• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2011

The surface passivation is one of the important methods that can improve the efficiency of solar cells and can be classified into two methods: wet-chemical passivation and film passivation. In this paper, chemical HF treatment were employed for the passivation of n-type silicon wafers and their effects were studied. To investigate film passivation effects, the silicon nitride films were also deposited by PECVD (plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) on n-type silicon wafers treated with chemical HF. The minority carrier lifetime measurements were used for evaluation of the passivation characteristics in the all experiments steps. We confirmed that the minority carrier lifetime was improved with chemical HF treatment due to passivation effects by H-termination.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.477-483
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• 2000

Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) tests were performed for two kinds of commercial silicon nitride balls using 4-Ball rolling contact fatigue life tester under EHL condition (Λ=8.9) and boundary lubrication condition (Λ=0.2). All the test balls were finished up to the dimensional accuracy of Grade 5 defined in KS B 2001 (Steel Balls for Ball Bearings) with a size of 8.731 mm. RCF tests were then conducted under the initial theoretical maximum contact stress 6.63 GPa and the spindle speed 10,000 rpm. All the test balls were not failed until 3.75 $\times$ 107 contact cycles and wear tracks of test balls were not conspicuous under EHL condition (Λ= 8.9). In the operations of low lambda regime (Λ= 0.2), all the test balls were surface damaged and high rolling wear resistance was achievable in fully densified using MgO 1 wt% and HIPed balls. Rolling wear of silicon nitride balls under boundary lubrication condition depend mainly on grain size and intergranular phase content of silicon nitride balls.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.07d
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• pp.1327-1329
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• 1998

It is very important to select superior inter-layer PMD(Pre Metal Dielectric) materials which can act as penetration barrier to various impurities created by CMP processes. In this paper, hot carrier degradation and device characteristics were studied with material variation of PMD-1 layers, which were split by LP-TEOS, SR-Oxide, PE-Oxynitride, PE-Nitride, PE-TEOS films. It was observed that the oxynitride and nitride using plasma was greatly decreased in hot carrier effect in comparison with silicon oxide. Consequently, silicon oxide turned out to be a better PMD-1 material than PE-oxynitride and PE-nitride. Also, LP-TEOS film was the best PMD-1 material Among the silicon oxides.

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2005

In this paper, a new silicon nitride cantilever integrated with silicon heater and piezoelectric sensor has been firstly developed to improve the uniformity of the initial bending and the mechanical stability of the cantilever array for thermo-piezoelectric SPM(scanning probe microscopy) -based data storages. This nitride cantilever shows thickness uniformity less than $2\%$. Data bits of 40 nm in diameter were recorded on PMMA film. The sensitivity of the piezoelectric sensor was 0.615 fC/nm after poling the PZT layer. For high speed operation, 128${\times}$128 probe array was developed.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2005

Silicon nitride cantilevers integrated with silicon heaters and piezoelectric sensors were developed for the scanning probe microscope (SPM) based data storage application. These nitride cantilevers are expected to have better mechanical stability and uniformity of initial bending than the previously developed silicon cantilevers. Data bits of 40 nm in diameter were recorded on PMMA film and the sensitivity of the piezoelectric sensor was 0.615 fC/nm, meaning that indentations less than 20 nm in depth can be detected. For high speed operation, $128{\times}128$ cantilever array was developed.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.453-458
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• 1987

Amorphous silicon thin-film transtors (TFT's) have been designed and fabricated on glass substrates. The hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film has been deposited by decomposing silane(SiH4) in hydorgen ambient by rf glow discharge method. Amorphous silicon nitride(a-Si:H) has been chosen as the gate dielectric material. It has been prepared by decomposing the mixed gas of silane(SiH4) and ammonia(NH3). The electrical properties and performance characteristics of the thin-film transistrs have been measured and compared with the requirements for the switching elements in liquid crystal flat panel display. The results show that liquid crystal flat panel displays can be fabricated using the thin-film transistors described in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.16 no.12S
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• pp.1175-1180
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• 2003

Transformer Coupled Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposited (TCP-CVD) silicon nitride (SiNx) is widely used as a gate dielectric material for thin film transistors (TFT). This paper reports the SiNx films, grown by TCP-CVD at the low temperature (30$0^{\circ}C$). Experimental investigations were carried out for the optimization o(SiNx film as a function of $N_2$/SiH$_4$ flow ratio varying ,3 to 50 keeping rf power of 200 W, This paper presents the dielectric studies of SiNx gate in terms of deposition rate, hydrogen content, etch rate and leakage current density characteristics lot the thin film transistor applications. And also, this work investigated means to decrease the leakage current of SiNx film by employing $N_2$ plasma treatment. The insulator layers were prepared by two step process; the $N_2$ plasma treatment and then PECVD SiNx deposition with SiH$_4$, $N_2$gases.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.231-235
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• 1994

The multi-dielectric layer $SiO_2$/$Si_3{N_4}$/$SiO_2$ (ONO) is used to improve charge retention and to scale down the memory device. The nitride layer of MNOS device is oxidize to form ONO system. During the oxidation of the nitride layer, the change of thickness of nitride layer and generation of interface state between nitride layer and top oxide layer occur. In this paper, effects of oxidation of the nitride layer is studied. The decreases of the nitride layer due to oxidation and trapping characteristics of interface state of multi layer dielectric film are investigated through the C-V measurement and F-N tunneling injection experiment using SONOS capacitor structure. Based on the experimental results, carrier trapping model for maximum flatband voltage shift of multi layer dielectric film is proposed and compared with experimental data. As a results of curve fitting, interface trap density between the top oxide and layer is determined as being $5{\times}10^11$~$2{\times}10^12$[$eV^1$$cm^2$].

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.134-138
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• 2000

The physical, electrical and piezoresitive characteristics of CrN(chromiun nitride) thin-films on silicon substrates have been investigated for use as strain gauges. The thin-film depositions have been carried out by DC reactive magnetron sputtering in an argon-nitrogen atmosphere(Ar-(5~25 %)$N_2$). The deposited CrN thin-films with thickness of $3500{\AA}$nd annealing conditions($300^{\circ}C$, 48 hr) in Ar-10 % $N_2$ deposition atmosphere have been selected as the ideal piezoresistive material for the strain gauges. Under optimum conditions, the CrN thin-films for the strain gauges is obtained a high electrical resistivity, $\rho=1147.65\;{\mu}{\Omega}cm$, a low temperature coefficient of resistance, TCR=-186 ppm/$^{\circ}C$ and a high temporal stability with a good longitudinal gauge factor, GF=11.17.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.31-35
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• 2003

We present a formation technique of thin film heater for heat transfer components. Thin film structures of Cr-Si have been prepared on top of alumina substrates by magnetron sputtering. More samples of Mo thin films were prepared on silicon oxide and silicon nitride substrates by electron beam evaporation technology. The electrical properties of the thin film structures were measured up to the temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. The thickness of the thin films was ranged to about 1 um, and a post annealing up to $900^{\circ}C$ was carried out to achieve more reliable film structures. In measurements of temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), chrome-rich films show the metallic properties; whereas silicon-rich films do the semiconductor properties. Optimal composition between Cr and Si was obtained as 1 : 2, and there is 20% change or less of surface resistance from room temperature to $500^{\circ}C$. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were used for the material analysis of the thin films.