• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2023

Atomic layer etching (ALE) is a promising technique with atomic-level thickness controllability and high selectivity based on self-limiting surface reactions. ALE is performed by sequential exposure of the film surface to reactants, which results in surface modification and release of volatile species. Among the various ALE methods, thermal ALE involves a thermally activated reaction by employing gas species to release the modified surface without using energetic species, such as accelerated ions and neutral beams. In this study, the basic principle and surface reaction mechanisms of thermal ALE?processes, including "fluorination-ligand exchange reaction", "conversion-etch reaction", "conversion-fluorination reaction", "oxidation-fluorination reaction", "oxidation-ligand exchange reaction", and "oxidation-conversion-fluorination reaction" are described. In addition, the reported thermal ALE processes for the removal of various oxides, metals, and nitrides are presented.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2008

We studied plasma etching of polycarbonate in $O_2/SF_6$, $O_2/N_2$ and $O_2/CH_4$. A capacitively coupled plasma system was employed for the research. For patterning, we used a photolithography method with UV exposure after coating a photoresist on the polycarbonate. Main variables in the experiment were the mixing ratio of $O_2$ and other gases, and RF chuck power. Especially, we used only a mechanical pump for in order to operate the system. The chamber pressure was fixed at 100 mTorr. All of surface profilometry, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for characterization of the etched polycarbonate samples. According to the results, $O_2/SF_6$ plasmas gave the higher etch rate of the polycarbonate than pure $O_2$ and $SF_6$ plasmas. For example, with maintaining 100W RF chuck power and 100 mTorr chamber pressure, 20 sccm $O_2$ plasma provided about $0.4{\mu}m$/min of polycarbonate etch rate and 20 sccm $SF_6$ produced only $0.2{\mu}m$/min. However, the mixed plasma of 60 % $O_2$ and 40 % $SF_6$ gas flow rate generated about $0.56{\mu}m$ with even low -DC bias induced compared to that of $O_2$. More addition of $SF_6$ to the mixture reduced etch of polycarbonate. The surface roughness of etched polycarbonate was roughed about 3 times worse measured by atomic force microscopy. However examination with scanning electron microscopy indicated that the surface was comparable to that of photoresist. Increase of RF chuck power raised -DC bias on the chuck and etch rate of polycarbonate almost linearly. The etch selectivity of polycarbonate to photoresist was about 1:1. The meaning of these results was that the simple capacitively coupled plasma system can be used to make a microstructure on polymer with $O_2/SF_6$ plasmas. This result can be applied to plasma processing of other polymers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.67-67
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• 2011

Pulsed DC $BCl_3/SF_6$ 플라즈마를 사용하여 GaAs와 AlGaAs의 건식 식각을 연구하였다. 식각 공정 변수는 가스 유량 (50~100 % $BCl_3$ in $BCl_3/SF_6$), 펄스 파워 (450~600 V), 펄스 주파수 (100~250 KHz), 리버스 시간 (0.4~1.2 ${\mu}s$)이었다. 식각 공정 후 표면 단차 측정기 (Surface profiler)를 사용하여 표면의 단차와 거칠기를 분석하였다. 그 결과를 이용하여 식각률 (Etch rate), 표면거칠기 (Surface roughness), 식각 선택비 (Selectivity)와 같은 특성 평가를 하였다. 실험 후 주사 현미경 (FE-SEM, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy)을 이용, 식각 후 시료의 단면과 표면을 관찰하였다. 실험 결과에 의하면 1) 18 sccm $BCl_3$ / 2 sccm $SF_6$, 500 V (Pulsed DC voltage), 0.7 ${\mu}s$ (Reverse time), 200 KHz (Pulsed DC frequency), 공정 압력이 100 mTorr인 조건에서 GaAs와 Al0.2Ga0.8As의 식각 선택비가 약 48:1로 우수한 결과를 나타내었다. 2) 펄스 파워 (Pulsed DC voltage), 리버스 시간(Reverse time), 펄스 주파수(Pulsed DC frequency)의 증가에 따라 각각 500~550 V, 0.7~1.0 ${\mu}s$, 그리고 200~250 KHz 구간에서 AlGaAs에 대한 GaAs의 선택비가 감소하게 되는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이는 척 (chuck)에 인가되는 전류와 파워를 증가시키고, 따라서 GaAs의 식각률이 크게 증가했지만 AlGaAs 또한 식각률이 증가하게 되면서 GaAs에 대한 식각 선택비가 감소한 것으로 생각된다. 3) 표면 단차 측정기와 주사전자현미경 사진 결과에서는 GaAs의 경우 10% $SF_6$ (18 sccm $BCl_3$ / 2 sccm $SF_6$)가 혼합된 조건에서 상당히 매끈한 표면 (RMS roughness < 1.0 nm)과 높은 식각률 (~0.35 ${\mu}m$/min), 수직의 식각 측벽 확보에서 매우 좋은 결과를 보여주었다. 또한 같은 공정 조건에서 AlGaAs는 식각이 거의 되지 않은 결과 (~0.03 ${\mu}m$/min)를 보여주었다. 위의 결과들을 종합해 볼 때 Pulsed DC $BCl_3/SF_6$ 플라즈마는 GaAs와 AlGaAs의 선택적 식각 공정에서 매우 우수한 공정 결과를 나타내었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.220-220
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• 2013

Surface-normal transmission electro-absorption modulator (EAM) are attractive for high-definition (HD) three-dimensional (3D) imaging application due to its features such as small system volume and simple epitaxial structure [1,2]. However, EAM in order to be used for HD 3D imaging system requires uniform modulation performance over large area. To achieve highly uniform modulation performance of EAM at the operating wavelength of 850 nm, it is extremely important to remove the GaAs substrate over large area since GaAs material has high absorption coefficient below 870 nm which corresponds to band-edge energy of GaAs (1.424 eV). In this study, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a transmission EAM in which highly selective backside etching methods which include lapping, dry etching and wet etching is carried out to remove the GaAs substrate for achieving highly uniform modulation performance. First, lapping process on GaAs substrate was carried out for different lapping speeds (5 rpm, 7 rpm, 10 rpm) and the thickness was measured over different areas of surface. For a lapping speed of 5 rpm, a highly uniform surface over a large area ($2{\times}1\;mm^2$) was obtained. Second, optimization of inductive coupled plasma-reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) was carried out to achieve anisotropy and high etch rate. The dry etching carried out using a gas mixture of SiCl4 and Ar, each having a flow rate of 10 sccm and 40 sccm, respectively with an RF power of 50 W, ICP power of 400 W and chamber pressure of 2 mTorr was the optimum etching condition. Last, the rest of GaAs substrate was successfully removed by highly selective backside wet etching with pH adjusted solution of citric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Citric acid/hydrogen peroxide etching solution having a volume ratio of 5:1 was the best etching condition which provides not only high selectivity of 235:1 between GaAs and AlAs but also good etching profile [3]. The fabricated transmission EAM array have an amplitude modulation of more than 50% at the bias voltage of -9 V and maintains high uniformity of >90% over large area ($2{\times}1\;mm^2$). These results show that the fabricated transmission EAM with substrate removed is an excellent candidate to be used as an optical shutter for HD 3D imaging application.