• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.437-442
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• 2004

We have fabricated a polymeric waveguide by using a hot embossing technique and have investigated its propagation loss. The replication of waveguide channels through the use of a hot embossing technique is of interest as a single-step process that could deliver surface roughnesses far smaller than the wavelength. We have evaluated experimentally that the sidewall roughness has a dominant effect on insertion losses of the multimode polymeric waveguide. The propagation loss of the waveguide decreased dramatically upon decreasing the sidewall roughness of the channel. We have confirmed that the preparation of waveguides having nanometer-scale sidewall roughness and 0.1 dB/cm propagation loss is possible when using the hot embossing technique.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 2004

Hot embossing master is indispensable for the fabrication of polymeric optical waveguides using hot embossing technology. Sidewall roughness of silicon master is directly related to optical loss of optical waveguides In this paper, a silicon master was fabricated by using a deep-RIE process. Additionally, thermal oxidation followed by oxide removal was carried out to minimize etched Si sidewall roughness. Thermal oxidation and oxide removal were performed with $H_2O_2$ atmosphere at $1050^{\circ}C$ and $NH_4$F:HF=6:l BOE, respectively, for the oxide thickness of 400$\AA$, 1000$\AA$, 3000$\AA$, 4500$\AA$, 5600$\AA$ and 6200$\AA$. The sidewall roughness was characterized by SEM and SPM-AFH measurements. We found that the roughness was improved from 12nm (RMS) to 6nm (RMS) for the scalloped sidewall and from 162nm (RMS) to 39nm (RMS) for the vertical striation sidewall, respectively.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.52
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• pp.1.1-1.8
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• 2022

As semiconductor device architecture develops, from planar field-effect transistors (FET) to FinFET and gate-all-around (GAA), there is an increased need to measure 3D structure sidewalls precisely. Here, we present a 3-Dimensional Atomic Force Microscope (3D-AFM), a powerful 3D metrology tool to measure the sidewall roughness (SWR) of vertical and undercut structures. First, we measured three different dies repeatedly to calculate reproducibility in die level. Reproducible results were derived with a relative standard deviation under 2%. Second, we measured 13 different dies, including the center and edge of the wafer, to analyze SWR distribution in wafer level and reliable results were measured. All analysis was performed using a novel algorithm, including auto fattening, sidewall detection, and SWR calculation. In addition, SWR automatic analysis software was implemented to reduce analysis time and to provide standard analysis. The results suggest that our 3D-AFM, based on the tilted Z scanner, will enable an advanced methodology for automated 3D measurement and analysis.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.46 no.9
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• pp.947-956
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• 2013

Most of flood protection walls built on the impingement in mountain rivers have been made of concrete. It may cause flood disasters because the smooth wall surface could increase flow velocity. In this study the hydraulic experiments was carried out to evaluate the effect of one side wall with rectangular vertical ribs on flow resistance in open channel. The ratio of the pitch between vertical ribs to its depth, ${\lambda}_{nv}$, was designed so that it include the so-called d type and k type roughness. The range of Froude number, $F_r$, based on hydraulic radius is 0.81~1.12. Flow resistance in the open channel with a rib sidewall depends on the interval length of each ribs and the flow discharge. Maximum flow resistance occurred when ${\lambda}_{nv}$ is 9. In the d type roughness which ${\lambda}_{nv}$ is less than 3, the flow resistance decreases with increase of flow discharge. In the k type roughness which ${\lambda}_{nv}$ is greater than 3, the flow resistance increases with increase of flow discharge. The increments of flow resistance are especially great when ${\lambda}_{nv}$ are 9 and 12. The resistance due to vertical rib is mostly by the shape resistance and the vertical rib on one sidewall of open channel affects on the flow resistance so that the equivalent roughness heights of vertical rib may occur in scale of flow depth. Therefore the vertical ribs may be used to reduce the flow velocity and to move the location of maximum flow velocity from the rib sidewall to the centerward in a cross section of channels.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2006

The characteristics of the wet-etching of ZnO thin films were investigated using hydrochloric and phosphoric acid solutions as etchants. The etch rate of ZnO films, using highly diluted hydrochloric acid solutions at a concentration of 0.25% in deionized water, was determined to be about 120 nm/min, and linearly increased with increasing the acid concentration, resulting in $1.17{\mu}m/min$ when a 2% HCl solution was used. The surface of ZnO etched by an HCl solution, observed by scanning electron microscopy, showed a rough morphology with a high density of hexagonal pyramids or cones with sidewall angles of about ${\sim}45^{\circ}C$. Moreover, the sidewall angles of the masked area were similar to those of the pyramids on the surface. In comparison, the surface of ZnO etched by a phosphoric acid had a smooth surface morphology. The origin of this difference is from the very initial stage of etching, indicating that the etch-mechanism is different for each solution. Furthermore, when $H_3PO_4$ was added to the HCl aqueous solution, the morphology of the etched surface was greatly enhanced and the sidewall angle was also increased to about $65^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2015.11a
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• pp.332-332
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• 2015

Block Copolymer lithography는 deep nano-scale device 제작을 위한 기존의 top-down방식의 photo-lithography를 대체할만한 기술로 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다. polystyrene(PS)/poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA)로 구성된 BCP의 nano-scale PS mask는 일반적인 플라즈마 공정에 쉽게 damage를 입는다. 중성빔 식각을 이용하여 식각 공정 중 발생하는 BCP의 degradation을 감소시키고, 비등방성 식각 profile을 얻을 수 있으며 sidewall roughness(SWR)와 sidewall angle(SWA)가 향상되는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.10 s.281
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• pp.645-648
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• 2005

To fabricate a (100) silicon hard master, we used anisotropic wet etching for the embossing. The etching chemical for the sili­con wafer was a TMAH 25$\%$ solution. The anisotropic wet etching produces a smooth sidewall surface inclined at 54.7°, and the surface roughness of the fabricated master is about 1 nm. After spin coating an organic-inorganic sol-gel hybrid resin on a silicon substrate, we used the fabricated master to form patterns on the silicon substrate. Thus, we successfully obtained patterns via the hot embossing technique with the (100) silicon hard master. Moreover, by using a single hydrophobic surface treatment of the master, we succeeded in achieving uniform surface roughness of the embossed patterns for more than ten embossments.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1106-1110
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• 2005

We fabricated (110) silicon hard master by using anisotropic wet etching for embossing. The etching chemical for the silicon wafer was a TMAH $25\%$ solution. The anisotropic wet etching produces a smooth sidewall surface and the surface roughness of the fabricated master is about 3 nm. After spin coating an organic-inorganic sol-gel hybrid material on a silicon substrate, we employed hot embossing technique operated at a low pressure and temperature to form patterns on the silicon substrate by using the fabricated master. We successfully fabricated the multi-mode planar optical waveguides showing low propagation loss of 0.4 dB/cm. The surface roughness of embossed patterns was uniform for more than 10 times of the embossing processes with a single hydrophobic surface treatment of the silicon hard master.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 1998

Reactive ion etching process for InGaAs/InP using the CH4/H2 high density inductively coupled plasma was investigated. The experimental design method proposed by Taguchi was utilized to cover the whole parameter range while maintaining reasonable number of actual experiments. Results showed that the ICP power mainly affects surface roughness and verticality of the sidewall, bias power does etch rate and verticality, CH4 gas concentraion does the verticality and etch rate, and the distance between the induction coil and specimen mostly affects the surface roughness. It was also observed that the chamber pressure is the dominant parameter for the etch rate and verticality of the sidewall. The optimum condition was ICP power 700W, bias power 150 W, 15% $CH_4$, 7.5 mTorr, and 14 cm distance, resulting in about 3 $\mu\textrm{m}$/hr etch rate with smooth surfaces and vertical mesa sidewalls.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.324-329
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• 1996

In this paper, we present a vision algorithm to extract the tire information markings on the sidewall of tires. Since the appearance of tire marks is the same as its background, a primary feature to distinguish tire marks from their background is the roughness. Generally, the roughness of tire marks is different from that of its bakground: the surface of tire marks is smoother than the backgrounds. Light incident on the tire surface is reflected differently according to the roughness. For smoother surfaces, the surface irradiance is much stronger than that of rough surfaces. Based on these phenomena and observation, we propose an optimal illumination condition based on Torrance-Sparrow reflection model. We also develop an efficient reflectance-ratio based operator to extract the boundary of tire marks. Even with a very simple masking operation, we were able to obtain remarkable boundary extraction results from real experiments using many tires. By explicitly using the surface reflection model to explain the intensity variation on the black tire surface, we demonstrate that a physics-based vision method is powerful and feasible in extracting surface markings on tires.