• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.558-563
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• 2008

TiAlN films were deposited on WC-5Co substrates with different buffer layers by D.C. magnetron sputtering. The films were evaluated by microstructural observations and measuring of preferred orientation, hardness value, and adhesion force. As a process variable, various buffer layers were used such as TiAlN single layer, TiAlN/TiAl, TiAlN/TiN and TiAlN/CrN. TiAlN coating layer showed columnar structures which grew up at a right angle to the substrates. The thickness of the TiAlN coating layer was about $1.8{\mu}m$, which was formed for 200 minutes at $300^{\circ}$. XRD analysis showed that the preferred orientation of TiAlN layer with TiN buffer layer was (111) and (200), and the specimens of TiAlN/TiAl, TiAlN/CrN, TiAlN single layer have preferred orientation of (111), respectively. TiAlN single layer and TiAlN/TiAl showed good adhesion properties, showing an over 80N adhesion force, while TiAlN/TiN film showed approximately 13N and the TiAlN/CrN was the worst case, in which the layer was destroyed because of high internal residual stress. The value of micro vickers hardness of the TiAlN single layer, TiAlN/TiAl and TiAlN/TiN layers were 2711, 2548 and 2461 Hv, respectively.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.125-129
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• 2016

In this study, we have investigated a high-temperature AlN nucleation layer and AlGaN epilayers on c-plane sapphire substrate by low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD). High resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Raman scattering measurements have been exploited to study the crystal quality, surface morphology, and residual strain of the HT-AlN nucleation layer. These analyses reveal that the insertion of an LT-AlN nucleation layer can improve the crystal quality, smooth the surface morphology of the HT-AlN nucleation layer and further reduce the threading dislocation density of AlGaN epifilms. The mechanism of inserting an LT-AlN nucleation layer to enhance the optical properties of HT-AlN nucleation layer and AlGaN epifilm are discussed from the viewpoint of driving force of reaction in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

In this research, 50 nm thick AlN thin films were deposited on the patterned sapphire (0001) substrate by using HVPE (Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy) system and then epitaxial layer structure was grown by MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition). The surface morphology of the AlN buffer layer film was observed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and AFM (atomic force microscope), and then the crystal structure of GaN films of the epitaxial layer structure was investigated by HR-XRC (high resolution X-ray rocking curve). The XRD peak intensity of GaN thin film of epitaxial layer structure deposited on AlN buffer layer film and sapphire substrate was rather higher in case of that on PSS than normal sapphire substrate. In AFM surface image, the epitaxial layer structure formed on AlN buffer layer showed rather low pit density and less defect density. In the optical output power, the epitaxial layer structure formed on AlN buffer layer showed very high intensity compared to that of the epitaxial layer structure without AlN thin film.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.132-132
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• 2011

The sheet resistance (Rs) of undoped GaN films on AlN/c-plane sapphire substrate was investigated in which the AlN films were grown by R. F. magetron sputtering method. The Rs was strongly dependent on the AlN layer thickness and semi-insulating behavior was observed. To clarify the effect of crystalline property on Rs, the crystal structure of the GaN films has been studied using x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. A compressive strain was introduced by the presence of AlN nucleation layer (NL) and was gradually relaxed as increasing AlN NL thickness. This relaxation produced more threading dislocations (TD) of edge-type. Moreover, the surface morphology of the GaN film was changed at thicker AlN layer condition, which was originated by the crossover from planar to island grains of AlN. Thus, rough surface might produce more dislocations. The edge and mixed dislocations propagating from the interface between the GaN film and the AlN buffer layer affected the electric resistance of GaN film.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2010

AlN thin films were deposited on sapphire substrates and ZnO templates by rf-magnetron sputtering. Powder-sintered AlN target was adopted for source material. Thickness of AlN layer was linearly dependent on plasma power from 50 to 110 W, and it decreased slightly when working pressure increased from 3 to 10 mTorr due to short mean free path of source material sputtered from AlN target by Ar working gas. When $N_2$ gas was mixed with Ar, the thickness of AlN layer decreased significantly because of low sputter yield of nitrogen. AlN layer was also deposited on ZnO template. However, it showed weak thermal stability that the interface between AlN and ZnO was deteriorated by rapid thermal annealing treatment above $700^{\circ}C$. In addition, ZnO layer was largely attacked by MOCVD ambient gas of hydrogen and ammonia around $700^{\circ}C$ through inferior AlN layer deposited by sputtering. And AlN layers were fully peeled off above $900^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.233-236
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• 2012

In this paper, the output characteristics of GaN-based LED considering blocking layer design variables are analyzed. The basic structure of the LED consists of active region of GaN barrier and InGaN quantum well between AlGaN EBL(Electron Blocking Layer) and AlGaN HBL(Hole Blocking Layer) on GaN buffer layer. The output power, internal quantum efficiency characteristics of LED active region considering Al mole fraction of EBL, thickness of EBL, Al mole fraction of HBL and doping concentration of HBL are analyzed using ISE-TCAD.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.461-467
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• 2008

It was studied the effect of a pre-deposited ultrathin Al layer as part of a buffer layer for the growth of GaN. AlN buffer layers were deposited on a Si(111) substrate using an RF sputtering technique, followed by GaN using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). Several atomic layers of Al were deposited prior to AlN sputtering and the samples were compared with the others grown without pre-deposition of Al. And it was also studied the influence of AlN buffer layer thickness on the growth of GaN. The peak wavelength of the photoluminescence (PL) was varied with increasing the thickness of the GaN and AlN layers. The optimum thickness of AlN on a Si(111) substrate with an ultrathin Al layer was about $260{\AA}$. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed coalescent surface morphology and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed a strongly oriented GaN(0002) peak.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.408-414
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• 2002

TiN and TiAlN coating layer were deposited on WC-Co steel substrates by an arc ion plating(AIP) technique. The crystallinity and morphology for the deposited coating layers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The impact behaviors of the deposited TiN and TiAlN coating layer were investigated with a ball-on-plate impact tester. Beyond $10^2$ impact cycle, TiAlN coating layer showed superior impact wear resistance compared to TiN coating layer. On the other hand, both TiN and TiAlN coating layers started to be partially failed between $10^2$ and $10^3$ impact cycle. Above $10^3$ impact cycle, TiN and TiAlN coating layers showed similar impact behavior because of the substrate effect.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.339-344
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• 2017

Highly corrosion resistance performance of CrAlSiN coatings were obtained by applying ultrathin $Al_2O_3$ thin films using atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. CrAlSiN coatings were prepared on Cr adhesion layer/SUS304 substrates by a hybrid coating system of arc ion plating and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) method. And, ultrathin $Al_2O_3$ passivation layer was deposited on the CrAlSiN/Cr adhesion layer/SUS304 sample to protect CrAlSiN coatings by encapsulating the whole surface defects of coating using ALD. Here, the high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) analysis revealed that the ALD $Al_2O_3$ thin films uniformly covered the inner and outer surface of CrAlSiN coatings. Also, the potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization test revealed that the corrosion protection properties of CrAlSiN coatings/Cr/SUS304 sample was greatly improved by ALD encapsulation with 50 nm-thick $Al_2O_3$ thin films, which implies that ALD-$Al_2O_3$ passivation layer can be used as an effect barrier layer of corrosion.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.718-723
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• 2002

$Ti_{1-x}$ $Al_{ x}$N thin films as barrier layer for memory devices application were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. The crystallinity, micro-structure, oxidation resistance and oxidation mechanism of films were investigated as a function of Al content. Lattice parameter and grain size of thin films were decreased with increasing the Al content Oxidation of the film with higher Al content is slow and then, total oxide thickness is thinner than that of lower Al content film. Oxide layer formed on the surface is AlTiNO layer. Oxidation of $Ti_{1-x}$ /$Al_{x}$ N barrier layer is diffusion limited process and thickness of oxide layer with oxidation time increased with a parabolic law. The activation energy of oxygen diffusion, Ea and diffusion coefficient, D of $Ti_{0.74}$ /X$0.74_{0.26}$N film is 2.1eV and $10^{-16}$ ~$10^{-15}$ $\textrm{cm}^2$/s, respectively. $_Ti{1-x}$ /$Al_{x}$ XN barrier layer showed good oxidation resistance.