• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국진공학회 2012년도 제42회 동계 정기 학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.390-390
• /
• 2012

Information technology industries has grown rapidly and demanded alternative memories for the next generation. The most popular random access memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), has many advantages as a memory, but it could not meet the demands from the current of developed industries. One of highlighted alternative memories is magnetic random-access memory (MRAM). It has many advantages like low power consumption, huge storage, high operating speed, and non-volatile properties. MRAM consists of magnetic-tunnel-junction (MTJ) stack which is a key part of it and has various magnetic thin films like CoFeB, FePt, IrMn, and so on. Each magnetic thin film is difficult to be etched without any damages and react with chemical species in plasma. For improving the etching process, a high density plasma etching process was employed. Moreover, the previous etching gases were highly corrosive and dangerous. Therefore, the safety etching gases are needed to be developed. In this research, the etch characteristics of CoFeB magnetic thin films were studied by using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mixes. TiN thin films were used as a hardmask on CoFeB thin films. The concentrations of $O_2$ in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mix were varied, and then, the rf coil power, gas pressure, and dc-bias voltage. The etch rates and the selectivity were obtained by a surface profiler and the etch profiles were observed by a field emission scanning electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to reveal the etch mechanism.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제44회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.387-387
• /
• 2013

Currently, the flash memory and the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) have been used in a variety of applications. However, the downsizing of devices and the increasing density of recording medias are now in progress. So there are many demands for development of new semiconductor memory for next generation. Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is one of the prospective semiconductor memories with excellent features including non-volatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage, and high storage density. MRAM is composed of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The MTJ stack consists of various magnetic materials, metals, and a tunneling barrier layer. Recently, MgO thin films have attracted a great attention as the prominent candidates for a tunneling barrier layer in the MTJ stack instead of the conventional Al2O3 films, because it has low Gibbs energy, low dielectric constant and high tunneling magnetoresistance value. For the successful etching of high density MRAM, the etching characteristics of MgO thin films as a tunneling barrier layer should be developed. In this study, the etch characteristics of MgO thin films have been investigated in various gas mixes using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE). The Cl2/Ar, CH3OH/Ar, and CH4/Ar gas mix were employed to find an optimized etching gas for MgO thin film etching. TiN thin films were employed as a hard mask to increase the etch selectivity. The etch rates were obtained using surface profilometer and etch profiles were observed by using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국전기전자재료학회 2006년도 영호남 합동 학술대회 및 춘계학술대회 논문집 센서 박막 기술교육
• /
• pp.140-143
• /
• 2006

차세대 반도체 공정을 위한 많은 노력 중 미세가공의 중요성이 날로 증가함에 따라 reactive ion etching (RIE)에 대한 연구 또한 그 중요성이 커지고 있으며, 현재 제조공정 라인에서는 공정상의 오류를 줄이는 노력에 주목하고 있다. 본 논문에서는 RIE 과정에서 etch rate과 uniformity에 영향을 줄 수 있는 요인 4 가지 즉, $CHF_3$, $O_2$ chamber pressure, RF power의 변화에 대해 실험 계획법 (DOE)을 통해 실험을 계획하고, 실험한 후 neural networks. 를 통해 학습함으로서 RIE 공정상의 최적화률 모색하였다.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• 제5권4호
• /
• pp.105-108
• /
• 2017

The reactive ion etching (RIE) technology which enables nano-texturatization of surface is applied on monocrystalline silicon solar cell. The additional RIE process on alkalized textured surface further improves the blue response and short circuit current. Such parameter is characterized by surface reflectance and quantum efficiency measurement. By varying the RIE process time and matching the subsequent processes, the absolute efficiency gain of 0.13% is achieved. However, the result indicates potential efficiency gain could be higher due to process integration. The critical etch process time is discussed which minimizes both front surface reflectance and etching damage, considering the challenges of required system throughput in industry.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국전기전자재료학회 2006년도 하계학술대회 논문집 Vol.7
• /
• pp.188-189
• /
• 2006

차세대 반도체 공정을 위한 많은 노력 중 미세가공의 중요성이 날로 증가함에 따라 reactive ion etching (RIE)에 대한 연구 또한 그 중요성이 커지고 있다. 본 논문에서는 RIE 과정에서 etch rate과 uniformity에 영향을 줄 수 있는 요인 4가지 즉, $CHF_3$, $O_2$, chamber pressure, RF power의 변화에 대한 실험 계획법(DOE)을 통해 계획하고, 실험한 후 neural network를 통해 학습함으로서 RIE 공정상의 최적화를 모색하였다.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국진공학회 2009년도 제38회 동계학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.213-213
• /
• 2010

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM), based on magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and CMOS, is one of the best semiconductor memories because it can provide nonvolatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage and high storage density. For the realization of high density MRAM, the etching of MTJ stack with good properties is one of a key process. Recently, there has been great interest in the MTJ stack using MgO as barrier layer for its huge room temperature MR ratio. The use of MgO barrier layer will undoubtedly accelerate the development of MTJ stack for MRAM. In this study, high-density plasma reactive ion etching of MgO films was investigated in an inductively coupled plasma of $Cl_2$/Ar gas mixes. The etch rate, etch selectivity and etch profile of this magnetic film were examined on vary gas concentration. As the $Cl_2$ gas concentration increased, the etch rate of MgO monotonously decreased and etch slop was slanted. The effective of etch parameters including coil rf power, dc-bais voltage, and gas pressure on the etch profile of MgO thin film was explored, At high coil rf power, high dc-bais voltage, low gas pressure, the etching of MgO displayed better etch profiles. Finally, the clean and vertical etch sidewall of MgO films was achieved using $Cl_2$/Ar plasma at the optimized etch conditions.

• 한국재료학회지
• /
• 제31권3호
• /
• pp.162-171
• /
• 2021

Dry etching of copper thin films is performed using high density plasma of ethylenediamine (EDA)/hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)/Ar gas mixture. The etch rates, etch selectivities and etch profiles of the copper thin films are improved by adding HFIP to EDA/Ar gas. As the EDA/HFIP concentration in EDA/HFIP/Ar increases, the etch rate of copper thin films decreases, whereas the etch profile is improved. In the EDA/HFIP/Ar gas mixture, the optimal ratio of EDA to HFIP is investigated. In addition, the etch parameters including ICP source power, dc-bias voltage, process pressure are varied to examine the etch characteristics. Optical emission spectroscopy results show that among all species, [CH], [CN] and [H] are the main species in the EDA/HFIP/Ar plasma. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate the formation of CuCN compound and C-N-H-containing polymers during the etching process, leading to a good etch profile. Finally, anisotropic etch profiles of the copper thin films patterned with 150 nm scale are obtained in EDA/HFIP/Ar gas mixture.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국진공학회 2012년도 제42회 동계 정기 학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.523-523
• /
• 2012

As the wafer geometric requirements continuously complicated and minutes in tens of nanometers, the expectation of real-time add-on sensors for in-situ plasma process monitoring is rapidly increasing. Various industry applications, utilizing plasma impedance monitor (PIM) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), on etch end point detection, etch chemistry investigation, health monitoring, fault detection and classification, and advanced process control are good examples. However, process monitoring in semiconductor manufacturing industry requires non-invasiveness. The hypothesis behind the optical monitoring of plasma induced ion current is for the monitoring of plasma induced charging damage in non-invasive optical way. In plasma dielectric via etching, the bombardment of reactive ions on exposed conductor patterns may induce electrical current. Induced electrical charge can further flow down to device level, and accumulated charges in the consecutive plasma processes during back-end metallization can create plasma induced charging damage to shift the threshold voltage of device. As a preliminary research for the hypothesis, we performed two phases experiment to measure the plasma induced current in etch environmental condition. We fabricated electrical test circuits to convert induced current to flickering frequency of LED output, and the flickering frequency was measured by high speed optical plasma monitoring system (OPMS) in 10 kHz. Current-frequency calibration was done in offline by applying stepwise current increase while LED flickering was measured. Once the performance of the test circuits was evaluated, a metal pad for collecting ion bombardment during plasma etch condition was placed inside etch chamber, and the LED output frequency was measured in real-time. It was successful to acquire high speed optical emission data acquisition in 10 kHz. Offline measurement with the test circuitry was satisfactory, and we are continuously investigating the potential of real-time in-situ plasma induce current measurement via OPMS.

• 전자공학회논문지A
• /
• 제30A권7호
• /
• pp.60-74
• /
• 1993

Experiments of RIE of tungsten films using SF$_{6}$ plasma were conducted to investigate the effect of process parameters on etch rate, uniformity, anisotropy, and selectivity. As power increased, the etch rate increased. Maximum etch rate was obtained at 200mtorr As interelectrode spacing increased the etch rate increased for P < 200mtorr while it decreased for P> 200mtorr. Etch rate was maximum at 20 sccm gas flow rate. As substrate temperature increased, the etch rate increased and activation energy was 0.046 eV. In addition, maximum etch rate was acquired at 20% $O_{2}$ addition. The etch rate slightly increased when Ar was added up to 20% while it continuously decreased when N$_{2}$ was added. Uniformity got improved as pressure decreased and was less than 4% for P <100mtorr. Mass spectrometer was utilized to analyze gas composition and S and F peaks were observed from XPS analysis with increasing power. The anisotropy was better for smaller power and spacing, and lower pressure and temperature. It improved when CH$_{4}$ was added and anisotropic etch profile was obtained when about 10% $O_{2}$ was added. The selectjvity was better for smaller power larger pressure and spacing, and lower temperature. Especially. low temperature processing was proposed as a novel method to improve the anisotropy and selectivity.

• 반도체디스플레이기술학회지
• /
• 제17권4호
• /
• pp.97-100
• /
• 2018

$NF_3$ Plasma etching of silicon was conducted by injecting only $NF_3$ gas into reactive ion etching. $NF_3$ Plasma etching was done in intermediate pressure. Silicon etching by $NF_3$ plasma in reactive ion etching was diagnosed through residual gas analyzer and optical emission spectroscopy. In plasma etching, optical emission spectroscopy is generally used to know what kinds of species in plasma. Also, residual gas analyzer is mainly to know the byproducts of etching process. Through experiments, the results of optical emission spectroscopy during silicon etching by $NF_3$ plasma was analyzed with connecting the results of etch rate of silicon and residual gas analyzer. It was confirmed that $NF_3$ plasma etching of silicon in reactive ion etching accords with the characteristic of reactive ion etching.