• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.23-23
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• 2009

GaN-based nitride semiconductors have attracted considerable attention in high-brightness light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) covering from green to ultraviolet spectral range. LED and LD heterostructures are usually grown on (0001)-$Al_2O_3$. The large lattice mismatch between $Al_2O_3$ substrates and the GaN layers leads to a high density of defects(dislocations and stacking faults). Moreover, Ga and N atoms are arranged along the polar [0001] crystallographic direction, which leads to spontaneous polarization. In addition, in the InGaN/GaN MQWs heterostructures, stress applied along the same axis can also give rise to piezoelectric polarization. The total polarization, which is the sum of spontaneous and piezoelectric polarizations, is aligned along the [0001] direction of the wurtzite heterostructures. The change in the total polarization across the heterolayers results in high interface charge densities and spatial separation of the electron and hole wave functions, redshifting the photoluminescence peak and decreasing the peak intensity. The effect of polarization charges in the GaN-based heterostructures can be eliminated by growing along the non-polar [$11\bar{2}0$] (a-axis) or [$1\bar{1}00$] (m-axis) orientation instead of thecommonly used polar [0001] (c-axis). For non-polar GaN growth on non-polar substrates, the GaN films have high density of planar defects (basal stacking fault BSFs, prismatic stacking fault PSFs), because the SFs are formed on the basal plane (c-plane) due to their low formation energy. A significant reduction in defect density was recently achieved by applying blocking layer such as SiN, AlN, and AlGaN in non-polar GaN. In this work, we were performed systematic studies of the defects in the nonpolar GaN by conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2018

To evaluate surface characteristics of AlN single crystal grown by physical vapor transport (PVT) method, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) were performed with diamond slurry and $SiO_2$ slurry after mechanical polishing (MP), then the surface morphology and analysis of polishing characteristics of the slurry types were analyzed. To estimate how pH of slurry effects polishing process, pH of $SiO_2$ slurry was controlled, the results from estimating the effect of zeta potential and MRR (material removal rate) were compared in accordance with each pH via zeta potential analyzer. Eventually, surface roughness RMS (0.2 nm) could be derived with atomic force microscope (AFM).

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.10
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• pp.955-962
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• 2002

The microstructure change of brazed $Si_3N_4$/Stainless steel 316 joint with Cu buffer layer were examined to clarify the effects of brazing process conditions such as brazing time and temperature on the mechanical properties and reliability of brazed joints. For the brazed joint above 900${\circ}C$, the Cu buffer layer was completely dissolved into brazing alloy and the thickness of reaction product formed at $Si_3N_4$/brazing alloy joint interface was abruptly increased, which could increase the amounts of residual stress developed in the joint. The fracture strength of brazed $Si_3N_4$/Stainless steel 316 joint with Cu buffer layer at 950${\circ}C$ was much reduced comparing to those of joints brazed at the lower temperature. But, it was found that the effects of brazing time was not critical on the mechanical properties as well as the reliability of $Si_3N_4$/Stainless steel 316 joint with Cu buffer layer brazed at the temperature below 900${\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2015

In the present work, to increase the chemical stability of the lithium-ion-conducting ceramic electrolyte ($Li_{1+x+y}Al_xTi_{2-x}Si_yP_{3-y}O_{12}$, LATP) in the strong alkaline solution, the surface of LATP was modified by the nitridation process. The surface and structural properties of nitride LATP solid electrolyte were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer and scanning electron microscopy and ac-impedance spectroscopy, which were correlated to the chemical stability and electrochemical performance of LATP. The nitrided LATP immersed in the alkaline solution for 30 days exhibits the enhanced chemical stability than the pristine LATP. Moreover, a rechargeable hybrid Li-air battery constructed with the nitrided LATP solid electrolyte shows considerably reduced discharge-charge voltage gaps (enhanced the round-trip efficiency) in comparison to the cell constructed with pristine LATP, which indicate that the surface nitridation process can be the efficient way to improve the chemical stability of solid electrolyte in alkaline media.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.304-310
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• 2002

Novel charge trap type memory devices with reoxidized oxynitride gate dielectrics made by NO annealing and reoxidation process of initial oxide on substrate have been fabricated using 0.35 $\mu \textrm{m}$ retrograde twin well CMOS process. The feasibility for application as NVSM memory device and characteristics of traps have been investigated. For the fabrication of gate dielectric, initial oxide layer was grown by wet oxidation at $800^{\circ}C$ and it was reoxidized by wet oxidation at $800^{\circ}C$ after NO annealing to form the nitride layer for charge trap region for 30 minutes at $850^{\circ}C$. The programming conditions are possible in 11 V, 500 $\mu \textrm{s}$ for program and -13 V, 1ms for erase operation. The maximum memory window is 2.28 V. The retention is over 20 years in program state and about 28 hours in erase state, and the endurance is over $3 \times 10^3$P/E cycles. The lateral distributions of interface trap density and memory trap density have been determined by the single junction charge pumping technique. The maximum interface trap density and memory trap density are $4.5 \times 10^{10} \textrm{cm}^2$ and $3.7\times 10^{18}/\textrm{cm}^3$ respectively. After $10^3$ P/E cycles, interlace trap density increases to $2.3\times 10^{12} \textrm{cm}^2$ but memory charges decreases.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.212-217
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• 2000

Dielectric thin films for TFT(thin film transistor)s, such as silicon nitride$(Si_3N_4)$ and silicon oxide$(SiO_2)$, are usually deposited at $200~300^{\circ}C$. In this study, authors have tried to form dielectric films not by deposition but by oxidation with ECR(Electron Cyclotron Resonance) oxygen plasma, to improve the interface properties was not intensionally heated during oxidation. THe oxidation was performed consecutively without breaking vacuum after the deposition of a-Si: H films on the substrate to prevent the introduction of impurities. In this study, especially pulse mode of microwave power has been firstly tried during FCR oxygen plasma formation. Compared with the case of the continuous wave mode, the oxidation with the pulsed ECR results in higher quality silicon oxide$SiO_X$ films in terms of stoichiometry of bonding, dielectric constants and surface roughness. Especially the surface roughness of the pulsed ECR oxide films dramatically decreased to one-third of that of the continuous wave mode cases.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.445-449
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• 2012

We investigate the effects of redox reaction on preparation of high purity ${\alpha}$-alumina from selectively ground aluminum dross. Preparation procedure of the ${\alpha}$-alumina from the aluminum dross has four steps: i) selective crushing and grinding, ii) leaching process, iii) redox reaction, and iv) precipitation reaction under controlled pH. Aluminum dross supplied from a smelter was ground to separate metallic aluminum. After the separation, the recovered particles were treated with hydrochloric acid(HCl) to leach aluminum as aluminum chloride solution. Then, the aluminum chloride solution was applied to a redox reaction with hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$). The pH value of the solution was controlled by addition of ammonia to obtain aluminum hydroxide and to remove other impurities. Then, the obtained aluminum hydroxide was dried at $60^{\circ}C$ and heat-treated at $1300^{\circ}C$ to form ${\alpha}$-alumina. Aluminum dross was found to contain a complex mixture of aluminum metal, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and spinel compounds. Regardless of introduction of the redox reaction, both of the sintered products are composed mainly of ${\alpha}$-alumina. There were fewer impurities in the solution subject to the redox reaction than there were in the solution that was not subject to the redox reaction. The impurities were precipitated by pH control with ammonia solution, and then removed. We can obtain aluminum hydroxide with high purity through control of pH after the redox reaction. Thus, pH control brings a synthesis of ${\alpha}$-alumina with fewer impurities after the redox reaction. Consequently, high purity ${\alpha}$-alumina from aluminum dross can be fabricated through the process by redox reaction.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.243-249
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• 2011

To reduce manufacturing costs of crystalline silicon solar cells, silicon wafers have become thinner. In relation to this, the properties of the aluminium-back surface field (Al-BSF) are considered an important factor in solar cell performance. Generally, screen-printing and a rapid thermal process (RTP) are utilized together to form the Al-BSF. This study evaluates Al-BSF formation on a (111) textured back surface compared with a (100) flat back surface with variation of ramp up rates from 18 to $89^{\circ}C$/s for the RTP annealing conditions. To make different back surface morphologies, one side texturing using a silicon nitride film and double side texturing were carried out. After aluminium screen-printing, Al-BSF formed according to the RTP annealing conditions. A metal etching process in hydrochloric acid solution was carried out to assess the quality of Al-BSF. Saturation currents were calculated by using quasi-steady-state photoconductance. The surface morphologies observed by scanning electron microscopy and a non-contacting optical profiler. Also, sheet resistances and bulk carrier concentration were measured by a 4-point probe and hall measurement system. From the results, a faster ramp up during Al-BSF formation yielded better quality than a slower ramp up process due to temperature uniformity of silicon and the aluminium surface. Also, in the Al-BSF formation process, the (111) textured back surface is significantly affected by the ramp up rates compared with the (100) flat back surface.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 1995

The diffusion barrier property of 100-nm-thick titanium nitride (TiN) film between Cu and Si was investigated using sheet resistance measurements, etch-pit observation, x-ray diffractometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The TiN barrier fails due to the formation of crystalline defects (dislocations) and precipitates (presumably Cu-silicides) in the Si substrate which result from the predominant in-diffusion of Cu through the TiN layer. In contrast with the case of Al, it is identified that the TiN barrier fails only the in-diffusion of Cu because there is no indication of Si pits in the Si substrate. In addition, it appears that the stuffing of TiN does not improve the diffusion barrier property in the Cu/TiN/Si structure. This indicates that in the case of Al, the chemical effect that impedes the diffusion of Al by the reaction of Al with $TiO_{2}$ which is present in the grain boundaries of TIN is very improtant. On the while, in the case of Cu, there is no chemical effect because Cu oxides, such as $Cu_{2}O$ or CuO, is thermodynamically unstable in comparison with $TiO_{2}$. For this reason, it is considered that the effect of stuffing of TiN on the diffusion barrier property is not significant in the Cu/ TiN/Si structure.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2009

In this paper, a selective area growth (SAG) of a GaN/AlGaN double heterostructure (DH) has been performed on r-plane sapphire substrate by using the mixed-source hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) with multi-sliding boat system. The SAG-GaN/AlGaN DH consists of GaN buffer layer, Te-doped AlGaN n-cladding layer, GaN active layer, Mg-doped AlGaN p-cladding layer, and Mg-doped GaN p-capping layer. The electroluminescence (EL) characteristics show an emission peak of wavelength, 439 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of approximately 0.64 eV at 20 mA. The I-V measurements show that the turn-on voltage of the SAG-GaN/AlGaN DH is 3.4 V at room temperature. We found that the mixed-source HVPE method with a multi-sliding boat system was one of promising growth methods for III-Nitride LEDs.