• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.287-291
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• 2012

We investigated the etching characteristics of TaN thin films in an $O_2/BCl_3/Cl_2/Ar$ gas using a high density plasma (HDP) system. A maximum etch rate of the TaN thin films and the selectivity of TaN to $SiO_2$ were obtained as 172.7 nm/min and 6.27 in the $O_2/BCl_3/Cl_2/Ar$ (3:2:18:10 sccm) gas mixture, respectively. At the same time, the etch rate was measured as a function of the etching parameters, such as the RF power, DC-bias voltage, and process pressure. The chemical states on the surface of the etched TaN thin films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Auger electron spectroscopy was used for elemental analysis on the surface of the etched TaN thin films. These surface analyses confirm that the surface of the etched TaN thin film is formed with the nonvolatile by-product.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.710-715
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• 1999

The purpose of this work is to develop a high-efficiency air cleaning system for air pollutants such as particulate and gaseous state in indoor environments. In order to enhance a removal efficiency of gaseous state pollutants, we suggested that pulsed discharge plasma be combined with $TiO_2$ photocatalyst (photocatalytic plasma air cleaning unit). We investigated experimentally the basic characteristics of photocatalytic plasma air cleaning unit and measured air pollutants removal efficiency. The wavelength of light radiated from pulsed discharge plasma under the atmospheric condition was 310~380nm. Its energy is enough to excite the $TiO_2$ photocatalyst and it makes a photochemical reaction in the surface of $TiO_2$ photocatalyst. The removal quantity of trimethylamine$((CH_3)_3N)\; was\; 130mg/m^34 which is twice quantity of pulsed discharge plasma without $TiO_2$ phtocatalyst unit. From the result of gas analysis using FT-IR, nitric oxide was not detected and trimethylamine was decomposed to $H_2O\; and \;CO_2$. And trimethylamine removal efficiency was 95%. These experimental results indicate that photocatalytic plasma air cleaning unit is a potential method in removing the pollutants.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2014

In this study, the etching characteristics of titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) thin films were investigated with the addition of $N_2$ to CF4/Ar plasma. The crystal structure of the $TiO_2$ was amorphous. A maximum etch rate of 111.7 nm/min and selectivity of 0.37 were obtained in an $N_2/CF_4/Ar$ (= 6:16:4 sccm) gas mixture. The RF power was maintained at 700 W, the DC-bias voltage was - 150 V, and the process pressure was 2 Pa. In addition, the etch rate was measured as functions of the etching parameters, such as the gas mixture, RF power, DC-bias voltage, and process pressure. We used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the chemical state on the surface of the etched $TiO_2$ thin films. To determine the re-deposition and reorganization of residues on the surface, atomic force microscopy was used to examine the surface morphology and roughness of $TiO_2$ thin films.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.373-373
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.300-300
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• 1999

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.642-647
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• 2007

We investigated dry etching of acrylic (PMMA) in $O_2/N_2$ plasmas using a multi-layers electrode reactive ion etching (RIE) system. The multi-layers electrode RIE system had an electrode (or a chuck) consisted of 4 individual layers in a series. The diameter of the electrodes was 150 mm. The etch process parameters we studied were both applied RIE chuck power on the electrodes and % $O_2$ composition in the $N_2/O_2$ plasma mixtures. In details, the RIE chuck power was changed from 75 to 200 W.% $O_2$ in the plasmas was varied from 0 to 100% at the fixed total gas flow rates of 20 sccm. The etch results of acrylic in the multilayers electrode RIE system were characterized in terms of negatively induced dc bias on the electrode, etch rates and RMS surface roughness. Etch rate of acrylic was increased more than twice from about $0.2{\mu}m/min$ to over $0.4{\mu}m/min$ when RIE chuck power was changed from 75 to 200 W. 1 sigma uniformity of etch rate variation of acrylic on the 4 layers electrode was slightly increased from 2.3 to 3.2% when RIE chuck power was changed from 75 to 200 W at the fixed etch condition of 16 sccm $O_2/4\;sccm\;N_2$ gas flow and 100 mTorr chamber pressure. Surface morphology was also investigated using both a surface profilometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The RMS roughness of etched acrylic surface was strongly affected by % $O_2$ composition in the $O_2/N_2$ plasmas. However, RIE chuck power changes hardly affected the roughness results in the range of 75-200 W. During etching experiment, Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) data was taken and we found both $N_2$ peak (354.27 nm) and $O_2$ peak (777.54 nm). The preliminarily overall results showed that the multi-layers electrode concept could be successfully utilized for high volume reactive ion etching of acrylic in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.401-408
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• 2012

High-voltage dielectric discharges are an emerging technique in environmental pollutant degradation, which that are characterized by the production of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation species. The initiation and propagation of the electrical discharges depends on several physical, chemical, and electrical parameters such as 1st and 2nd voltage of power, gas supply, conductivity and pH. These parameters also influence the physical and chemical characteristics of the discharges, including the production of reactive species such as OH, $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$. The experimental results showed that the optimum 1st voltage and air flow rate for RNO (N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline, indicator of the generation of OH radical) degradation were 160 V (2nd voltage of is 15 kV) and 4 L/min, respectively. As the increased of the 2nd voltage (4 kV to 15 kV), RNO degradation, $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$ generation were increased. The conductivity of the solution was not influencing the RNO degradation and $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$ generation. The effects pH was not high on RNO degradation. However, the lower pH and the conductivity, the higher $H_2O_2$ and $O_3$ generation were observed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.905-907
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• 2014

The plasma and microwave surface treatments of carbon nanotubes that loaded on plastic substrates were carried out with expecting a change of carbon nanotube dispersion by increasing treatment time. The microwave treatment process was undergone by commercial microwave oven (800 W). The electrical property was measured by hall measurement and resistance was increased by increasing $O_2$ flow rate of plasma, suggesting an improvement of carbon nanotube dispersion and a possibility of controlling the resistances of carbon nanotubes by plasma surface treatment. The resistance was increased in both polyethylene terephthalate and polyimide substrates by increasing $O_2$ flow rate. Resistance changes only slightly with different $O_2$ flow treatment in measure rho for all polyimide samples. Sheet resistance is lowest in polyimide substrate not due to high carbon nanotube loading but due to tendency to remain in elongated structure. $O_2$ or $N_2$ plasma treatments on both polyethylene terephthalate and polyimide substrates lead to increase in sheet resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2008.08a
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• pp.285-285
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• 2008

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.247-248
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• 2008

The etching characteristics of Titanium Nitride (TiN) and etch selectivity of TiN to $SiO_2$ and $HfO_2$ in $CH_4$/Ar plasma were investigated. It was found that TiN etch rate shows a non-monotonic behavior with increasing both Ar fraction in $CH_4$ plasma, RF power, and gas pressure. The maximum TiN etch rate of nm/min was obtained for $CH_4$ (80%)/Ar(20%) gas mixture. The plasmas were characterized using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) analysis measurements. From these data, the suggestions on the TiN etch characteristics were made.