In this study, we used I-V spectroscopy, photoconductivity (PC) yield and internal photoemission (IPE) yield using IPE spectroscopy to characterize the Schottky barrier heights (SBH) at insulator-semiconductor interfaces of Pt/HfO2/p-type Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors. The leakage current characteristics of the MIS capacitor were analyzed according to the J-V and C-V curves. The leakage current behavior of the capacitors, which depends on the applied electric field, can be described using the Poole-Frenkel (P-F) emission, trap assisted tunneling (TAT), and direct tunneling (DT) models. The leakage current transport mechanism is controlled by the trap level energy depth of HfO2. In order to further study the SBH and the electronic tunneling mechanism, the internal photoemission (IPE) yield was measured and analyzed. We obtained the SBH values of the Pt/HfO2/p-type Si for use in Fowler plots in the square and cubic root IPE yield spectra curves. At the Pt/HfO2/p-type Si interface, the SBH difference, which depends on the electrical potential, is related to (1) the work function (WF) difference and between the Pt and p-type Si and (2) the sub-gap defect state features (density and energy) in the given dielectric.

Hydrogen is considered a potential future energy source. Among other applications of hydrogen, hydrogen-rich water is emerging as a new health care product in industrial areas. Water electrolysis is typically used to generate a hydrogen rich water system. We annealed 10AA carbon paper in air to use it as an electrode of a hydrogen rich water generator. Driven by annealing, structural changes of the carbon paper were identified by secondary electron microscope analysis. Depending on the various annealing temperatures, changes of the hydrophilic characteristics were demonstrated. The crystal structures of pristine and heat-treated carbon paper were characterized by X-ray diffraction. Improvement of the efficiency of the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction was measured via linear voltammetry. The optimized annealing temperature of 10AA carbon paper showed the possibility of using this material as an effective hydrogen rich water generator.

Physical and chemical changes in a polished wafer and in 2.5μm & 4μm epitaxially grown Si layer wafers (Epilayer wafer) after surface treatment were investigated. We characterized the influence of surface treatment on wafer properties such as surface roughness and the chemical composition and bonds. After each surface treatment, the physical change of the wafer surface was evaluated by atomic force microscopy to confirm the surface morphology and roughness. In addition, chemical changes in the wafer surface were studied by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurement. Changes in the chemical composition were confirmed before and after the surface treatment. By combined analysis of the physical and chemical changes, we found that diluted hydrofluoric acid treatment is more effective than buffered oxide etching for SiO2 removal in both polished and Epi-Layer wafers; however, the etch rate and the surface roughness in the given treatment are different among the polished 2.5μm and 4μm Epi-layer wafers in spite of the identical bulk structural properties of these wafers. This study therefore suggests that independent surface treatment optimization is required for each wafer type, 2.5μm and 4μm, due to the meaningful differences in the initial surface chemical and physical properties.