• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.51-57
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• 2019

To protect the Cu surface from oxidation in air, a two-step plasma process using Ar and $N_2$ gases was studied to form a copper nitride passivation as an anti-oxidant layer. The Ar plasma removes contaminants on the Cu surface and it activates the surface to facilitate the reaction of copper and nitrogen atoms in the next $N_2$ plasma process. This study investigated the effect of Ar plasma on the formation of copper nitride passivation on Cu surface during the two-step plasma process through the full factorial design of experiment (DOE) method. According to XPS analysis, when using low RF power and pressure in the Ar plasma process, the peak area of copper oxides decreased while the peak area of copper nitrides increased. The main effect of copper nitride formation in Ar plasma process was RF power, and there was little interaction between plasma process parameters.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.07b
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• pp.1033-1036
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• 2004

Si nanocrystallites thin films on p-type (100) Si substrate have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition using a Nd:YAG laser. After deposition, samples were annealed at the temperatures of 400 to $800^{\circ}C$. Hydrogen passivation was then performed in the forming gas (95% $N_2$ + 5% $H_2$) for 1 hr. Strong violet-indigo photoluminescence has been observed at room temperature from nitrogen ambient-annealed Si nanocrystallites. The variation of photoluminescence (PL) Properties of Si nanocrystallites thin films has been investigated depending on annealing temperatures with hydrogen passivation. From the results of PL, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements, it is observed that the origin of violet-indigo PL from the nanocrystalline silicon in the silicon oxide film is related to the quantum size effect of Si nanocrystallites and oxygen vacancies in the SiOx(x : 1.6-1.8) matrix affects the emission intensity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.365-365
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• 2010

In this paper, silicon nitride thin films with different silane and ammonia gas ratios were deposited and characterized for the antireflection and passivation layer of high efficiency single crystalline silicon solar cells. As the flow rate of the ammonia gas increased, the refractive index decreased and the band gap increased. Consequently, the transmittance increased due to the higher band gap and the decrease of the defect states which existed for the 1.68 and 1.80 eV in the SiNx films. The reduction in the carrier lifetime of the SiNx films deposited by using a higher $NH_3/SiH_4$ flow ratio was caused by the increase of the interface traps and the defect states in/on the interface between the SiNx and the silicon wafer. The silicon and nitrogen rich films are not suitable for generating both higher carrier lifetimes and transmittance. These results indicate that the band gap and the defect states of the SiNx films should be carefully controlled in order to obtain the maximum efficiency for c-Si solar cells.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.62-65
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• 2017

Passivation of surface defects by the formation of chemically inert structure at the surface of $TiO_2$ nanocrystals can be potentially useful in enhancing their photocatalytic activity. In this regard, we have studied the surface chemical states of $TiO_2$ surfaces prepared by a treatment in the afterglow of $N_2$ microwave plasma using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). We find that nitrogen is incorporated into the surface after the treatment up to a few atomic percent. Interestingly, the surface oxynitride layer is found to be chemically stable when it's in contact with water at room temperature (RT). The surface nitrogen species were also found to be thermally stable upon annealing up to $150^{\circ}C$ in the atmospheric pressure. Thus, we conclude that the treatment of oxide materials such as $TiO_2$ in the afterglow of $N_2$ plasma can be effective way to passivate the surface with nitrogen species.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.281-289
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• 2016

The effect of nitrogen on the electrochemical corrosion and nanomechanical behaviors of martensitic stainless steel was examined using potentiodynamic polarization and nanoindentation test methods. The results indicate that partial replacement of carbon with nitrogen effectively improved the passivation and pitting corrosion resistance of conventional high-carbon and high- chromium martensitic steels. Post-test observation of the samples after a potentiodynamic test revealed a severe pitting attacks in conventional martensitic steel compared with nitrogen- containing martensitic stainless steel. This was shown to be due to (i) microstructural refinement results in retaining a high-chromium content in the matrix, and (ii) the presence of reversed austenite formed during the tempering process. Since nitrogen addition also resulted in the formation of a $Cr_2N$ phase as a process of secondary hardening, the hardness of the nitrogen- containing steel is slightly higher than the conventional martensitic stainless steel under tempered conditions, even though the carbon content is lowered. The added nitrogen also improved the wear resistance of the steel as the critical load (Lc2) is less, along with a lower scratch friction coefficient (SFC) when compared to conventional martensitic stainless steel such as AISI 440C.

• Journal of Korean Vacuum Science & Technology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 1998

Characteristics of inductively coupled Cl2/O2 and Cl2/N2 plasmas and their effects on the formation of submicron deep trench etching of single crystal silicon have been investigated using Langmuir probe, quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Also, when silicon is etched with oxygen added chlorine plasmas, etch products recombined with oxygen such as SiClxOy emerged and Si-O bondings were found on the etched silicon surface. However, when nitrogen is added to chlorine, no etch products recombined with nitrogen nor Si-N bondings were found on the etched silicon surface. When deep silicon trenches were teached, the characteristics of Cl2/O2 and Cl2/N2 plasmas changed the thickness of the sidewall residue (passivation layer) and the etch profile. Vertical deep submicron trench profiles having the aspect ratio higher than 5 could be obtained by controlling the thickness of the residue formed on the trench sidewall using Cl2(O2/N2) plasmas.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1992.07b
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• pp.850-853
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• 1992

A cryogenic electron cyclotron resonance plasma etching system has been built to study wafer-temperature in the silicon etching characteristics. The wafer temperature was controlled from -150 to +30 $^{\circ}C$ during etching using the liquid nitrogen cooled helium gas. Although silicon was etched isotropically in $SF_6$ plasma at room temperatures, we found that it is possible to suppress the etch undercut in Si by reducing a substrate temperature without side wall passivation. In addition, the selectivity of silicon to photoresist was improved considerably at a low wafer temperature. Etch rates, anisotropy and selectivity to photo resist are measured as a function of the wafer temperature in the region of -125 $\sim$ 25$^{\circ}C$ and rf bias power of 20W $\sim$ 80W.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2009.08a
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• pp.187-187
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• 2009

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.88-91
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• 2003

Si nanocrystallites thin films have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition using a Nd:YAG laser. After deposition, samples were annealed at the temperature range of 400 to $800^{\circ}C$. Hydrogen passivation was then performed in the forming gas ($95%N_{2}+5%H_{2}$) at $500^{\circ}C$. Strong violet-indigo photoluminescence has been observed at room temperature on nitrogen ambient-annealed Si nanocrystallites. As a result of photoluminescence spectra and infrared absorption spectra, we conclude that the violet-indigo PL efficiency is related with oxygen vacancy in the $SiO_x$(x= 1.6-1.8) matrix.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.483-491
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• 1992

Plasma silicon oxynitride film has been applied as a final passivation layer for semiconductor devices, because it has high resistance to humidity and prevents from alkali ion's penetration, and has low film stress. Structure properties of plasma silicon oxynitride film have been studied experimentally by the use of FT-IR, AES, stress gauge and ellipsometry. In this experiment,Si-N bonds increase as NS12TO/(NS12TO+NHS13T) gas ratio increases. Peaks of Si-N bond, Si-H bond and N-H bond were shifted to high wavenumber according to NS12TO/(NS12TO+NHS13T) gas ratio increase. Absorption peaks of Si-H bond were decreased by furnace anneal at 90$0^{\circ}C$. The atomic composition of film represents that oxygen atoms increase as NS12TO/(NS12TO+NHS13T) gas ratio increases, to the contrary, nitrogen atoms decrease.