the next-generation electronic materials due to their unique optical, physical, and chemical properties that are distinct from their bulk counterparts. Their atomic-level thickness, the feature for flexible tenability, and exposed huge surface allow various approaches for high-performance nanoscale devices. Especially, this review highlights the recent progress on two-dimensional dielectric nanosheets, which are obtained by cheap and mass-producible solution-based exfoliation process, accompanied by the preparation methods, various deposition methods, and the characteristics of devices using a dielectric nanosheet thin films. We also present a perspective on the advantages offered by this two-dimensional dielectric nanosheets for the upcoming future nanoelectonics.
Oxide YBCO bulk superconductors are manufactured using the melt process. Because seed crystal growth method utilizes a slow-spreading layer-by-layer reaction, a long-term heat treatment is required to manufacture a single-crystal specimen of several cm. In this study, the melt process method was applied to compensate for the shortcomings of the seed crystal growth method. The thickness of the upper and lower pellets of the YBCO bulk was molded to 40 mm, and YBCO superconductor was produced by heat treatment. The measurement results of capture magnetism was in line with the literature. This results in a relationship that the higher the growth of Y211 particle in the YBCO, the higher the superconducting properties. We analyzed the YBCO superconductor, focusing on the Y2BaCuO5 particle distribution.
For the last decades, a research hotspot for the halide perovskites (HPs) is now showing great progress in terms of improving efficiency for numerous photovoltaic devices (PVDs). However, it still faces challenges in the case of long-term stability in the air atmosphere. Defect-free high-quality HP single crystals show their promising properties for the remarkable development of highly efficient and stable PVDs. Here, we summarize the growth processing routes for the stable HP single crystals as well as briefly discuss the pros and cons of those well-established synthesis routes. Furthermore, we briefly include the comparison note between the HP single crystals and polycrystalline perovskite films regarding their device applications. Based on the future progress, the review concludes subjective perspectives and current challenges for the development of HPs high-quality PVDs.
In this study, composite transparent electrodes were fabricated either from a conductive polymer poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) or silver nanowire (AgNW). Three transparent electrodes such as PEDOT:PSS, PEDOT:PSS and AgNW mixture, and AgNW were fabricated. As for a transparent electrode, measured sheet resistance values were 89.6, 60.6 and 28.6 Ω/sq, and the transmittance values were 80.2, 82.0 and 83.8% while surface roughness (Rq) values were 4.1, 8.1, 20.4 nm for PEDOT:PSS, PEDOT:PSS and AgNW mixture, and AgNW, respectively. To verify the overall performance of these composite electrodes, we applied these electrodes to the top electrode of the solution-processed organic solar cells (OSCs). PEDOT:PSS provided the best performance with a fill factor (FF) of 51.2% and a photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.2%, while traditional metal top electrode OSC provided FF of 60.5% and PCE of 3.1%.
Focused electron beams with high energy acceleration are versatile probes. Focused electron beams can be used for high-resolution imaging and multi-mode nanofabrication, in combination with, molecular precursor delivery, in an electron microscopy environment. A high degree of control with atomic-to-microscale resolution, a focused electron beam allows for precise engineering of a graphene-based field-effect transistor (FET). In this study, the effect of electron irradiation on a graphene FET was systematically investigated. A separate evaluation of the electron beam induced transport properties at the graphene channel and the graphene-metal contacts was conducted. This provided on-demand strategies for tuning transfer characteristics of graphene FETs by focused electron beam irradiation.
The formation of inorganic thin films in low-temperature solution processes is necessary for a wide range of commercial applications of organic electronic devices. Aluminum oxide thin films can be utilized as barrier films that prevent the deterioration of an electronic device due to moisture and oxygen in the air. In addition, they can be used as the gate insulating layers of a thin film transistor. In this study, aluminum oxide thin film were formed using two methods simultaneously, a thermal process and the DUV process, and the properties of the thin films were compared. The result of converting aluminum nitrate hydrate to aluminum oxide through a hybrid process using a thermal treatment and DUV was confirmed by XPS measurements. A film-based a-IGZO TFT was fabricated using the formed inorganic thin film as a gate insulating film to confirm its properties.
Smart windows are used as windows and doors to determine the cooling and heating efficiency of a building. They have characteristics that can increase the energy efficiency of a building, which leads to energy savings. In addition, smart windows can control the amount of light transmitted from the external environment of a building to the interior of a building according to the needs of the user. In this study, a 297×210 mm2 liquid crystal cell capable of controlling light transmittance was fabricated using a liquid crystal device as an optical shutter. The effect of driving voltage on the transmittance and the effect of the thermal environment on the driving stability were analyzed. We confirmed the applicability of using smart windows as exterior building materials.
This study proposes a crack identification algorithm to analyze the surface condition of porcelain insulators and to efficiently visualize cracks. The proposed image processing algorithm for crack identification consists of two primary steps. In the first step, the brightness is eliminated by converting the image to the lab color space. Then, the background is removed by the K-means clustering method. After that, the optimum image treatment is applied using morphological image processing and median filtering to remove unnecessary noise, such as blobs. In the second step, the preprocessed image is converted to grayscale, and any cracks present in the image are identified. Next, the region properties, such as the number of pixels and the ratio of the major to the minor axis, are used to separate the cracks from the noise. Using this image processing algorithm, the precision of crack identification for all the sample images was approximately 80%, and the F1 score was approximately 70. Thus, this method can be helpful for efficient crack monitoring.
We investigated the effect of a post-annealing process using ultraviolet (UV) light on the electrical properties of solution-processed InZnO (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). UV light was irradiated on IZO TFTs for different time periods of 0s, 30s, and 90s. We measured transfer and retention stability curves to evaluate the performance of the fabricated TFTs. In addition, we measured height, amplitude, and phase AFM images to analyze changes in the surface and morphology of the devices. AFM measurements were performed by setting the drive amplitude of the cantilever tip to 47.9 mV in tapping mode, then dividing the device surface into 500 nm × 500 nm. In the case of IZO TFT irradiated with UV for 30s, the electron mobility and Ion/Ioff ratio were improved, the threshold voltage was reduced by approximately 2 V, and the subthreshold swing also decreased form 1.34 V/dec to 1.11 V/dec.
The alignment characteristics of liquid crystal (LC) molecules on a solution-derived lanthanum zinc oxide (LZO) film under ion-beam irradiation were demonstrated. Using the solution process, an LZO film was fabricated on the glass substrate and cured at 100℃. Afterwards, ion-beam irradiation was performed following the LC alignment method. Using this film, an LC cell was fabricated and the characteristics of the LC alignment were verified. Cross polarizing microscopy and the crystal rotation method were used to investigate the alignment state of the LC molecules on the LZO films. Furthermore, field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to explore the effect of the ion-beam irradiation on the LZO film. Through these, it was confirmed that the ion-beam irradiation induced surface modification, which demonstrated anisotropic physical and chemical surface characteristics. Due to this, uniform LC alignment was achieved. Finally, the residual DC and anchoring energy of the LC cell based on the LZO films were measured using a capacitance-voltage curve.
We prepared yarned carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers from a CNT forest synthesized on a Si wafer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The yarned CNT fibers were thermally annealed to reduce their resistance by removing the amorphous carbonaceous impurities present in the fibers. The resistance of the yarned CNT fiber gradually decreased with an increase in the annealing temperature from 200℃ to 400℃ but increased again above 450℃. We carried out thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to confirm the burning properties of the amorphous carbonaceous impurities and the crystalline CNTs present in the fibers. The pattern of the mass change of the sample CNT fibers was very similar to that of the resistance change. We conclude that CNT fibers should be thermally annealed at temperatures below 400℃ for reducing and stabilizing their resistance.
This paper reports the microstructure and electrochemical properties of Si-Al-Fe ternary amorphous alloys prepared by rapid solidification as an anode for lithium secondary batteries. The microstructure was analyzed using XRD and HR-TEM with EDS mapping. In accordance with DSC analysis, annealing was performed to crystallize the active nano-Si in the amorphous alloy. Thus, nano-Si forms (~80 nm) embedded in the matrix alloy, such as Fe2Al3Si3, FeSi2, and Fe0.42Si2.67, were successfully synthesized. The electrode based on the Si-Al-Fe ternary alloy delivered an initial discharge capacity of approximately 700 mAh g-1, and exhibited a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.0~99.6% from the 2nd to 70th cycles.
This paper proposes an easy algorithm for finding tapped-delay-line (TDL) filter coefficients in an adaptive filter algorithm using orthogonal input signals. The proposed algorithm can be used to obtain the coefficients and errors of a TDL filter without using an inverse orthogonalization process for the orthogonal input signals. The form of the proposed algorithm in this paper has the advantages of being easy to use and similar to the familiar recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithm. In order to evaluate the proposed algorithm, system identification simulation of the 11th-order finite-impulse-response (FIR) filter was performed. It is shown that the convergence characteristics of the learning curve and the tracking ability of the coefficient vectors are similar to those of the conventional RLS analysis. Also, the derived equations and computer simulation results ensure that the proposed algorithm can be used in a similar manner to the Levinson-Durbin algorithm.