• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.273-278
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• 2012

Over the last decade, the hafnium-based gate dielectric materials have been studied for many application fields. Because these materials had excellent behaviors for suppressing the quantum-mechanical tunneling through the thinner dielectric layer with higher dielectric constant (high-K) than $SiO_2$ gate oxides. Although high-K materials compensated the deterioration of electrical properties for decreasing the thickness of dielectric layer in MOSFET structure, their nano-mechanical properties of $HfO_2$ thin film features were hardly known. Thus, we examined nano-mechanical properties of the Hafnium oxide ($HfO_2$) thin film in order to optimize the gate dielectric layer. The $HfO_2$ thin films were deposited by rf magnetron sputter using hafnium (99.99%) target according to various oxygen gas flows. After deposition, the $HfO_2$ thin films were annealed after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$, $600^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$ for 20 min in nitrogen ambient. From the results, the current density of $HfO_2$ thin film for 8 sccm oxygen gas flow became better performance with increasing annealing temperature. The nano-indenter and Weibull distribution were measured by a quantitative calculation of the thin film stress. The $HfO_2$ thin film after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$ had tensile stress. However, the $HfO_2$ thin film with increasing the annealing temperature up to $800^{\circ}C$ had changed compressive stress. This could be due to the nanocrystal of the $HfO_2$ thin film. In particular, the $HfO_2$ thin film after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$ had lower tensile stress, such as 5.35 GPa for the oxygen gas flow of 4 sccm and 5.54 GPa for the oxygen gas flow of 8 sccm. While the $HfO_2$ thin film after annealing at $800^{\circ}C$ had increased the stress value, such as 9.09 GPa for the oxygen gas flow of 4 sccm and 8.17 GPa for the oxygen gas flow of 8 sccm. From these results, the temperature dependence of stress state of $HfO_2$ thin films were understood.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.315-316
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• 2012

반도체와 금속배선의 확산을 방지하기 위한 확산방지막의 필요성이 대두되고 있으며, 이에 대한 연구는 많은 연구 그룹에서 진행중에 있다. 하지만 이러한 연구의 대부분은 전기적, 결정학적 특성에 대하여 안전성 및 재료학적 연구에 국한되어 진행되어졌다. 본 연구그룹은 텅스텐(W)을 질화시킨 W-N 확산방지막에 대하여 연구를 진행하였고, 역시 결정학적 특성에 대한 열적인 안전성을 주로 연구하였으나, 본 연구에서는 W-N 박막의 나노영역에 대한 기계적 특성 평가에 주안점을 두어 W-N 박막의 stress를 nano-indenter 기법을 이용하여 측정하고자하였다. 특히 공정시간의 단축 효과 등의 이유로 박막의 두께를 감소시키는 현재 추세에 맞춰 더 얇은 W-N 확산방지막을 제작하였으며, 이에 대한 분석을 실시하였다. W-N 확산방지막은 Ar(Argonne), $N_2$ (nitrogen) 총유량을 40 sccm으로 고정하여, 질소 유입 조건을 0, 0.5, 1 sccm 으로 변화시켜 Si (silicon) (100) 기판 위에 rf (radio-frequency) magnetron sputter를 이용하여 증착하였다. 이때 W-N 박막의 두께를 30, 100 nm로 달리하여 증착하였으며, 증착된 박막은 질소 분위기 $600^{\circ}C$에서 30분간 열처리하였다. 증착된 시료는 nano-indent를 통하여 표면으로부터 10 nm 부근의 극 표면 물성을 측정하였다. 측정 결과, $N_2$ 가스의 유량을 0.5 sccm 흘려주면서 증착한 W-N 박막이 $N_2$가스를 흘려주지 않은 W 박막과 비교하여 압축응력을 덜 받아 비교적 열에 대하여 안정적임을 확인하였다. 또 30 nm 두께의 W-N 박막이 100 nm 두께의 W-N 박막보다 더 기계적으로 안정적인 상태임을 확인하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2012

Although silver is used for T-OLED (Top emitting organic Light-Emitting Diode) as reflective anode, it is not an ideal material due to its low work function. Thus, we study the effect of annealing and atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on Ag film that increases its work function by forming the thin silver oxide layer on its surface. In this study, we deposited silver on glass substrate using RF sputtering. Then we treated the Ag samples annealing at $300^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes in atmosphere or treating the atmospheric plasma treatment for 30, 60, 90, 120s, respectively. We measured the change of the mechanical properties and the potential value of surface with each one at a different treatment type and time. We used nano-indenter system and KPFM (Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy). KPFM method can be measured the change of surface potential. The nanoindenter results showed that the plasma treatment samples for 30s, 120s had very low elastic modulus, hardness and Weibull modulus. However, annealed sample and plasma treated samples for 60s and 90s had better mechanical properties. Therefore, plasma treatment increases the uniformity thin film and the surface potential that is very effective for the performace of T-OLED.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.328-332
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• 2012

The work function of Ag (silver) is too low (~4.3 eV) to be used as an electrode of T-OLED (Top Emission Organic Light Emitting Diode). To solve this weakness, researches used plasma-, UV-, or thermal treatment on Ag films in order to increase the work function (~5.0 eV). So, most of studies have focused only on the work function of various treated Ag films, but studies focusing on nanomechanical properties were very important to investigate the efficiency and life time of T-OLED etc. In this paper, we focused on the mechanical properties of the Ag and $AgO_x$ film. The Ag was deposited on a glass substrate with the thickness of 150 nm by using rf-magnetron sputter with the power was fixed at 100 W and working pressure was 3 mTorr. The deposited Ag film was UV treated by UV lamp for several minutes (0~9 min). We measured the sheet resistance and mechanical property of the deposited film. From the experimental result, there were some differences of the sheet resistance and surface hardness of Ag thin film between short time (0~3 min) and long time UV treatment. These result presumed that the induced stress was taken place by the surface oxidation after UV treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.108-111
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• 2007

It's important to measure quantitative properties about thermal-nano variation conduct of polymer for producing high quality components using NIL process. NanoScale indents can be used ad cells for molecular electronics and drug deliver, slots for integration into nanodevices, and defects for tailoring the structure and properties. In this study, it's to evaluate mechanical characteristic of polymer such as PMMA and PC at high temperature for manufacture of nano/micro size of polymer using indenter at high temperature. At high temperature mechanical properties of polymer have extreme variation. Because heating the polymer, it becomes softer than room temperature. In this case it is especially important to study for mechanical properties of polymer at high temperature.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1233-1238
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• 2009

This study analyzed the characterization of high temperature strength of $Si_3N_4$ composite ceramics additive based on variations in the amount of nano colloidal $SiO_2$ added. Semi-elliptical cracks about 100 ${\mu}m$ length were obtained from a Vickers indenter using a load of 24.5 N. The results showed that the heat-treated smooth specimens with $SiO_2$ nano colloidal coating exhibited the highest bending strength at 0.0 wt% $SiO_2$ nano colloidal added, which is amounted to a 187 % increase over that of smooth specimen. Limiting temperature for bending strength of crack-healed zone for bending strength was about 1273 K. However, the bending strength of SSTS-3 and SSTS-4 was considerably increased while that of SSTS-1 and SSTS-2 was decreased at a temperature of 1,573K.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.386-386
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• 2013

반도체 소자의 소형화, 고집적화로 박막의 다층화 및 선폭의 감소 등의 복잡한 제조 공정이 불가피하고, 따라서 공정 중 실리콘 웨이퍼와 금속 박막사이의 확산을 방지하기 위한 많은 연구가 이루어지고 있다. 하지만 현재까지의 연구는 확산방지막의 nano-mechanics 특성 분석에 대한 연구는 전무하다. 본 논문에서 tungsten (W)을 주 물질로, nitrogen (N)을 첨가한 확산방지막을 질소 유량을 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 sccm으로 변화시켜가면서 rf magnetron sputter 방법으로 tungsten-nitride (W-N) 박막을 증착하였다. 박막의 기본 물성인 증착율, 비저항 및 결정학적 특성을 ${\beta}$-ray, 4-point probe, X-ray diffraction (XRD)를 이용하여 측정하였고, 측정결과 증착 중 질소 유량이 증가할수록 W-N 박막의 비저항은 증가하였고 반대로 증착율과 결정성은 감소하였다. 이는 기존의 연구 결과와 비교하여 일치한 결과로 증착된 박막이 신뢰성을 가짐을 확인하였다. 이후 가장 관심사인 nano-mechanics 특성은 nano-indenter를 이용하여 측정하였다. 측정 결과 시료는 증착 중 질소 유량이 2.5 sccm인 시료를 기준으로 5 sccm 포함된 박막에서 load force-depth 그래프가 급격히 변화하는 경향을 나타내었고, 표면강도(surface hardness)는 10.07 GPa에서 15.55 GPa로 증가하였다. 이후 질소 유량이 7.5 sccm과 10 sccm에서는 12.65 GPa와 12.77 GPa로 질소 유량이 5 sccm 포함된 박막보다 상대적으로 감소하였다. 이는 박막내 결정상으로 존재하는 질소와 비정질 상태로 존재하는 질소의 비율에 의한 것이고, 압축력에 기인하는 스트레스 증가로 판단된다.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.518-522
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• 2008

The miniaturization of device size and multilevel interlayers have been developed by ULSI circuit devices. These submicron processes cause serious problems in conventional metallization due to the solubility of silicon and metal at the interface, such as an increasing contact resistance in the contact hole and interdiffusion between metal and silicon. Therefore it is necessary to implement a barrier layer between Si and metal. Thus, the size of multilevel interconnection of ULSI devices is critical metallization schemes, and it is necessary reduce the RC time delay for device speed performance. So it is tendency to study the Cu metallization for interconnect of semiconductor processes. However, at the submicron process the interaction between Si and Cu is so strong and detrimental to the electrical performance of Si even at temperatures below $200^{\circ}C$. Thus, we suggest the tungsten-carbon-nitrogen (W-C-N) thin film for Cu diffusion barrier characterized by nano scale indentation system. Nano-indentation system was proposed as an in-situ and nanometer-order local stress analysis technique.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.271-271
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• 2011

본 논문에서는 W-N 확산 방지막을 각각 다른 질소 유입 조건 (0 sccm, 0.5 sccm, 1 sccm) 하에 Si (Silicon) (100) 기판 위에 rf (radio-frequency) magnetron sputter를 이용하여 증착하였다. 증착된 박막은 800$^{\circ}C$에서 열처리하였고, 이때 각각의 W-N 확산 방지 막의 열적 안정성을 분석하였다. 기존 W-N박막의 분석은 X-ray diffraction (XRD)와 같은 분광학적 방법을 사용하여 분석하였으나, 이는 점점 미세화 되어가는 반도체 산업의 최근 동향에는 적합하지 않다. 따라서 이번 실험에서는 박막 국부적인 영역에서 nano scale의 분석이 가능한 nano indentation을 이용하여 분석하였다. 본 연구에서는 열적 안정성을 분석하기 위하여 각각 열처리 온도가 다른 박막의 stress 분포를 XRD와 AFM를 이용하여 구한 격자상수로 먼저 박막 전체적인 영역을 분석하였다. 박막의 국부적인 영역은 앞서 언급하였던 nano indentation을 이용하여 stress 분포를 분석하였다. 실험 결과, 표면의 RMS roughness는 3.6에서 1.4 nm으로 변하였으며, 박막은 미열처리에서 열처리 온도의 증가 시 보다 tensile stress를 많이 받는 것으로 분석하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.203-207
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• 2009

Copper is known as a replacement for aluminum wire which is used for semiconductor. Because specific resistance of Cu ($1.67{\mu}{\Omega}$-cm) is lower than that of Al ($2.66{\mu}{\Omega}$-cm), Cu reduce RC delay time. Although melting point of Cu($1085^{\circ}C$) is higher than melting point of Al, Cu have characteristic to easily react with Silicon(Si) in low temperature, and it isn't good at adhesive strength with Si. For above these reason, research of diffusion barrier to prevent reaction between Cu and Si and to raise adhesive strength is steadily advanced. Our study group have researched on W-C-N (tungsten-carbon-nitrogen) Diffusion barrier for preventing diffusion of Cu through semiconductor. By recent studies, It's reported that W-C-N diffusion barrier can even precent Cu and Si diffusing effectively at high temperature. In this treatise, we vaporized different proportion of N into diffusion barrier to research Cu's Electromigration based on the results and studied surface hardness in the heat process using nano scale indentation system. We gain that diffusion barrier containing nitrogen is more stable for Cu's electromigration and has stronger surface hardness in heat treatment process.