• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.246-250
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• 2019

Nano-multilayered $Cr_{25.2}Al_{19.5}Si_{4.7}N_{50.5}$ films were deposited on the steel substrate by cathodic arc plasma deposition. They were corroded at $900^{\circ}C$ in $Ar/1%SO_2$ gas in order to study their corrosion behavior in sulfidizing/oxidizing environments. Despite the presence of sulfur in the gaseous environment, the corrosion was governed by oxidation, leading to formation of protective oxides such as $Cr_2O_3$ and ${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$, where Si was dissolved. Iron diffused outward from the substrate to the film surface, and oxidized to $Fe_2O_3$ and $Fe_3O_4$. The films were corrosion-resistant up to 150 h owing to the formation of thin ($Cr_2O_3$ and/or ${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$)-rich oxide layers. However, they failed when corroded at $900^{\circ}C$ for 300 h, resulting in the formation of layered oxide scales due to not only outward diffusion of Cr, Al, Si, Fe and N, but also inward movement of sulfur and oxygen.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2019

Titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) is a promising dielectric material in the semiconductor industry for its high dielectric constant. However, for utilization on Si substrate, $TiO_2$ film meets with a difficulty due to the large leakage currents caused by its small conduction band energy offset from Si substrate. In this study, we propose an in-situ plasma oxidation process in plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) system to form an oxide barrier layer which can reduce the leakage currents from Si substrate to $TiO_2$ film. $TiO_2$ film depositions were followed by the plasma oxidation process using tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (TDMAT) as a Ti precursor. In our result, $SiO_2$ layer was successfully introduced by the plasma oxidation process and was used as a barrier layer between the Si substrate and $TiO_2$ film. Metal-oxide-semiconductor ($TiN/TiO_2/P-type$ Si substrate) capacitor with plasma oxidation barrier layer showed improved C-V and I-V characteristics compared to that without the plasma oxidation barrier layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.5-8
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• 2000

The population density of excited species in dc, rf and laser ablation plume plasmas has been measured using laser absorption spectroscopy. It was shown that, when the plasma was modulated by on and off with, the sensitivity and signal to noise (S/N) ratio became high. For example, the atomic O(3$^{5}$ S$^{o}$ $_2$) Population density, No* in $O_2$/He mixtures was obtained by the highest S/N ratio at a frequency of 2.7kHz. In a 20Torr room air, the lowest No* level to be detectable was shown to be an order of 10$^{7}$ cm$^{-3}$ . The population densities of resonance Ar(1S$_2$) and Xe(1S$_4$) levels were also measured in barrier discharges and laser ablation plasmas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society Of Semiconductor Equipment Technology
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.139-145
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• 2005

In the study, in order to deposit TaN thin film using diffusion barrier and bottom electrode we made the Plasma Assisted ALD equipment and confirmed the electrical characteristic of TaN thin films deposited PAALD method, PAALD equipment depositing TaN thin film using PEMAT(pentakis(ethylmethlyamlno) tantalum) Precursor and $NH_3$ reaction gas is aware that TaN thin film deposited of high density and amorphous phase with XRD measurement The degree of diffusion and react ion taking place in Cu/TaN(deposited using 150 W PAALD)/$SiO_2$/Si systems with increasing annealing temperature was estimated from MOS capacitor property and the $SiO_2(600\;\AA)$/Si system surface analysis by C-V measurement and secondary ion material spectrometer(SIMS) after Cu/TaN/$SiO_2(400\;\AA)$ system etching. TaN thin film deposited PAALD method diffusion barrier have a good diffusion barrier property up to $500^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.435-438
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• 2004

MOCVD is one of the major deposition techniques for Cu thin films and Ta-Si-N is one of promising barrier metal candidates for Cu with high thermal stability. Effects of hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the underlying Ta-Si-N film surface on the Cu nucleation in Cu MOCVD were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron emission spectrometry analyses. Cu nucleation in MOCVD is enhanced as the rf-power and the plasma exposure time are increased in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment. The optimal plasma treatment process condition is the rf-power of 40 Wand the plasma exposure time of 2 min. The hydrogen gas flow rate in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment process does not affect Cu nucleation much. The mechanism through which Cu nucleation is enhanced by the hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the Ta-Si-N film surface is that the nitrogen and oxygen atoms at the Ta-Si-N film surface are effectively removed by the plasma treatment. Consequently the chemical composition was changed from Ta-Si-N(O) into Ta-Si at the Ta-Si-N film surface, which is favorable for Cu nucleation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.477-477
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• 2008

For more than three decades, the gate dielectrics in CMOS devices are $SiO_2$ because of its blocking properties of current in insulated gate FET channels. As the dimensions of feature size have been scaled down (width and the thickness is reduced down to 50 urn and 2 urn or less), gate leakage current is increased and reliability of $SiO_2$ is reduced. Many metal oxides such as $TiO_2$, $Ta_2O_4$, $SrTiO_3$, $Al_2O_3$, $HfO_2$ and $ZrO_2$ have been challenged for memory devices. These materials posses relatively high dielectric constant, but $HfO_2$ and $Al_2O_3$ did not provide sufficient advantages over $SiO_2$ or $Si_3N_4$ because of reaction with Si substrate. Recently, $HfO_2$ have been attracted attention because Hf forms the most stable oxide with the highest heat of formation. In addition, Hf can reduce the native oxide layer by creating $HfO_2$. However, new gate oxide candidates must satisfy a standard CMOS process. In order to fabricate high density memories with small feature size, the plasma etch process should be developed by well understanding and optimizing plasma behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary that the etch behavior of $HfO_2$ and plasma parameters are systematically investigated as functions of process parameters including gas mixing ratio, rf power, pressure and temperature to determine the mechanism of plasma induced damage. However, there is few studies on the the etch mechanism and the surface reactions in $BCl_3$ based plasma to etch $HfO_2$ thin films. In this work, the samples of $HfO_2$ were prepared on Si wafer with using atomic layer deposition. In our previous work, the maximum etch rate of $BCl_3$/Ar were obtained 20% $BCl_3$/ 80% Ar. Over 20% $BCl_3$ addition, the etch rate of $HfO_2$ decreased. The etching rate of $HfO_2$ and selectivity of $HfO_2$ to Si were investigated with using in inductively coupled plasma etching system (ICP) and $BCl_3/Cl_2$/Ar plasma. The change of volume densities of radical and atoms were monitored with using optical emission spectroscopy analysis (OES). The variations of components of etched surfaces for $HfO_2$ was investigated with using x-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS). In order to investigate the accumulation of etch by products during etch process, the exposed surface of $HfO_2$ in $BCl_3/Cl_2$/Ar plasma was compared with surface of as-doped $HfO_2$ and all the surfaces of samples were examined with field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscope (AFM).

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2008

We studied plasma etching of polycarbonate in $O_2/SF_6$, $O_2/N_2$ and $O_2/CH_4$. A capacitively coupled plasma system was employed for the research. For patterning, we used a photolithography method with UV exposure after coating a photoresist on the polycarbonate. Main variables in the experiment were the mixing ratio of $O_2$ and other gases, and RF chuck power. Especially, we used only a mechanical pump for in order to operate the system. The chamber pressure was fixed at 100 mTorr. All of surface profilometry, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for characterization of the etched polycarbonate samples. According to the results, $O_2/SF_6$ plasmas gave the higher etch rate of the polycarbonate than pure $O_2$ and $SF_6$ plasmas. For example, with maintaining 100W RF chuck power and 100 mTorr chamber pressure, 20 sccm $O_2$ plasma provided about $0.4{\mu}m$/min of polycarbonate etch rate and 20 sccm $SF_6$ produced only $0.2{\mu}m$/min. However, the mixed plasma of 60 % $O_2$ and 40 % $SF_6$ gas flow rate generated about $0.56{\mu}m$ with even low -DC bias induced compared to that of $O_2$. More addition of $SF_6$ to the mixture reduced etch of polycarbonate. The surface roughness of etched polycarbonate was roughed about 3 times worse measured by atomic force microscopy. However examination with scanning electron microscopy indicated that the surface was comparable to that of photoresist. Increase of RF chuck power raised -DC bias on the chuck and etch rate of polycarbonate almost linearly. The etch selectivity of polycarbonate to photoresist was about 1:1. The meaning of these results was that the simple capacitively coupled plasma system can be used to make a microstructure on polymer with $O_2/SF_6$ plasmas. This result can be applied to plasma processing of other polymers.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.144-147
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• 2011

In this work, we present a study regarding the etching characteristics on titanium nitride (TiN) thin films using an inductively coupled plasma system. The TiN thin film was etched using a $N_2/BCl_3$/Ar plasma. The studied etching parameters were the gas mixing ratio, the radio frequency (RF) power, the direct current (DC)-bias voltages, and the process pressures. The baseline conditions were as follows: RF power = 500 W, DC-bias voltage = -150 V, substrate temperature = $40^{\circ}C$, and process pressure = 15 mTorr. The maximum etch rate and the selectivity of the TiN to the $SiO_2$ thin film were 62.38 nm/min and 5.7, respectively. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed no accumulation of etching byproducts from the etched surface of the TiN thin film. Based on the experimental results, the etched TiN thin film was obtained by the chemical etching found in the reactive ion etching mechanism.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.906-909
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• 2006

The secondary electron emission coefficient $({\gamma})$ of the cathode is an important factor for improving the discharge characteristics of AC-PDPs because of its close relationship to discharge voltage. In AC-PDPs, MgO is most widely used as a surface protective layer. In this experimental, we have investigated the electronic structure of the energy band structure of the MgO layer responsible for the high ${\gamma}$. The MgO layers have been deposited by electron beam evaporation method, where the $O_2$ partial pressures have been varied as 0, $5.2{\times}10^{-5}$ torr, $1.0{\times}10^{-4}$ torr, and $4.1{\times}10^{-4}$ torr, in this experiment. It is noted that work function that is energy gap between surface and first defect level of MgO layer has the lowest value for the highest O2 partial pressure of $4.1^{\ast}10^{-4}$ Torr.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.117-128
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• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the surface characteristics of SCM440 steel nitrided with various nitrogen contents for 7 hours at $520^{\circ}C$ by using micro-pulse plasma nitriding apparatus of hot wall type. The effects of oxidation treatment was also investigated on plasma nitrided in 30% nitrogen and post oxidized SCM440 steel at $500^{\circ}C$ in $H_2O$ atmosphere. The ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ and ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phases were detected in compound layer of the nitrided steel. As the content of nitrogen in plasma gas increased with 30, 50, 70% on the micro-pulse plasma nitriding for SCM440 steel, the thickness of compound, diffusion layer and the surface hardness were increased. From the wear test results, the best wear resistance was appeared in the condition of ductile ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$ phase formed specimen at 30% nitrogen, whereas that of the treated with 50% and 70% nitrogen decreased owing to the exfoliation of brittle ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phase in the compound layer. On the nitrided and subsequently oxidized SCM440 steel, the surface layer consisted of $Fe_3O_4$, ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4N$, and ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}N$ phases. In these treatments, the dissolution of nitrides affect hardness and hardening depth in compound and diffusion layers. For the nitrided in 30% nitrogen and post oxidized specimen at $500^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, the wear resistance was lower than that of the only nitrided one in 30% nitrogen but higher than those of the nitrided ones in 50 and 70% nitrogen.