• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.309-311
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• 2003

The effects of etch parameters on dry etching of BLT thin films were investigated with ICP etch system in $Cl_2$/Ar and $BCl_2/Cl_2$/Ar gas. The etch rate and etch selectivity of BLT films were examined as a function of gas concentration, ICP power, bias power, and pressure. The maximum etch rates of 191.1 nm/min was obtained at the mixed etch condition of $BCl_3(20%)/Cl_2$/Ar, 700 W ICP RF power, 12 mTorr pressure and 400 W substrate RF power. As ICP power and rf power increased, the etch rate of BLT increased. As pressure increased, the etch rate of BLT decreased. The changes of radicals in both $Cl_2$/Ar and $BCl_3/Cl_2$/Ar plasma were measured with using optical emission spectroscopy (OES).

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.266-270
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• 2003

We studied BCl$_3$ dry etching of GaAs in a planar inductively coupled plasma system. The investigated process parameters were planar ICP source power, chamber pressure, RIE chuck power and gas flow rate. The ICP source power was varied from 0 to 500 W. Chamber pressure, RIE chuck power and gas flow rate were controlled from 5 to 15 mTorr, 0 to 150 W and 10 to 40 sccm, respectively. We found that a process condition at 20 sccm $BCl_3$ 300 W ICP, 100 W RIE and 7.5 mTorr chamber pressure gave an excellent etch result. The etched GaAs feature depicted extremely smooth surface (RMS roughness < 1 nm), vertical sidewall, relatively fast etch rate (> $3000\AA$/min) and good selectivity to a photoresist (> 3 : 1). XPS study indicated a very clean surface of the material after dry etching of GaAs. We also noticed that our planar ICP source was successfully ignited both with and without RIE chuck power, which was generally not the case with a typical cylindrical ICP source, where assistance of RIE chuck power was required for turning on a plasma and maintaining it. It demonstrated that the planar ICP source could be a very versatile tool for advanced dry etching of damage-sensitive compound semiconductors.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.301-317
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• 2005

The number of patients with tongue carcinoma is increasing rapidly among young individuals in many parts of the world. Oral carcinoma progresses from hyperplastic lesion through dysplasia to invasive carcinoma and the concept of "field cancerization" with molecular alteration has been suggested for oral cavity carcinogenesis. Significant improvement in treatment and prognosis will depend on more detailed understanding of the multi-step process leading to cancer development. To induce tongue carcinoma in rat by 4-NQO, each drinking water was made to 10 ppm, 25 ppm, 50 ppm and control (only D.W. without 4-NQO). Specimens were classified into 4 groups such as control, I (mild & moderate dysplasia), II (severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ), III (carcinoma). The mRNA expressions of Bcl-2 family were evaluated by RT-PCR technique. For anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family, mRNA expression of Bcl-w was down-regulated in all stages of tongue carcinogenesis model. However, mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was up-regulated. For pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family, all members were down-regulated in all stages of tongue carcinogenesis model except for Bad mRNA in group III. In terms of BH3 only protein, mRNA expressions of Bok and Mcl-1 were down regulated in all stages of specimen, but Bmf in group II and BBC3 in group III were up-regulated. Our current findings demonstrated the involvements of mRNA expression of Bcl-2 family in multi-step tongue carcinogensis. This highlights the necessity for continued efforts to discover suitable biomakers (Bcl-2 family) for early diagnosis of the disease, and to understand its pathogenesis as a first step in improving methods of treatment. The discovery of these potential biomarkers and molecular targets for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics has the potential to significantly change the clinical approach and outcome of the disease.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.188-189
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• 2007

The etching characteristics of $Al_2O_3$ films using the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was investigated. The etch gas was the mixture of $BCl_3$ and He. The effect of ICP source and bias powers on etch rate and etch selectivity to polycrystalline Si was investigated in the etch process of $Al_2O_3$. The etch rate of $Al_2O_3$ film was 23nm/min when the source power and bias power were 600W and 60W, respectively. The results also indicated that the etch selectivity to polycrystalline Si could not be enhanced to be higher than 1.0 by changing the ICP source power and bias power, under the experimental conditions used in the present work. Based on plasma parameters extracted from Langmuir probe data, the etching mechanism of $Al_2O_3$ film was discussed in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.445-448
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• 2011

In this study, the etching characteristics of $Al_2O_3$ thin films were investigated using an ICP (inductively coupled plasma) of $BCl_3$/Ar gas mixture. The etch rate of $Al_2O_3$ thin films as well as the $SiO_2/Al_2O_3$ etch selectivity were measured as functions of $BCl_3$/Ar mixing ratio (0~100% Ar) at a constant gas pressure (10 mTorr), total gas flow rate (40 sccm), input power (800 W) and bias power (100 W). The behavior of the $Al_2O_3$ etch rate was shown to be quite typical for ion-assisted etch processes with a dominant chemical etch pathway. To analyze the etching mechanism using DLP (double langmuir probe), OES (optical emission spectroscopy) and surface analysis using XPS (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) were carried out.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.264-265
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• 2009

본 연구에서 유도결합 플라즈마 식각 장치외 $BCl_3/Ar/Cl_2$ 가스 혼합비를 이용하여 ZnO 박막을 식각 하였을 때, 식각 된 ZnO 박막의 표면 반응에 관하여 관찰하였다. ZnO 박막의 식각 실험 조건은 RF 전력 700 W, 직류바이어스 전압 - 150 V, 공정 압력 15 mTorr로 고정하였고, $Cl_2/(Cl_2+BCl_3+Ar)$ 가스 혼합비를 변경하면서 식각 실험을 수행하였다. $Cl_2$ 가스가 3 sccm 일 때, ZnO 박막의 식각속도는 53 nm/min으로 가장 높았으며, 이때 ZnO 박막에 대한 $SiO_2$의 선택비는 0.89 이었다. 식각된 ZnO 박막의 표면은 XRD (X-ray diffraction)와 AFM(atomic force microscopy)를 이용하여 결정상의 변화와 표면의 거칠기를 분석하였다. AFM 분석 결과에서 Ar, $BCl_3$와 $Cl_2$ 플라즈마를 이용하여 식각된 시료의 표면 거칠기 근 값이 식각전의 시료나 $BCl_3/Ar/Cl_2$ 플라즈마로 식각된 시료보다 큰 것을 확인하였다. 이는 식각된 시료에서의 Zn 양의 감소나 비휘발성 식각 잔류물에 의한 영향으로 판단된다. SIMS(secondary ion mass spectrometery) 분석을 통해 검증 하였다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.267-271
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• 1997

Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is posulated to occur in granulosa cells in ovarian follicular atresia. bcl-2 gene serves as protector from apoptosis and, thus, is associated with increased cell survival. TRPM-2 gene expression has been implicated as a trigger of apoptosis in rat prostate, uterus and mammary gland. Our objective was to determine if bcl-2 and TRPM-2 are expressed in luteinized human GC and, therefore, have regulatory functions for apoptosis in GC. Human GC were obtained via oocyte retrival from the infertile patients stimulated with exogeneous gonadotropins while undergoing IVF. GC were isolated from follicular fluid using Percoll gradient centrifugation. The GC were further purified with anti-CD45 magnetic beads to remove contaminating WBC's. RT-PCR were performed to analyze the mRNA expression of bcl-2 and TRPM-2 in the GC. The PCR primers were designed to amplify a 195 bp fragment of bcl-2 and a 174 bp fragment of TRPM-2. The PCR products were electrophoresed on 4% agarose gel. Three separate experiments indicated that both bcl-2 and TRPM-2 are concurrently expressed in human GC. We cultured granulosa cells with FSH (1 ng/ml) for 1 day to investigate the relative changes of TRPM-2 mRNA level with RNAse protection assay. When we cultured GC with serum free medium for 1 day TRPM-2 mRNA level increased with 1.3 fold, however it was decreased 0.64 fold with FSH. Therefore we conclude that bcl-2 and TRPM-2 are concurrently expressed and that the interaction of their products may be involved in GC apoptosis. And TRPM-2 may be regulated with FSH.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.124-125
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• 2005

ZnS:Mn thin films have attracted great interest as electroluminescence devices. In this study, inductively coupled BCl$_3$/Ar plasma was used to etch ZnS:Mn thin films. We obtained the maximum etch rate of ZnS:Mn thin films was 2209 ${\AA}$/min at a BCl$_3$(20%)/Ar(80%) gas mixing ratio, an RF power of 700 W, a DC bias voltage of-250 V, a total gas flow of 20 sccm, and a chamber pressure of 1 Pa. It was proposed that sputter etching is dominant etching mechanism while the contribution of chemical reaction is relatively low due to low volatility of etching products.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.269-273
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• 2008

The etch of $(Na_{0.5}K_{0.5})NbO_3$ (NKN) thin film was performed in $BCl_3/Cl_2/Ar$ inductively coupled plasma. It was found that the 1sccm addition $BCl_3$ (5%) into $Cl_2/Ar$ plasma caused a non-monotonic behavior of the NKN etch rate. The maximum etch rate of NKN was 95.3 nm/min at $BCl_3$ (1 sccm)/$Cl_2$ (16 sccm)/Ar (4 sccm), 800 W ICP power, 1 Pa pressure and 400 W bias power. The NKN etch rate shows a monotonic behavior a s the bias power increases. The analysis of the narrow scan spectra of XPS for both a s-deposited and etched NKN films allowed one to assume ion assisted etch mechanism. The most probable reason for the maximum etch rate can be defined as a concurrence of chemical and physical etch pathways.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.202-205
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• 2010

In this study, the etch properties of $Al_2O_3$ thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition were investigated as a function of the $O_2$ content in $BCl_3$/Ar inductively coupled plasma. The experiments were performed by comparing the etch rates and selectivity of $Al_2O_3$ over the hard mask materials as functions of the input plasma parameters, such as the gas mixing ratio, DC-bias voltage, ratio-frequency (RF) power and process pressure. The highest obtained etch rate was 477 nm/min at an RF power of 700 W, $O_2$ to $BCl_3$/Ar gas ratio of 15%, DC-bias voltage of -100 V and process pressure of 15 mTorr. The deposition occurred on the surfaces when the amount of $O_2$ added to the $BCl_3$/Ar gas was too high at a low DC-bias voltage or high process pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to investigate the chemical reactions on the etched surface.