• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.634-640
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• 1998

A well- shaped trench was investigated in view of the defect distribution along trench sidewall and bottom using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The trench was formed by HBr plasma and additive gases in magnetically enhanced reactive ion etching system. Adding $0_2$ and other additive gases into HBr plasma makes it possible to eliminate sidewall undercut and lower surface roughness by forming the passivation layer of lateral etching, resulted in the well filled trench with oxide and polysilicon by subsequent deposition. The passivation layer of lateral etching was mainly composed of $SiO_xF_y$ $SiO_xBr_y$ confirmed by chemical analysis. It also affects the generation and distribution of lattice defects. Most of etch induced defects were found in the edge region of the trench bottom within the depth of 10$\AA$. They are generally decreased with the thickness of residue layer and almost disappeared below the uni¬formly thick residue layer. While the formation of crystalline defects in silicon substrate mainly depends on the incident angle and energy of etch species, the region of surface defects on the thickness of residue layer formed during trench etching.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.211-216
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• 2000

In this paper, experimental investigations were carried out to remove NOx, SOx simultaneously from a simulated combustion flue gas [$NO(0.02%)-SO_2(0.08%)-CO_2-Air-N_2$] by using a pulse corona induced plasma chemical processing. Discharge domain of wire-cylindrical plasma reactor was separated from a gas flow duct to avoid unstable discharge by aerosol particle deposited on discharge electrode and grounded electrode. The NOx, SOx removal was experimentally investigated by a reaction induced to ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate using a low price of aqueous NaOH solution and a small quantity of ammonia. Volume percentage of aqueous NaOH solution used was 20% and $N_2$ flow rate was $2.5{\ell}/min$ for bubbling aqueous NaOH solution. Ammonia gas(l4.82%) balanced by argon was diluted by air and was introduced to a main simulated flue gas duct through $NH_3$ injection system which was in downstream of reactor. The $NH_3$ molecular ratio(MR) was determined based on [$NH_3$] and [$NO+SO_2$]. MR is 1.5. The NOx removal rates increased in the order of DC, AC and pulse, but SOx removal rates was not significantly effected by source of electricity. The NOx removal rate slightly decreased with increasing initial concentration. but SOx removal rate was not significantly affected by initial concentration. The NOx, SOx removal rates decreased with increasing gas flow rate.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.829-834
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• 1998

Concerned with environmental issue, a new decomposition method for CFCs that caused the destruction of ozone layer was proposed. Using thermal plasma process, CFC113 decomposed completely. In order to quantify the tendency in decomposition and recombination of CFC113, thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were performed. The calculation was conducted with CFC113, $H_2$, $O_2$ at 1 atm and 300 K~5000 K. In the experiment, products which are generated after decomposition in the plasma were examined by varying reacting gases($H_2$, $O_2$) flow rates and the changes of inside diameters of quenching tubes. Decomposition products were analyzed using Gas Chromatograph. The results are very promising with a decomposition efficiency greater than 99.99%. As to CFC113/$H_2$=1/3, conversion to CO decreased with increasing $O_2$ ratio. When CFC113/$O_2$=1/1, 1/1.5 and 1/2, conversion to CO increases above $H_2$ ratio of 3. The change of CO conversion is not sensitive to power changes. As total flow rate increased, CO conversion was slightly decreased. When the inside diameter of the quenching tube was changed from 8mm into 4mm, CO conversion was increased due to enhanced quenching rate.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.531-536
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• 2005

Inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching of CoTb and CoZrNb magnetic materials with the photoresist mask was performed using $Cl_2/Ar$ and $C_2F_6/Ar$ gas mixtures and characterized in terms of etch rate and etch profile. As the concentrations of $Cl_2$ and $C_2F_6$ gases increased, the etch rates of magnetic films decreased and the etch slopes became slanted. The $Cl_2/Ar$ gas was more effective in obtaining fast etch rate and steep sidewall slope than the $C_2F_6/Ar$ gas. As the coil rf power and dc bias increased, fast etch rate and steep etch slope were obtained but the redeposition on the sidewall was observed. This is due to the increase of ion and radical densities in plasma with increasing the coil rf power and the increase of incident ion energy to the substrate with increasing the dc bias voltage. By applying high density reactive ion etching to magnetic tunnel junction stack containing various magnetic films and metal oxide, steep etch slope and clean etch profile without redeposition were obtained.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.625-632
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• 2004

Perfluorocompounds ($PFC_s$), such as tetrafluoromethane ($CF_4$) and hexafluoroethane ($C_2F_6$), have been widely used as plasma etching and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) gases for semiconductor manufacturing processes. Since these $PFC_s$ are known to cause a greenhouse effect intensively, there has been a growing interest in reducing $PFC_s$ emissions. Among various $CF_4$ decomposing techniques, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is considered as one of a promising candidate because it has been successfully used for generating ozone ($O_3$) and decomposing nitrogen oxide (NO). Firstly, optimal concentration of oxygen for $CF_4$ decomposition was found to figure out how many primary and secondary reactions are associated with DBD process. Secondary, to find effective discharge method for $CF_4$ decomposition, a streamer and a glow mode in DBD are experimentally compared, which includes (i) coaxialcylinder DBD, (ii) DBD reactor packed with glass beads. and (iii) a glow mode operation with a helium gas. The test results showed that optimal concentration of oxygen was ranged 500 ppm~1% for treating 500 ppm of $CF_4$ and helium glow discharge was the most efficient one to decompose $CF_4$.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.639-645
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• 2012

Embossed $TiO_2$ thin films with high surface areas are achieved using soft-templates composed of monolayer polystyrene beads. The form of links between the beads in the templates is controlled by varying the $O_2$ plasma etching time on the templates, resulting in various templates with close-linked, nano-linked, and isolated beads. Room-temperature deposition of $TiO_2$ on the plasma-treated templates and calcination at $550^{\circ}C$ result in embossed films with tailored links between anatase $TiO_2$ hollow hemispheres. Although all the embossed films have similar surface areas, the sensitivity of films with nano-linked $TiO_2$ hollow hemispheres to 500 ppm CO and ethanol gases are much higher than that of films with close-linked and isolated hollow hemispheres, and the detection limits of them are as low as 0.6 ppm for CO and 0.1 ppm for ethanol. The strong correlation of sensitivity with the form of links between hollow hemispheres reveals the critical role of potential barriers formed at the links. The facile, large-scale, and on-chip fabrication of embossed $TiO_2$ films with nano-linked hollow hemispheres on Si substrate and the high sensitivity without the aid of additives give us a sustainable competitive advantage over various methods for the fabrication of highly sensitive $TiO_2$-based sensors.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.342-349
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• 2009

This study investigated the growth characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by changing a period of annealing time and a $C_{2}H_{2}/H_2$ flow ratio at temperature as low as $450^{\circ}C$ with inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition. The 1-nm-thick Fe-Ni-Co alloy thin film served as a catalyst layer for the growth of CNTs, which was thermally evaporated on the 15-nm-thick Al underlayer deposited on the 50-nm-thick Ti diffusion barrier. The annealing at low temperature of $450^{\circ}C$ brought about almost no granulation of the catalyst layer, and the CNT growth was not affected by a period of annealing time. A study of changing the flow rate of $C_{2}H_{2}$ and $H_2$ showed that as the ratio of the $C_{2}H_{2}$ flow rate to the $H_2$ flow rate was lowered, the CNTs were grown to be longer With further decreasing the flow ratio, the length of CNTs reached the maximum and then became shorter. Under the optimized gas flow rates, we successfully synthesized CNTs with a uniform length over a 4-inch Si wafer at $450^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2012

Objectives: Animal husbandry workers could be exposed to various work hazards including toxic gases, chemicals such as pesticides or organic dust. Immunological evaluation focusing on respiratory allergic hypersensitivity occurrence was under-taken for swine farm workers as a part of the study on immunologic status of dairy barn, swine confinement, and poultry farm workers. Materials and Methods: Peripheral bloods were collected from 25 workers at the year of 2001 and 12 workers at the year of 2012 from swine farms located at Gyeonggi province, Korea. Seven adults not involved with animal husbandry were recruited at the year of 2001 from the same residential area as the swine farm workers'. Level of plasma IgE and 20 respiratory allergen-specific IgE were evaluated using commercially available ELISA kit. Results: Plasma IgE level was approximately five-fold higher in the swine farm workers regardless of the sampling year than the control subjects. Plant allergens from outdoor environments such as golden rod, pigweed, Russian thistle, or ragweed were the major allergens with positive reaction(allergen specific IgE${\geq}$0.7 IU/mL) for the swine farm workers at 2001 year. Meanwhile, house dust mite(Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus) and cockroach, typical indoor allergens in Korea, were the major respiratory allergens for the swine farm workers at 2012 year. Conclusions: Overall, even though our results are primitive, the results suggest that immunological function of swine farm workers could be modulated toward type-2 reactivity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.196-204
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• 2020

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitations associated with chronic inflammatory response due to noxious particles or gases in the lung. Increasing oxidative stress associated with COPD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influencing factors of biomarkers for oxidative stress in retired miners with COPD. Methods: The levels of total peroxide(TPx), total antioxidant capacity(TAC), and oxidative stress index(TPx/TAC ratio, OSI) in plasma as biomarkers for oxidative stress, serum C-reactive protein(CRP) as a biomarker for inflammation, and general characteristics were measured in 93 male subjects with COPD. COPD was defined as post bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC<0.7 by spirometry. Results: Mean levels of TPx(p=0.013), TAC(p=0.010), OSI(p=0.040), and CRP(p=0.024) were higher in current smokers. Levels of TPx(β=0.445, p<0.001), TAC(β=0.490, p<0.001), and OSI(β=0.351, p<0.001) were related to CRP levels, and CRP levels were related to %FEV₁ predicted(β=-0.295, p=0.003) and current smoking(β=0.214, p=0.032). Conclusions: These results suggest that oxidative stress was related to inflammation, and inflammation were related to decreasing %FEV₁ predicted and current smoking in retired miners with COPD.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.408-408
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• 2012

It is well known that magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is nonvolatile memory devices using ferromagnetic materials. MRAM has the merits such as fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance and nonvolatility. Although DRAM has many advantages containing high storage density, fast access time and low power consumption, it becomes volatile when the power is turned off. Owing to the attractive advantages of MRAM, MRAM is being spotlighted as an alternative device in the future. MRAM consists of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal- oxide semiconductor (CMOS). MTJ stacks are composed of various magnetic materials. FePt thin films are used as a pinned layer of MTJ stack. Up to date, an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE) method of MTJ stacks showed better results in terms of etch rate and etch profile than any other methods such as ion milling, chemical assisted ion etching (CAIE), reactive ion etching (RIE). In order to improve etch profiles without redepositon, a better etching process of MTJ stack needs to be developed by using different etch gases and etch parameters. In this research, influences of $O_2$ gas on the etching characteristics of FePt thin films were investigated. FePt thin films were etched using ICPRIE in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mix. The etch rate and the etch selectivity were investigated in various $O_2$ concentrations. The etch profiles were studied in varying etch parameters such as coil rf power, dc-bias voltage, and gas pressure. TiN was employed as a hard mask. For observation etch profiles, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used.