• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.566-570
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• 2007

The specific electrical, optical and acoustic properties of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) are important for semiconductor process which has many various applications. Piezoelectric ZnO films has been widely used for such as transducers, bulk and surface acoustic-wave resonators, and acousto-optic devices. In this study, we investigated etch characteristics of ZnO thin films in inductively coupled plasma etch system with $BCl_3/Ar$ gas mixture. The etching characteristics of ZnO thin films were investigated in terms of etch rates and selectivities to $SiO_2$ as a function of $BCl_3/Ar$ gas mixing ratio, RF power, DC bias voltage and process pressure. The maximum ZnO etch rate of 172 nm/min was obtained for $BCl_3$ (80%)/Ar(20%) gas mixture. The chemical states on the etched surface were investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.287-291
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• 2012

We investigated the etching characteristics of TaN thin films in an $O_2/BCl_3/Cl_2/Ar$ gas using a high density plasma (HDP) system. A maximum etch rate of the TaN thin films and the selectivity of TaN to $SiO_2$ were obtained as 172.7 nm/min and 6.27 in the $O_2/BCl_3/Cl_2/Ar$ (3:2:18:10 sccm) gas mixture, respectively. At the same time, the etch rate was measured as a function of the etching parameters, such as the RF power, DC-bias voltage, and process pressure. The chemical states on the surface of the etched TaN thin films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Auger electron spectroscopy was used for elemental analysis on the surface of the etched TaN thin films. These surface analyses confirm that the surface of the etched TaN thin film is formed with the nonvolatile by-product.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.338-344
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• 1996

This study was an investigation of plasma-induced damages on silicon substrate in the semiconductor manufacturing technology. The plasma-induced damage level on silicon substrate was analyzed and compared in various plasma etching systems. The analysis methods were therma wave, life-time recovery, SCA (Surface Charge Analyzer) and TRXF (Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence) measurements, and the measured values were compared for each systems. In the comparison of the values which were obtained by a system that had low life-time recovery, there was not any differences in DC parameters. However, the reflesh time distribution of device of that system had decreased about 10 to 20m sec compared to a system which had high life-time recovery.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.327-330
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• 2006

We investigated the usefulness of $NbO_{x}$ nanopillars as an etching mask of dry etching for the formation of Si nanodot arrays. The $NbO_{x}$ nanopillar arrays were prepared by the anodic aluminum oxidation process of Al and Nb thin films. The etch rate and etch profile of $NbO_{x}$ nanopillar arrays were examined by varying the experimental conditions such as the concentration of etch gas, coil rf power, and dc bias voltage in the reactive ion etch system using the inductively coupled plasma. As the concentration of $Cl_{2}$ gas increased, the etch rate of $NbO_{x}$nanopillars decreased. With increasing coil rf power and dc bias voltage, the etch rates were found to increase. The etch characteristics and etch mechanism of $NbO_{x}$ nanopillars were investigated by varying the etch time under the selected etch conditions.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.27-31
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• 2002

In this study, $CeO_2$ thin films were etched with an addition of $Cl_2$ gas to $Ar/CF_4$ gas mixing in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etcher by the etching parameter such as RF power of 700 W, chamber pressure of 15 mTorr and dc bias voltage of -200 volts. The etch rate of $CeO_2$ films was 250 $\AA$/min with an addition of 10% $Cl_2$ gas to $Ar/CF_4$ gas mixture and the selectivity to SBT film was 0.4 at that condition. The surface reactions of the etched $CeO_2$ thin films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was analyzed that Ce peaks were mainly observed in Ce-O bonds formed $CeO_2$ or $Ce_2O_3$ compounds. Cl peaks were detected by the peaks of Cl $2p_{3/2}$ and Cl $2p_{1/2}$. Almost all of Cl atoms were combined with Ce atoms like $CeCl_x$ or $Ce_x/O_yCl_z$ compounds.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2013

The effect of DC bias on the growth of nanocrystalline diamond films on silicon substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition has been studied varying the substrate temperature (400, 500, 600, and $700^{\circ}C$), deposition time (0.5, 1, and 2h), and bias voltage (-50, -100, -150, and -200 V) at the microwave power of 1.2 kW, working pressure of 110 torr, and gas ratio of Ar/1%$CH_4$. In the case of low negative bias voltages (-50 and -100 V), the diamond particles were observed to grow to thin film slower than the case without bias. Applying the moderate DC bias is believed to induce the bombardment of energetic carbon and argon ions on the substrate to result in etching the surfaces of growing diamond particles or film. In the case of higher negative voltages (-150 and -200 V), the growth rate of diamond film increased with the increasing DC bias. Applying the higher DC bias increased the number of nucleation sites, and, subsequently, enhanced the film growth rate. Under the -150 V bias, the height (h) of diamond films exhibited an $h=k{\sqrt{t}}$ relationship with deposition time (t), where the growth rate constant (k) showed an Arrhenius relationship with the activation energy of 7.19 kcal/mol. The rate determining step is believed to be the surface diffusion of activated carbon species, but the more subtle theoretical treatment is required for the more precise interpretation.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.256-259
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• 2009

The wafer surface temperature is an important parameter in the etching process which influences the reaction probabilities of incident species, the vapor pressure of etch products, and the re-deposition of reaction products on feature surfaces. In this study, we investigated all of the effects of substrate temperature on the etch rate of $ZrO_2$ thin film and selectivity of $ZrO_2$ thin film over $SiO_2$ thin film in inductively coupled plasma as functions of $Cl_2$ addition in $BCl_3$/Ar plasma, RF power and dc-bias voltage based on the substrate temperature in range of $10^{\circ}C$ to $80^{\circ}C$. The elements on the surface were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.104-104
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• 2009

Critical dimensions has rapidly shrunk to increase the degree of integration and to reduce the power consumption. However, it is accompanied with several problems like direct tunneling through the gate insulator layer and the low conductivity characteristic of poly-silicon. To cover these faults, the study of new materials is urgently needed. Recently, high dielectric materials like $Al_2O_3$, $ZrO_2$ and $HfO_2$ are being studied for equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). However, poly-silicon gate is not compatible with high-k materials for gate-insulator. To integrate high-k gate dielectric materials in nano-scale devices, metal gate electrodes are expected to be used in the future. Currently, metal gate electrode materials like TiN, TaN, and WN are being widely studied for next-generation nano-scale devices. The TaN gate electrode for metal/high-k gate stack is compatible with high-k materials. According to this trend, the study about dry etching technology of the TaN film is needed. In this study, we investigated the etch mechanism of the TaN thin film in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system with $O_2/BCl_3/Ar$ gas chemistry. The etch rates and selectivities of TaN thin films were investigated in terms of the gas mixing ratio, the RF power, the DC-bias voltage, and the process pressure. The characteristics of the plasma were estimated using optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The surface reactions after etching were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and auger electron spectroscopy (AES).

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.83-87
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• 2008

This study described the effects of RF power, DC bias voltage, chamber pressure and gas mixing ratio on the etch rates of TiN thin film and selectivity of TiN thin film to $SiO_2$ with $BCl_3$/Ar gas mixture. When the gas mixing ratio was $BCl_3$(20%)/Ar(80%) with other conditions were fixed, the maximum etch rate of TiN thin film was 170.6 nm/min. When the DC bias voltage increased from -50 V to -200 V, the etch rate of TiN thin film increased from 15 nm/min to 452 nm/min. As the RF power increased and chamber pressure decreased, the etch rate of TiN thin film showed an increasing tendency. When the gas mixing ratio was $BCl_3$(20%)/Ar(80%) under others conditions were fixed, the intensity of optical emission spectra from radical or ion such as Ar(750.4 nm), $Cl^+$(481.9 nm) and $Cl^{2+}$(460.8 nm) was highest. The TiN thin film was effectively removed by the chemically assisted physical etching in $BCl_3$/Ar ICP plasma.