• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.338-339
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• 2012

This study examined the friction and wear behavior of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited from a radio frequency glow discharge using a hydrogen diluted benzene gas mixture. The DLC films were deposited on Si (100) and polished stainless steel substrates by r.f.-PACVD at hydrogen to benzene ratios, or the hydrogen dilution ratio, ranging from 0 to 2.0. The wear test was carried out in both ambient and aqueous environments using a home-made ball-on-disk type wear rig. The stability of the DLC coating in an aqueous environment was improved by diluting the benzene precursor gas with hydrogen, suggesting that hydrogen dilution during the deposition of DLC films suppress the initiation of defects in the film and improved the adhesion of the coating to the interface.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.260-266
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• 2002

DLC films were deposited on Si wafer by RF plasma assisted CVD using CH4 gas. Tribological tests were conducted using rotating type ball on disk friction tester in dry air. Four kinds of mating balls were used. The mating balls were made with stainless steel but apply different annealing conditions to achieve different hardness conditions. Testing results in all load conditions showed that the harder the mating materials, the lower the friction coefficient among the three kind of martensite mating balls. In case of austenite balls, the friction coefficients were lower than fully annealed martensite ball. The high friction coefficient in soft martensite balls seems to be caused by the larger contact area between DLC film and ball. The wear tracks of DLC films and mating balls could have proven that effect. Measuring the wear track of both DLC films and mating balls have similar tendency comparing to the results of friction coefficients. Wear rate of austenite balls were also smaller than that of fully annealed martensite ball. The results of effect of applying load showed, the friction coefficients were become decrease when the applying loads exceed critical load conditions. The wear track of mating balls showed that some material transfer occurs from DLC film to mating ball during the high friction process. Raman spectra analysis showed that transferred material was a kind of graphite and contact surface of DLC film seems to undergo phase transition from carbon to graphite during the high friction process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.59-59
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• 1999

DLC(diamond-like carbon)필름은 다이아몬드와 유사한 강도, 낮은 마차계수, 높은 Optical band gap, NEA(negative electron affinity)등의 우수한 특성을 가지고 있어, 내마모 코팅이나 정보저장 매체의 윤활 코팅, FED(field emission display)의 전계방출소자등 다양한 분야에의 응용이 연구되고 있다. DLC 필름은 PECVD(plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition), IBAD(ion beam assisted deposition), Laser ablation, Cathodic vacuum arc등의 process를 이용하여 증착되고 있다. 특히 이러한 필름의 물성은 입사되는 이온의 에너지에 의해 좌우되는데, Lifshitz 등의 연구에 의하여 hyperthermal species를 이용한 DLC 필름의 성장은 초기에 subsurface로의 shallow implantation이 일어난 후 높은 sp3 fraction을 갖는 필름이 연속적으로 성장한다는 subplantation model이 제시 되었다. 본 연구에서는 기판과 subplantation 영역이 이후 계속하여 증착되는 순수 DLC 필름의 특성 변호에 미치는 영향에 대하여 관심을 가지고 실험을 행하였다. 본 실험에서는 상기 제시되어 있는 방법보다도 더욱 정확하고도 독립적으로 탄소 음이온의 에너지와 flux를 조절할 수 있는 Cs+ ion beam sputtering system을 이용하여 탄소 음이온의 에너지를 40eV에서 200eV까지 변화시키며 필름을 증착하였다. Si(100) 웨이퍼를 기판으로 사용하였고 증착 압력은 5$\times$10-7torr 였으며 인위적인 기판의 가열은 하지 않았다. 또한 Ion beam deposited DLC film의 growth process를 연구하기 위하여 200eV의 탄소 음이온을 시간(증착두께)을 변수로 하여 증착하였고, 이 때에는 Kaufman type의 gas ion beam을 이용하여 500eV의 Ar+ ion으로 pre-sputering을 행하였다. 탄소 음이온의 에너지와 증착두께에 따라 증착된 film 내의 sp3/sp2 ratio 의 변화를 XPS plasmon loss 와 Raman spectra를 이용하여 분석하였다. 또한 증착두께에 따른 interlayer의 결합상태를 관찰하기 위하여 AES와 XPS 분석을 보조로 행하였다.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.9 no.1_2
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• pp.22-25
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• 2008

This paper investigated the wetting and adhesion property of undulated DLC film with surface morphology controlled for a reduced real area of contact. The undulated DLC Films were prepared by 13.56 MHZ radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (r.f. PECVD) by using nanoscale Cu dots surface on a Si (100) substrate. FE-SEM, AFM analysis showed that the after repeated deposition and plasma induced damage with Ar ions, the surface was nanoscale undulated. This phenomenon changed the surface morphology of DLC surface. Raman spectra of film with changed morphology revealed that the plasma induced damage with Ar ions significantly suppressed the graphitization of DLC structure. Also, it was observed that while the untreated flat DLC surfaces had wetting angle starting ranged from $72^{\circ}$ and adhesion force of 333ni. Had wetting angle the undulated DLC surfaces, which resemble the surface morphology of a cylindrical shape, increased up to $104^{\circ}$ and adhesion force decreased down to 11 nN. The measurements agree with Hertz and JKR models. The surface undulation was affected mainly by several factors: the surface morphology affinity to cylindrical shape, reduction of the real area of contact and air pockets trapped in cylindrical asperities of the surface.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1997.07d
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• pp.1379-1382
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• 1997

Diamond-like carbon(DLC) thin films are produced by using a filtered cathodic vacuum arc(FCVA) deposition system. Different magnetic components, namely steering, focusing, and filtering plasma-optic systems, are used to achieve a stable arc plasma and to prevent the macroparticles from incorporating into the deposited films. Effects of magnetic fields on plasma behavior and film deposition are examined. The carbon ion energy is found to be varied by applying a negative (accelerating) substrate bias voltage. The deposition rate of DLC films is dependent upon magnetic field as well as substrate bias voltage and at a nominal deposition condition is about $2{\AA}/s$. The structural properties of DLC films, such as internal stress, relative fraction of tetrahedral($sp^3$) bonds, and surface roughness have also been characterized as a function of substrate bias voltages and partial gas($N_2$) pressures.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.86-91
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• 1999

We have fabricated high-$\textrm{T}_c$ superconducting $\textrm{YBa}_{2}\textrm{Cu}_{3}\textrm{O}_{7-x}$(YBCO) grain boundary junctions at a step-edge on (001) $\textrm{SrTiO}_3$(STO) substrates. A diamond-like carbon (DLC) film grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition were used as an ion milling mask to make steps on the STO (100) single crystal and was removed by an oxygen reactive ion etch process. The c-axis oriented YBCO and TO thin films were deposited epitaxially on the STO substrate with a step-edge by pulsed laser deposition. The grain boundary junctions were formed at the top and the bottom of the step. The junctions worked at temperatures above 77 K, and had I\ulcornerR\ulcorner products of 7.5mV at 16K and 0.3 mV at 77K, respectively. The I-V characteristics of these junctions showed the shape of the two noisy resistively shunted junction model.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.127-133
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• 2017

In order to characterize the adhesive properties and failure mechanisms of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films of two different thicknesses (130 nm and $1.2{\mu}m$), deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a Si substrate, scratch testing with a micro-indenter ($12.5{\mu}m$ tip radius) was performed under a linearly increasing load. These scratch tests were conducted under the same test conditions for both films. The critical load of each film was estimated from the scratch test results, based on a sharp increase in the coefficient of friction and a clear distinction of failure modes. The critical load was the basis for evaluating the adhesion strength of the films, and the $1.2{\mu}m-thick$ DLC film had superior adhesion strength. For better understanding of the failure modes, the following analyses were conducted: friction behavior and scratch tracks analysis using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and 3-D profilometry. The scratch test results showed that failure modes were related to the thickness of the films. The 130 nm-thick DLC film underwent cohesive failure modes (cracks and chipping) before reaching to a gross failure stage. On the other hand, the thicker DLC film ($1.2{\mu}m-thick$) did not exhibit micro cracks before a sudden gross failure of the film together with the evidence of cracking and chipping of the Si substrate.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1100-1106
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• 2004

In this paper, we intend to make fringe-field switching (FFS) mode cell by the ion beam (IB) alignment method on the a-C：H thin film, to analyze electro-optical characteristics in this cell. We studied on the suitable inorganic thin film for fringe-field switching (FFS) cell and the aligning capabilities of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) using the alignment material of a-C：H thin film as working gas at 30 W rf bias condition. A high pretilt angle of about 5 $^{\circ}C$ by ion beam (IB) exposure on the a-C：H thin film surface was measured. Consequently, the high pretilt angle and the good thermal stability of LC alignment by the IB alignment method on the a-C：H thin film surface as working gas at 30 W rf bias condition can be achieved. An excellent voltage-transmittance (V -T) and response time curve of the IE-aligned FFS-LCD was observed with oblique IB exposure on the a-C：H thin films. Also, AC V-T hysteresis characteristics of the IB-aligned FFS-LCD with IE exposure on the a-C：H thin films is almost the same as that of the rubbing-aligned FFS cell on a polyimide (PI) surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.183-183
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• 2012

In the era of 45 nm or beyond technology, conventional etch mask using photoresist showed its limitation of etch mask pattern collapse as well as pattern erosion, thus hard mask in etching became necessary for precise control of etch pattern geometry. Currently available hard mask materials are amorphous carbon and polymetric materials spin-on containing carbon or silicon. Amorphous carbon layer (ACL) deposited by PECVD for etch hard mask has appeared in manufacturing, but spin-on carbon (SOC) was also suggested to alleviate concerns of particle, throughput, and cost of ownership (COO) [1]. SOC provides some benefits of reduced process steps, but it also faced with wiggling on a sidewall profile. Diamond like carbon (DLC) was also evaluated for substituting ACL, but etching selectivity of ACL was better than DLC although DLC has superior optical property [2]. Developing a novel material for pattern hard mask is very important in material research, but it is also worthwhile eliminating a potential issue to continuously develop currently existing technology. In this paper, we investigated in-situ dry-cleaning (ISD) monitoring of ACL coated process chamber. End time detection of chamber cleaning not only provides a confidence that the process chamber is being cleaned, but also contributes to minimize wait time waste (WOW). Employing Challenger 300ST, a 300mm ACL PECVD manufactured by TES, a series of experimental chamber cleaning runs was performed after several deposition processes in the deposited film thickness of $2000{\AA}$ and $5000{\AA}$. Ar Actinometry and principle component analysis (PCA) were applied to derive integrated and intuitive trace signal, and the result showed that previously operated cleaning run time can be reduced by more than 20% by employing real-time monitoring in ISD process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.223-223
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• 2012

Surface engineering plays a significant role in fabricating highly functionalized materials applicable to industrial and biomedical fields. Surface wrinkles and folds formed by ion beam or plasma treatment are buckling-induced patterns and controlled formation of those patterns has recently gained considerable attention as a way of creating well-defined surface topographies for a wide range of applications. Surface wrinkles and folds can be observed when a stiff thin layer attached to a compliant substrate undergoes compression and plasma treatment is one of the techniques that can form stiff thin layers on compliant polymeric substrates, such as poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Here, we report two effective methods using plasma modification techniques for controlling the formation of surface wrinkles and folds on flat or patterned PDMS substrates. First, we show a method of creating wrinkled diamond-like carbon (DLC) film on grooved PDMS substrates. Grooved PDMS substrates fabricated by a molding method using a grooved master prepared by photolithography and a dry etching process were treated with argon plasma and subsequently coated with DLC film, which resulted in the formation of wrinkled DLC film aligning perpendicular to the steps of the pre-patterned ridges. The wavelength and the amplitude of the wrinkled DLC film exhibited variation in the submicron- to micron-scale range according to the duration of argon plasma pre-treatment. Second, we present a method for controlled formation of folds on flat PDMS substrates treated with oxygen plasma under large compressive strains. Flat PDMS substrates were strained uniaxially and then treated with oxygen plasma, resulting in the formation of surface wrinkles at smaller strain levels, which evolved into surface folds at larger strain levels. Our results demonstrate that we can control the formation and evolution of surface folds simply by controlling the pre-strain applied to the substrates and/or the duration of oxygen plasma treatment.