• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.1323-1324
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• 2008

We developed the Hyper-thermal Neutral Beam (HNB) sputtering process as a plasma damage free process for ITO top anode deposition on inverted Top emission OLED (ITOLED). For examining the effect of the HNB sputtering system, Inverted Bottom emission OLEDs (IBOLED) with ITO top anode electrode were fabricated; the characteristics of IBOLED using HNB sputtering process shows significant suppression of plasma induced damage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.100-101
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• 2012

The plasma damage free and room temperature processedthin film deposition technology is essential for realization of various next generation organic microelectronic devices such as flexible AMOLED display, flexible OLED lighting, and organic photovoltaic cells because characteristics of fragile organic materials in the plasma process and low glass transition temperatures (Tg) of polymer substrate. In case of directly deposition of metal oxide thin films (including transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS)) on the organic layers, plasma damages against to the organic materials is fatal. This damage is believed to be originated mainly from high energy energetic particles during the sputtering process such as negative oxygen ions, reflected neutrals by reflection of plasma background gas at the target surface, sputtered atoms, bulk plasma ions, and secondary electrons. To solve this problem, we developed the NBAS (Neutral Beam Assisted Sputtering) process as a plasma damage free and room temperature processed sputtering technology. As a result, electro-optical properties of NBAS processed ITO thin film showed resistivity of $4.0{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}m$ and high transmittance (>90% at 550 nm) with nano- crystalline structure at room temperature process. Furthermore, in the experiment result of directly deposition of TCO top anode on the inverted structure OLED cell, it is verified that NBAS TCO deposition process does not damages to the underlying organic layers. In case of deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) thin film on the plastic polymer substrate, the room temperature processed sputtering coating of high quality TCO thin film is required. During the sputtering process with higher density plasma, the energetic particles contribute self supplying of activation & crystallization energy without any additional heating and post-annealing and forminga high quality TCO thin film. However, negative oxygen ions which generated from sputteringtarget surface by electron attachment are accelerated to high energy by induced cathode self-bias. Thus the high energy negative oxygen ions can lead to critical physical bombardment damages to forming oxide thin film and this effect does not recover in room temperature process without post thermal annealing. To salve the inherent limitation of plasma sputtering, we have been developed the Magnetic Field Shielded Sputtering (MFSS) process as the high quality oxide thin film deposition process at room temperature. The MFSS process is effectively eliminate or suppress the negative oxygen ions bombardment damage by the plasma limiter which composed permanent magnet array. As a result, electro-optical properties of MFSS processed ITO thin film (resistivity $3.9{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, transmittance 95% at 550 nm) have approachedthose of a high temperature DC magnetron sputtering (DMS) ITO thin film were. Also, AOS (a-IGZO) TFTs fabricated by MFSS process without higher temperature post annealing showed very comparable electrical performance with those by DMS process with $400^{\circ}C$ post annealing. They are important to note that the bombardment of a negative oxygen ion which is accelerated by dc self-bias during rf sputtering could degrade the electrical performance of ITO electrodes and a-IGZO TFTs. Finally, we found that reduction of damage from the high energy negative oxygen ions bombardment drives improvement of crystalline structure in the ITO thin film and suppression of the sub-gab states in a-IGZO semiconductor thin film. For realization of organic flexible electronic devices based on plastic substrates, gas barrier coatings are required to prevent the permeation of water and oxygen because organic materials are highly susceptible to water and oxygen. In particular, high efficiency flexible AMOLEDs needs an extremely low water vapor transition rate (WVTR) of $1{\times}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$. The key factor in high quality inorganic gas barrier formation for achieving the very low WVTR required (under ${\sim}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$) is the suppression of nano-sized defect sites and gas diffusion pathways among the grain boundaries. For formation of high quality single inorganic gas barrier layer, we developed high density nano-structured Al2O3 single gas barrier layer usinga NBAS process. The NBAS process can continuously change crystalline structures from an amorphous phase to a nano- crystalline phase with various grain sizes in a single inorganic thin film. As a result, the water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film have improved order of magnitude compared with that of conventional $Al_2O_3$ layers made by the RF magnetron sputteringprocess under the same sputtering conditions; the WVTR of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film was about $5{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2/day$ by just single layer.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.245-252
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• 2013

This study attempted to manufacture a Cu-Ga coating layer via the cold spray process and to investigate the applicability of the layer as a sputtering target material. In addition, changes made to the microstructure and properties of the layer due to annealing heat treatment were evaluated, compared, and analyzed. The results showed that coating layers with a thickness of 520 mm could be manufactured via the cold spray process under optimal conditions. With the Cu-Ga coating layer, the ${\alpha}$-Cu and $Cu_3Ga$ were found to exist inside the layer regardless of annealing heat treatment. The microstructure that was minute and inhomogeneous prior to thermal treatment changed to homogeneous and dense with a more clear division of phases. A sputtering test was actually conducted using the sputtering target Cu-Ga coating layer (~2 mm thickness) that was additionally manufactured via the cold-spray coating process. Consequently, this test result confirmed that the cold sprayed Cu-Ga coating layer may be applied as a sputtering target material.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.206-211
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• 2012

Process analysis was carried out during deposition of MgO by inductively coupled plasma assisted reactive magnetron sputtering in Ar and $O_2$ ambient. At the initiation of Mg sputtering with bipolar pulsed dc power in Ar ambient, total pressure showed sharp increase and then slow fall. To analyse partial pressure change, QMS was used in downstream region, where the total pressure was maintained as low as $10^{-5}$ Torr during plasma processing, good for ion source and quadrupole operation. At base pressure, the major impurity was $H_2O$ and the second major impurity was $CO/N_2$ about 10%. During sputtering of Mg in Ar, $H_2$ soared up to 10.7% of Ar and remained as the major impurity during all the later process time. When $O_2$ was mixed with Ar, the partial pressure of Ar decreased in proportion to $O_2$ flow rate and that of $H_2$ dropped down to 2%. It was understood as Mg target surface was oxidized to stop $H_2$ emission by Ar ion sputtering. With ICP turned on, the major impurity $H_2$ was converted into $H_2O$ consuming $O_2$ and C was also oxidized to evolve CO and $CO_2$.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.165-169
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• 2007

Compared to conventional Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) film deposition methods, cesium (Cs) assisted sputtering offers higher film characteristics in terms of electrical, mechanical and optical properties. However, it showed highly non-linear characteristics between process input factors and equipment responses. Therefore, to maximize film quality, optimization of manufacturing process is essential and process characterization is the first step for process optimization. For this, we designed 2 level design of experiment (DOE) to analyze ITO film characteristics including film thickness, resistivity and transmittance. DC power, pressure, carrier flow, Cs temperature and substrate temperature were selected for process input variables. Through statistical effect analysis methods, relation between three types of ITO film characteristics and five kinds of process inputs are successfully characterized and eventually, it can be used to optimize Cs assisted sputtering processes for various types of film deposition.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.255-262
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• 2006

Pd-Cu alloy membrane for hydrogen separation was fabricated by sputtering and Cu reflow process. At first, the Pd and Cu was continuously deposited by sputtering method on oxidized Si support, the Cu reflow process was followed. Microstructure of the surface and permeability of the membrane was investigated depending on various reflow temperature, time, Pd/cu composition and supports. With respect to our result, Pd-Cu thin film (90 wt.% Pd/10 wt.% Cu) deposited by sputtering process with thickness of $2{\mu}m$ was heat-treated for Cu reflow The voids of the membrane surface were completely filled and the dense crystal surface was formed by Cu reflow behavior at $700^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. Cu reflow process, which is adopted for our work, could be applied to fabrication of dense Pd-alloy membrane for hydrogen separation regardless of supports. Ceramic or metal support could be easily used for the membrane fabricated by reflow process. The Cu reflow process must result in void-free surface and dense crystalline of Pd-alloy membrane, which is responsible for improved selectivity oi the membrane.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.36-39
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• 2002

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film transistor (TFT) technology is emerging as a key technology for active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD), allowing the integration of both active matrix and driving circuit on the same substrate (normally glass). As high temperature process is not used for glass substrate because of the low softening points below 450$^{\circ}C$. However, high temperature process is required for getting high crystallization volume fraction (i.e. crystallinity). A poly-Si thin film transistor has been fabricated to investigate the effect of high temperature process on the molybdenum (Mo) substrate. Improve of the crystallinity over 75% has been noticed. The properties of structural and electrical at high temperature poly-Si thin film transistor on Mo substrate have been also analyzed using a sputtering method

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.316-316
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• 2014

Two different transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layers of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) and $WO_3$ were prepared by a rf sputtering process. Working pressure, deposition time, and target-to-substrate distance were varied for the sputtering process to improve electrical properties of the resulting layer. Thickness of the TCO layers was measured by a profile meter of ${\alpha}$-step. To evaluate the electrical conductivity, surface resistivity of the TCO layers was measured by a four-point probe technique. Decrease of the working pressure resulted in increase of deposition rate and decrease of surface resistivity of the resulting layer. Increase of the layer thickness due to increased deposition time resulted in decrease of surface resistivity of the resulting layer. The shorter the target-to-substrate distance was, the lower was the surface resistivity of the resulting layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.782-784
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• 2002

Many compound semiconductors which have high carrier mobility and small band gap have attentive in application of various practical a field. Especially, InSb served for Hall device and magnetic resistor such as magnetic sensor because InSb thin film has high mobility. Many studies on InSb thin film deposition because In and Sb has been very different feature of vapor pressure($10^4$ times) When In and Sb deposited. In this paper studied it In and Sb deposited simultaneously using by method of co-sputtering deposotion. This process, get to effects of manufacture process simplification. After that this paper observed micro structure and electronic behavior of InSb thin film using by co-sputtering.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.370-374
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• 2002

Many compound semiconductors which have high carrier mobility and small band gap have attentive in application of various practical a field. Especially, InSb served for Hall device and magnetic resistor such as magnetic sensor because InSb thin film has high mobility. Many studies on InSb thin film deposistion because In and Sb has been very different feature of vapor pressure ($10^{-4}$ times) When In and Sb deposited. In this paper studied it In and Sb deposited simultaneously using by method of co-sputtering deposotion. This process, get to effects of manufacture process simplification. After that this paper observed micro structure and electronic behavior of InSb thin film using by co-sputtering and we study properties of magneto-resistance by annealing.