• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
• /
• 제6권3호
• /
• pp.162-168
• /
• 2006

To fabricate nanometer scale InGaAs HEMTs, we have successfully developed various novel nano-patterning techniques, including sidewall-gate process and e-beam resist flowing method. The sidewall-gate process was developed to lessen the final line length, by means of the sequential procedure of dielectric re-deposition and etch-back. The e-beam resist flowing was effective to obtain fine line length, simply by applying thermal excitation to the semiconductor so that the achievable final line could be reduced by the dimension of the laterally migrated e-beam resist profile. Applying these methods to the device fabrication, we were able to succeed in making 30nm $In_{0.7}Ga_{0.3}As$ HEMTs with excellent $f_T$ of 426GHz. Based on nanometer scale InGaAs HEMT technology, several high performance millimeter-wave integrated circuits have been successfully fabricated, including 77GHz MMIC chipsets for automotive radar application.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국진공학회 1999년도 제17회 학술발표회 논문개요집
• /
• pp.175-175
• /
• 1999

Circumventing problems lying in the conventional lithographic techniques, we devised a new method for the fabrication of nanometer scale metal wires inspired by the unique characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Since carbon nanotubes could act as masks when CNT-coated thin Au/Ti layer on a SiO2 surface was physically etched by low energy argon ion bombardment 9ion milling), Au/Ti nano-wires were successfully formed just below the CNTs exactly duplicating their lateral shapes. Cross-sectional analysis by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the edge of the metal wire was very sharply developed indicating the great difference in the milling rates between the CNTs and the metal layer as well as the good directionality of the ion milling. We could easily find a few nanometer-wide Au/Ti wires among the wires of various width. After the formation of nano-wires, the CNTs could be pushed away from the metal nano-wire by atomic force microscopy, The lateral force for the removal of the CNTs are dependent upon the width and shape of the wires. Resistance of the metal nano-wires without the CNTs was also measured through the micro-contacts definted by electron beam lithography. since this CNT-based lithographic technique is, in principle, applicable to any kinds of materials, it can be very useful in exploring the fields of nano-science and technology, especially when it is combines with the CNT manipulation techniques.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국진공학회 2011년도 제40회 동계학술대회 초록집
• /
• pp.15-15
• /
• 2011

Atom-thick graphene membrane and nano-sized graphene objects (NGOs) hold substantial potential for applications in future molecular-scale integrated electronics, transparent conducting membranes, nanocomposites, etc. To realize this potential, chemical properties of graphene need to be understood and diagnostic methods for various NGOs are also required. To meet these needs, chemical properties of graphene and optical diagnostics of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have been explored by Raman spectroscopy, AFM and STM scanning probes. The first part of the talk will illustrate the role of underlying silicon dioxide substrates and ambient gases in the ubiquitous hole doping of graphene. An STM study reveals that thermal annealing generates out-of-plane deformation of nanometer-scale wavelength and distortion in $sp^2$ bonding on an atomic scale. Graphene deformed by annealing is found to be chemically active enough to bind molecular oxygen, which leads to a strong hole-doping. The talk will also introduce Raman spectroscopy studies of GNRs which are known to have nonzero electronic bandgap due to confinement effect. GNRs of width ranging from 15 nm to 100 nm have been prepared by e-beam lithographic patterning of mechanically exfoliated graphene followed by oxygen plasma etching. Raman spectra of narrow GNRs can be characterized by upshifted G band and strong disorder-related D band originating from scattering at ribbon edges. Detailed analysis of the G, D, and 2D bands of GNRs proves that Raman spectroscopy is still a reliable tool in characterizing GNRs despite their nanometer width.

• 한국결정학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국결정학회 2003년도 춘계학술연구발표회
• /
• pp.7-7
• /
• 2003

Heteromagnetic nanostructures, which consist of two or more different layers such as nonmagnet, insulator, ferromagnet, antiferromagnet, and superconductor, have been widely used in current and likely future spintronics devices. Their many intriguing magnetic properties are originated from a variety of magnetic interactions at relevant length scales at or near interfaces and between different constituent layers as well as laterally different regions in chemical and magnetic heterogeneity. The fundamental properties can thus differ along depth and laterally in the film plane, depending on their relevant coupling length scales. The entire properties may be characterized by interface properties and/or the depth-varying properties of the individual constituent layers, and lateral inhomogeneity as well. It is a challenge to investigate both depth-varying properties and lateral heterogeneity in such heteromagnetic nanostructures. In this talk, soft x-ray magneto-optical effect as a nanometer scale probe of a variety of heteromagnetic structures is presented and its related noble techniques are introduced. For instances, magnetization vector imaging to investigate vector spin configurations in the film plane is presented, as well as the Kerr rotation, ellipticity, and intensity measurements as a depth sensitive probe on the atomic scales.

• Journal of Magnetics
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.71-74
• /
• 2009

The magnetic and structural properties of FINEMET (the Hitachi product name of the Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloy) nanopowder with a composition of $Fe_{73.5}Si_{13.5}B_9Nb_3Cu_1$ atomic percent were investigated after annealing, chemical etching, and mechanical milling. The primary and secondary crystallization temperatures were 523 and $550^{\circ}C$, respectively. The grain size of the particles was adjusted by annealing time. Optimally annealed particles exhibited a homogenous microstructure composed of nanometer-sized crystalline grains. The grain boundary of the annealed particles was etched preferentially by chemical etching. Chemically etched particles were broken at the grain boundary by high-energy ball milling. As a result, a nanometer-sized FINEMET powder with a uniform size of crystalline grains was fabricated.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• 제7권4호
• /
• pp.316-326
• /
• 2016

Development and discovery of efficient, cost-effective, and robust electrocatalysts are imperative for practical and widespread implementation of water electrolysis and fuel cell techniques in the anticipated hydrogen economy. The electrochemical reactions involved in water electrolysis, i.e., hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, are complex inner-sphere reactions with slow multi-electron transfer kinetics. To develop active electrocatalysts for water electrolysis, the physicochemical properties of the electrode surfaces in electrolyte solutions should be investigated and understood in detail. When electrocatalysis is conducted using nanoparticles with large surface areas and active surface states, analytical techniques with sub-nanometer resolution are required, along with material development. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is an electrochemical technique for studying the surface reactions and properties of various types of electrodes using a very small tip electrode. Recently, the morphological and chemical characteristics of single nanoparticles and bio-enzymes for catalytic reactions were studied with nanometer resolution by combining SECM with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Herein, SECM techniques are briefly reviewed, including the AFM-SECM technique, to facilitate further development and discovery of highly active, cost-effective, and robust electrode materials for efficient electrolysis and photolysis.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제33권4호
• /
• pp.1220-1224
• /
• 2012

This study examines the photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) when nanometer-sized Y (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mol %)-incorporated $TiO_2$ prepared using a solvothermal method is utilized as the working electrode material. The photoelectric properties of the Y-$TiO_2$ used in DSSCs were studied by frequency-resolved modulated photocurrent/photovoltage spectroscopy. The recombination was much slower in the Y-$TiO_2$-based DSSCs than in the pure $TiO_2$-assembled DSSC. Compared to that using pure $TiO_2$, the energy conversion efficiency was enhanced considerably by the application of Y-$TiO_2$ in the DSSCs to approximately 6.08% for 0.5 mol % Y-$TiO_2$.

• 한국표면공학회지
• /
• 제49권1호
• /
• pp.20-25
• /
• 2016

Femtosecond laser ablation of ultrathin polymer films on quartz glass using laser pulses of 100 fs and centered at ${\lambda}=400nm$ wavelength has been investigated for nanometer precision thin film patterning. Single-shot ablation craters on films of various thicknesses have been examined by atomic force microscopy, and beam spot diameters and ablation threshold fluences have been determined by square diameter-regression technique. The ablation thresholds of polymer film are about 1.5 times smaller than that of quartz substrate, which results in patterning crater arrays without damaging the substrate. In particular, at a $1/e^2$ laser spot diameter of $0.86{\mu}m$, the smallest craters of 150-nm diameter are fabricated on 15-nm thick film. The ablation thresholds are not influenced by the film thickness, but diameters of the ablated crater are bigger on thicker films than on thinner films. The ablation efficiency is also influenced by the laser beam spot size, following a $w_{0q}{^{-0.45}}$ dependence.

• 한국정밀공학회지
• /
• 제17권1호
• /
• pp.129-137
• /
• 2000

In this paper, a new method of noncontact measurement has been developed for a 3 dimensional topography in semiconductor wafer, implementing a new optical probe based on the precision defocus measurement. The developed technique consists of the new optical probe, precision stages, and the measurement/control system. The basic principle of the technique is to use the reflected slit beam from the specimen surface, and to measure the deviation of the specimen surface. The defocusing distance can be measured by the reflected slit beam, where the defocused image is measured by the proposed optical probe, giving very high resolution. The distance measuring formula has been proposed for the developed probe, using the laws of geometric optics. The precision calibration technique has been applied, giving about 10 nanometer resolution and 72 nanometer of four sigma uncertainty. In order to quantitize the micro pattern in the specimen surface, some efficient analysis algorithms have been developed to analyse the 3D topography pattern and some parameters of the surface. The developed system has been successfully applied to measure the wafer surface, demonstrating the line scanning feature and excellent 3 dimensional measurement capability.

• Metals and materials international
• /
• 제24권6호
• /
• pp.1285-1292
• /
• 2018

Microstructural properties of as-grown and annealed CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy (HEA) oxynitride thin films were investigated. The CoCrFeMnNi HEA oxynitride thin film was grown by magnetron sputtering method using an air gas, and annealed under the argon plus air flow for 5 h at $800^{\circ}C$. The as-grown film was homogeneous and uniform composed of nanometer-sized crystalline regions mixed with amorphous-like phase. The crystalline phase in the as-grown film was face centered cubic structure with the lattice constant of 0.4242 nm. Significant microstructural changes were observed after the annealing process. First, it was fully recrystallized and grain growth happened. Second, Ni-rich region was observed in nanometer-scale range. Third, phase change happened and it was determined to be $Fe_3O_4$ spinel structure with the lattice constant of 0.8326 nm. Hardness and Young's modulus of the as-grown film were 4.1 and 150.5 GPa, while those were 9.4 and 156.4 GPa for the annealed film, respectively.