• 한국재료학회지
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• 제15권10호
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• pp.621-625
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• 2005

Effects of rf power, pressure, sputtering gas composition, and substrate temperature on the deposition rate of the $WC_x$ coatings were investigated. The effects of rf power and sputtering gas composition on the hardness and corrosion resistance of the $WC_x$ coatings deposited by reactive sputtering were also investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) analyses were performed to determine the structures and compositions of the films, respectively. The hardnesses of the films were investigated using a nanoindenter, scanning electron microscopy, ana a salt-spray test, respectively. The deposition rate of the films was proportional to rf power and inversely proportional to the $CH_4$ content of $Ar/CH_4$ sputtering gas. The deposition rate linearly increased with increasing chamber pressure. The hardness of the $WC_x$ coatings Increased as rf power increased. The highest hardness was obtained at a $Ar/CH_4$ concentration of $10 vol.\%$ in the sputtering gas. The hardness of the $WC_x$ film deposited under optimal conditions was found to be much higher than that of the electroplated chromium film, although the corrosion resistance of the former was slightly lower than that of the latter.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.335-340
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• 2013

In this study, the plasma etching of the TaN thin film with $CH_4/BCl_3/Ar$ gas chemistries was investigated. The etch rate of the TaN thin film and the etch selectivity of TaN to $SiO_2$ was studied as a function of the process parameters, including the amount of $CH_4$. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to investigate the chemical states of the surface of the TaN thin film.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2008년도 추계학술대회 논문집 Vol.21
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• pp.102-102
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• 2008

Sapphire (${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$) has been used as the substrate of opto-electronic device because of characteristics of thermal stability, comparatively low cost, large diameter, optical transparency and chemical compatibility. However, there is difficulty in the etching and patterning due to the physical stability of sapphire and the selectivity with sapphire and mask materials [1,2]. Therefore, sapphire has been studied on the various fields and need to be studied, continuously. In this study, the etching properties of sapphire substrate were investigated with various $CH_4$/Ar gas combination, radio frequency (RF) power, DC-bias voltage and process pressure. The characteristics of the plasma were estimated for mechanism using optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The chemical compounds on the surface of sapphire substrate were investigated using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The chemical reaction on the surface of the etched sapphire substrate was observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the vertical and slope profiles.

• 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전기학회 1994년도 추계학술대회 논문집 학회본부
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• pp.243-245
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• 1994

We synthesized the conducting diamond-like carbon films using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and analysized its characteristics. We obtained the metal-containing diamond-like carbon films using $CH_4$, Ar gas and aluminum target. We observed the changes of electrical conductivity, microhardness and surface morphology according to $Ar/CH_4$ ratio, substrate bias and target bias. As the target bias and $Ar/CH_4$ ratio increase and the substrate bias decreases, the electrical conductivity and surface roughness increase. The increase of hardness involves decrease of the electrical conductivity. Metal-containing amorphous hydrogenated carbon films show improved adhesion on metal substrates compared to pure diamond-like carbon films and better electrical conductivity.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2012년도 제42회 동계 정기 학술대회 초록집
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• pp.408-408
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• 2012

It is well known that magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is nonvolatile memory devices using ferromagnetic materials. MRAM has the merits such as fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance and nonvolatility. Although DRAM has many advantages containing high storage density, fast access time and low power consumption, it becomes volatile when the power is turned off. Owing to the attractive advantages of MRAM, MRAM is being spotlighted as an alternative device in the future. MRAM consists of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal- oxide semiconductor (CMOS). MTJ stacks are composed of various magnetic materials. FePt thin films are used as a pinned layer of MTJ stack. Up to date, an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE) method of MTJ stacks showed better results in terms of etch rate and etch profile than any other methods such as ion milling, chemical assisted ion etching (CAIE), reactive ion etching (RIE). In order to improve etch profiles without redepositon, a better etching process of MTJ stack needs to be developed by using different etch gases and etch parameters. In this research, influences of $O_2$ gas on the etching characteristics of FePt thin films were investigated. FePt thin films were etched using ICPRIE in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mix. The etch rate and the etch selectivity were investigated in various $O_2$ concentrations. The etch profiles were studied in varying etch parameters such as coil rf power, dc-bias voltage, and gas pressure. TiN was employed as a hard mask. For observation etch profiles, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2015년도 제49회 하계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.143.1-143.1
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• 2015

An inductively coupled plasma source driven by 13.56MHz was prepared for the deposition of a-C:H thin film. Properties of the plasma source are investigated by fluid simulation including Navier-Stokes equations and home-made tuned single Langmuir probe. Signal attenuation ratios of the Langmuir probe at first and second harmonic frequency were 13.56Mhz and 27.12Mhz respectively. Dependencies of plasma parameters on process parameters were agreed with simulation results. Ar/CH4 plasma simulation results shown that hydrocarbon radical densities have their lowest value at the vicinity of gas feeding line due to high flow velocity. For input power density of 0.07W/cm3, CH radical density qualitatively follows electron density distribution. On the other hand, central region of the chamber become deficient in CH3 radical due to high dissociation rate accompanied with high electron density. The result suggest that optimization of discharge power is important for controlling deposition film quality in high density plasma sources.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정보디스플레이학회 2000년도 제1회 학술대회 논문집
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• pp.85-87
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• 2000

In this study, high-density plasma etching characteristics of ITO(indium tin oxide) films used for transparent electrodes in display devices have been investigated. The etch characteristics of ITO as a function of $Ar/CH_4$ gas mixtures were analyzed using QMS(quadrupole mass spectrometry), OES(optical emission spectroscopy), and ESP(electrostatic probe). ITO etch rates were increased with the addition of moderate amount of $CH_4$ to Ar due to the increased chemical reaction between $CH_3$ or H and ITO in addition to the physical sputtering of ITO by Ar ion bombardment. However, the addition of excess amount of $CH_4$ decreased the ITO etch rates possibly due to the increased polymer formation on the ITO surface. Also, the measurement data obtained by QMS and OES suggested that $CH_3$ radicals are more activity involved in the etching of ITO compared to H radicals.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.34-41
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• 2017

A 2.45 GHz microwave plasma with linear antenna has been prepared for hydrophobic and wear-resistible surface coating of carbon steel. Wear-resistible properties are required for the surface protection of cutting tools and achieved by depositing a hydrogenated amorphous carbon film on steel surface through linear microwave plasma source that has $TE_{10}-TEM$ waveguide. Compared to the existing RF plasma source driven by 13.56 MHz, linear microwave plasma source can easily generate high density plasma and provide faster deposition rate and wider process windows. In this study, $Ar/CH_4$ gas mixtures are used for hydrogenated amorphous carbon film deposition. When microwave power of 1000 W is applied, 40 cm long uniform $Ar/CH_4$ plasma could be obtained in gas pressure of 200~400 mTorr. The Vickers hardness measurement of hydrogenated amorphous carbon film on steel surface was evaluated. It was found the optimized deposition condition at $Ar:CH_4=25:25$ sccm, 300 mTorr with microwave power of 1000W and RF bias power of 100W. By deposition of hydrogenated amorphous carbon film, contact angle on steel surfaces increases from $43.9^{\circ}$ to $93.2^{\circ}$.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• 제12권5호
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• pp.2007-2013
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• 2017

In order to give hydrophobic surface properties on carbon steel, the fluorinated amorphous carbon films were prepared by using linear 2.45GHz microwave PECVD device. Two different process approaches have been tested. One is direct deposition of a-C:H:F films using admixture of $Ar/CH_4/CF_4$ working gases and the other is surface treatment using $CF_4$ plasma after deposition of a-C:H film with $Ar/CH_4$ binary gas system. $Ar/CF_4$ plasma treated surface with high $CF_4$ gas ratio shows best hydrophobicity and durability of hydrophobicity. Nanometer scale surface roughness seems one of the most important factors for hydrophobicity within our experimental conditions. The properties of a-C:H:F films and $CF_4$ plasma treated a-C:H films were investigated in terms of surface roughness, hardness, microstructure, chemical bonding, atomic bonding structure between carbon and fluorine, adhesion and water contact angle by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), nano-indentation, Raman analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.90-94
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• 2015

In this study, the characterizations of oxide contact hole etching are investigated with C₄F₈/O₂/Ar and CH₂F₂/C₄F₈/O₂/ Ar plasma. As the percent composition of C₄F₈ in a C₄F₈/O₂/Ar mixture increases, the amount of polymer deposited on the etched surface also increases because the C_xF_y polymer layer retards the reaction of oxygen atoms with PR. Adding CH₂F₂ into the C₄F₈/O₂/Ar plasma increases the etch rate of the oxide and the selectivity of oxide to PR. The profile of contact holes was close to 90°, and no visible residue was seen in the SEM image at a C₄F₈/(C₄F₈+O₂) ratio of 58%. The changes of chemical composition in the chamber were analyzed using optical emission spectroscopy, and the chemical reaction on the etched surface was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.