• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.435-438
• /
• 2004

MOCVD is one of the major deposition techniques for Cu thin films and Ta-Si-N is one of promising barrier metal candidates for Cu with high thermal stability. Effects of hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the underlying Ta-Si-N film surface on the Cu nucleation in Cu MOCVD were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron emission spectrometry analyses. Cu nucleation in MOCVD is enhanced as the rf-power and the plasma exposure time are increased in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment. The optimal plasma treatment process condition is the rf-power of 40 Wand the plasma exposure time of 2 min. The hydrogen gas flow rate in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment process does not affect Cu nucleation much. The mechanism through which Cu nucleation is enhanced by the hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the Ta-Si-N film surface is that the nitrogen and oxygen atoms at the Ta-Si-N film surface are effectively removed by the plasma treatment. Consequently the chemical composition was changed from Ta-Si-N(O) into Ta-Si at the Ta-Si-N film surface, which is favorable for Cu nucleation.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.5-12
• /
• 2004

The enhancement of adhesion for Cu film on polycarbonate (PC) surface with the $Ar/O_2$ gas plasma treatment and dc-bias sputtering was studied. The plasma treatment with this reactive mixture changes the chemical property of PC surface into hydrophllic one, which is shown by the variation of contact angle with surface modification. The micro surface roughness that also gives the high adhesive environment is increased by the $Ar/O_2$ gas plasma treatment. These results were observed distinctly from the atomic force microscopy (AFM). The negative substrate dc-bias effect for the Cu adhesion on PC was also investifated. Accelerated $Ar^{+}$ lons in sheath area of anode bombard the bare surface of PC during initial stage of dc bias sputtering. PC substrate. therefore, has severe roughen and hydrophilic surface due to the physical etching process with more activated functional group. As dc-bias sputtering process proceeds, morphology of Cu film shows better step coverage and dense layer. The results of peel test show the evidence of superiority of bias sputtering for the adhesion between metal Cu and PC.C.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.273-284
• /
• 1994

Thermal behavior of Cu-Cr thin alloy films has been investigated by SEM, AES, and TEM. Cu-Cr alloy films containing 3wt% Cr, 8wt% Cr have been sputter-deposited onto polyimide substrates and heat treated at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2hrs in the various atmosphere. Before heat treatment, Cu and Cr content in the film are uniform through the thickness and oxygen content in the film is negligible. Redistribution of Cr, Cu, and O in the film due to heat treatment depends on the Cr content and heat treatment atmoshpere. There kinds of thermal behavior are ascribed to the formation of surface and interface oxides as well as internal oxidation. Hillocks are observed on the surface of Cu-Cr alloy films which have been heat treated in N2. The hillocks are composed of large grainss of Cu.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.203-207
• /
• 1998

After etching Al-Cu alloy films using $SiCl_4/Cl_2/He/CHF_3$ plasma, a corrosion phenomenon on the metal surface has been studied with XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and SEM (Scanning electron microscopy). In Al-Cu alloy system, the corrosion occurs rapidly on the etched surface by residual chlorine atoms. To prevent the corrosion, the $SF_6$ plasma treatment subsequent to the etch has been carried out. A passivation layer is formed by fluorine-related compounds on etched Al-Cu alloy surface after $SF_6$ treatment, and the layer suppresses effectively the corrosion on the surface as the RF power of $SF_6$ treatment increases. The corrosion could be suppressed successfully with $SF_6$ treatment in the RF power of 150watts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 1998.06a
• /
• pp.383-386
• /
• 1998

After etching Al-Cu alloy films using SiC1$_4$/Cl$_2$/He/CHF$_3$ plasma, a corrosion phenomenon on the metal surface has been studied with XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and SEM (Scanning electron microscopy). In Al-Cu alloy system, the corrosion occurs rapidly on the etched surface by residual chlorine atoms. To prevent the corrosion, CHF$_3$ plasma treatment subsequent to the etched has been carried out. A passivation layer is formed by fluorine-related compounds on the etched Al-Cu surface after CHF$_3$ and SF$_{6}$ treatment, and the layer supresses effectively the corrosion on the surface as the CHF$_3$ and SF$_{6}$ treatment pressure increases. The corrosion could be suppressed successfully with CHF$_3$ and SF6 treatment in the pressure of 300mTorr.orr.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.12 no.9
• /
• pp.740-746
• /
• 2002

In this study, the polycarbonate surface was treated by $O_2$/ Ar gases plasma for the enhancement of adhesion with Cu electrode. From the point of view of hydrophilicity and the functionality, the micro-roughness, new functional groups and oxygen content of the polycarbonate surface were increased by the $O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment. The Cu films deposited on the as-received polycarbonate were easily detached while, after the$ O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment the adhesive Cu films on polycarbonate could be obtained. These results can be explained that the polycarbonate had a hydrophilic surface with uniform micro-roughness and new functional groups by $O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment. Therefore,$O_2$/ Ar gases plasma treatment is a promising method for improvement of adhesion between polycarbonate and Cu electrode.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2018

The effect of $Ar-N_2$ plasma treatment on Cu surface as one of solutions to realize reliable Cu-Cu wafer bonding was investigated. Structural characteristic of $Ar-N_2$ plasma treated Cu surface were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscope. Ar gas was used for a plasma ignition and to activate Cu surface by ion bombardment, and $N_2$ gas was used to protect the Cu surface from contamination such as -O or -OH by forming a passivation layer. The Cu specimen under high Ar partial pressure plasma treatment showed more copper oxide due to the activation on Cu surface, while Cu surface after high $N_2$ gas partial pressure plasma treatment showed less copper oxide due to the formation of Cu-N or Cu-O-N passivation layer. It was confirmed that nitrogen plasma can prohibit Cu-O formation on Cu surface, but nitrogen partial pressure in the $Ar-N_2$ plasma should be optimized for the formation of nitrogen passivation layer on the entire surface of Cu wafer.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.8-14
• /
• 2012

The effects of the alkali surface modification process on the adhesion strength between electroless-plated Cu and polyimide films were investigated. The polyimide surfaces were effectively modified by alkali surface treatments from the hydrophobic to the hydrophilic states, and it was confirmed by the results of the contact angle measurement. The surface roughness increased by alkali surface treatments and the adhesion strength was proportional to the surface roughness. The adhesion strength of Cu/polyimide interface treated by KOH + EDA (Ethylenediamine) was 874 gf/cm which is better than that treated by KOH and KOH + $KMnO_4$. The results of XPS spectra revealed that the alkali treatment formed oxygen functional groups such as carboxyl and amide groups on the polyimide films which is closely related to the interfacial bonding mechanism between electroless-plated Cu and polyimide films. It could be suggested that the species and contents of functional group on polyimide films, surface roughness and contact angle were related with the adhesion strength of Cu/polyimide in combination.

• ETRI Journal
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.16-21
• /
• 1999

After etching Al-Cu alloy films using SiCl4/Cl_2/He/CHF3 mixed gas plasma, the corrosion phenomenon at the grain boundary of the etched surface and a passivation layer on the etched surface with an SF6 plasma treatment subsequent to the etching were studied. In Al-Cu alloy system, corrosion occurs rapidly on the etched surface by residual chlorine atoms, and it occurs dominantly at the grain boundaries rather than the crystalline surfaces. To prevent corrosion, the SF6 gas plasma treatment subsequent to etching was carried out. The passivation layer is composed of fluorine-related compounds on the etched Al-Cu surface after the SF6 treatment, and it suppresses effectively corrosion on the surface as the SF6 treatment pressure increases. Corrosion could be suppressed successfully with the SF6 treatment at a total pressure of 300 mTorr. To investigate the reason why corrosion could be suppressed with the SF6 treatment, behaviors of chlorine and fluorine were studied by various analysis techniques. It was also found that the residual chlorine incorporated at the grain boundary of the etched surface accelerated corrosion and could not be removed after the SF6 plasma treatment.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2015

We applied KF on CIGS film to modify CIGS surface with a wider-bandgap surface layer. With the KF deposition the surface of CIGS film had fine particle on the CIGS surface at 350 and $300^{\circ}C$. No fine particle was detected at 500 and $250^{\circ}C$. With the KF treatment, the Ga and O content increased at the surface, while the In and Cu content decreased. The valence band maximum was lowered with KF treatment. The composition profile and band structure were positive side of applying KF on the CIGS surface. However, the efficiency decreased with the KF treatment due to high series resistance, probably due to too thick surface layer. A smaller amount of KF should be supplied and more systematic analysis is necessary to obtain a reproducible higher efficiency CIGS solar cells.