• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2004.03a
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• pp.251-256
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• 2004

A concept in which laser-sustained plasmas (LSPs) are combined with inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) is proposed. The concept is aiming at extensions of operative conditions of a CW laser thruster due to the fact that the ICP has some characteristics which are in contrast to those of LSPs. An estimation confirmed that the concept would effectively work. And a fundamental experiment was conducted. The results showed that the radio frequency magnetic field induced by a alternate current of 13.56 MHz coupled inductively with LSPs, resulting in the enlargement of the plasma region and the attainment of the enthalpy. It is expected that some improvements will enable to transfer the RF power to the work gas more effectively and to demonstrate the synergy effect between the LSPs and the ICPs.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.8
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• pp.1376-1382
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• 2016

The discharge characteristics of inductively coupled $Ar/CH_4$ plasma were investigated by fluid simulation. The inductively coupled plasma source driven by 13.56 Mhz was prepared. Properties of $Ar/CH_4$ plasma source are investigated by fluid simulation including Navier-Stokes equations. The schematics diagram of inductively coupled plasma was designed as the two dimensional axial symmetry structure. Sixty six kinds of chemical reactions were used in plasma simulation. And the Lennard Jones parameter and the ion mobility for each ion were used in the calculations. Velocity magnitude, dynamic viscosity and kinetic viscosity were investigated by using the fluid equations. $Ar/CH_4$ plasma simulation results showed that the number of hydrocarbon radical is lowest at the vicinity of gas feeding line due to high flow velocity. When the input power density was supplied as $0.07W/cm^3$, CH radical density qualitatively follows the electron density distribution. On the other hand, central region of the chamber become deficient in CH3 radical due to high dissociation rate accompanied with high electron density.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.7
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• pp.1211-1217
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• 2016

Discharge characteristics of inductively coupled plasma were investigated by using electrostatic probe and fluid simulation. The Inductively Coupled Plasma source driven by 13.56 Mhz was prepared. The signal attenuation ratios of the electrostatic probe at first and second harmonic frequency was tuned in 13.56Mhz and 27.12Mhz respectively. Electron temperature, electron density, plasma potential, electron energy distribution function and electron energy probability function were investigated by using the electrostatic probe. Experiment results were compared with the fluid simulation results. Ar plasma fluid simulations including Navier-Stokes equations were calculated under the same experiment conditions, and the dependencies of plasma parameters on process parameters were well agreed with simulation results. Because of the reason that the more collision happens in high pressure condition, plasma potential and electron temperature got lower as the pressure was higher and the input power was higher, but Electron density was higher under the same condition. Due to the same reason, the electron energy distribution was widening as the pressure was lower. And the electron density was higher, as close to the gas inlet place. It was found that gas flow field significantly affect to spatial distribution of electron density and temperature.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.49 no.spc1
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• pp.269-276
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• 2004

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.59-63
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• 2009

This paper presents two dimensional simulation results of an inductively coupled $Ar/O_2$ plasma reactor. The effects of operating conditions on the plasma properties and the uniformity of atomic oxygen near the wafer were systematically investigated. The plasma density had the linear dependence on the chamber pressure, the flow rate of the feed gas and the power deposited into the plasma. On the other hand, the electron temperature decreased almost linearly with the chamber pressure and the flow rate of the feed gas. The power deposited into the plasma nearly unaffected the electron temperature. The simulation results showed that the uniformity of atomic oxygen near the wafer could be improved by lowering the chamber pressure and/or the flow rate of the feed gas. However, the power deposited into the plasma had an adverse effect on the uniformity.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1995.11a
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• pp.438-440
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• 1995

The impedance characteristics and plasma parameters were experimentally studied in a weakly magnetized planar type, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system. Compared with non-magnetized for system higher power transfer efficiency, stable impedance matching, enhancement of plasma density and higher electron temperature can be obtained. Such improvements are mainly due to the excitation of deeply penetrating electromagnetic wave and reduction of radial loss of electrons. In particulary, $SF_6$ (sulfur hexafluride) plasma shows unstable impedance matching in non-magnetized ICP because electronegativity of $SF_6$ effects on plasma characteristics. But, magnetized inductively coupled $SF_6$ plasma shows enough impedance matching stability to be applicable to the polysilicon etching in semiconductor process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.492-492
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• 2012

RF biased inductively coupled plasma (ICP) has been widely used in various semiconductor etching processes and laboratory plasma researches. However, almost researches for the RF bias have been focused on the controls of dc self-bias voltages, even though the RF bias can change plasma parameters, such as electron temperature, plasma density, electron energy distribution (EED), and their spatial distributions. In this study, we report on the effect of the RF bias on the plasma parameters and the EEDs with various external parameters, such the RF bias power, the ICP power, the gas pressure, the gas mixture, and the frequency of RF bias. Our study shows the correlation between the RF bias and the plasma parameters and gives a crucial key for the understanding of collisionless electron heating mechanism in the RF biased ICP.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.161-168
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• 2014

A real-time monitoring of immersed antenna type inductively coupled plasma (ICP) was done with a homemade 2 dimensional voltage probe array to check the uniformity of the plasma. Measured voltage values with a high impedance voltmeter are close to the floating potential of the plasma. As the substrate carrier was moving into a magnetron sputtering plasma diffusive from a $125mm{\times}625mm$ size cathode, measured results showed reliably separation of plasma into the upper and lower empty space over the carrier. Infra red thermal imaging camera was used to observe the cross corner effect in situ without eroding a target to the end of the usage. 3 dimensional particle trace model was used to analyze the magnetron discharge's behavior.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2012

A sputter-sublimation source was tested for high rate deposition of protective coating of PEMFC(polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell) with high electrical conductivity and anti-corrosion capability by DC biasing of a metal rod immersed in inductively coupled plasma. A SUS(stainless steel) tube, rod were tested for low thermal conductivity materials and copper for high thermal conductivity ones. At 10 mTorr of Ar ICP(inductively coupled plasma) with 2.4 MHz, 300 W, the surface temperature of a SUS rod reached to $1,289^{\circ}C$ with a dc bias of 150 W (-706 V, 0.21 A) in 2 mins. For 10 min of sputter-sublimation, 0.1 gr of SUS rod was sputter-sublimated which is a good evidence of a high rate deposition source. ICP is used for sputter-sublimation of a target material, for substrate pre-treatment, film quality improvement by high energy particle bombardment and reactive deposition.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2000.06b
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• pp.302-305
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• 2000

It is important to control the electron energy distribution to have high quality plasma process. A conventional inductively coupled plasma(ICP) source with 13.56MHz power is not adequate for low damage sub-half micron patterning process due to higher electron temperature. Only the pulsed plasma technique seems to provide low electron temperature, and thus low process damage. Recently, a novel method proposed by us, named as ‘Enhanced-ICP’, which uses periodic weak axial magnetic field added to a normal ICP source, has shown great improvement in etch characteristics. changes of plasma characteristics according to the frequency of time-varying axial magnetic field have been observed by probe-time-averaged Langmuir probe.