• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2016

Silicon nitride ($SiN_x:H$) films made by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are generally used as antireflection layers and passivation layers on solar cells. In this study, we investigated the properties of silicon nitride ($SiN_x:H$) films made by PECVD. The passivation properties of $SiN_x:H$ are focused on by making the antireflection properties identical. To make equivalent optical properties of silicon nitride films, the refractive index and thickness of the films are fixed at 2.0 and 90 nm, respectively. This limit makes it easier to evaluate silicon nitride film as a passivation layer in realistic application situations. Next, the effects of the mixture ratio of the process gases with silane ($SiH_4$) and ammonia ($NH_3$) on the passivation qualities of silicon nitride film are evaluated. The absorption coefficient of each film was evaluated by spectrometric ellipsometry, the minority carrier lifetimes were evaluated by quasi-steady-state photo-conductance (QSSPC) measurement. The optical properties were obtained using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The interface properties were determined by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement and the film components were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy detection (RBS) - elastic recoil detection (ERD). In hydrogen passivation, gas ratios of 1:1 and 1:3 show the best surface passivation property among the samples.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.287-292
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• 1992

Silicon nitride thin film (SiNx) was deposited onto the 3inch silicon wafer using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma apparatus. The thin films which were deposited by changing the SiH4N2 gas flow rate ratio at 1.5mTorr without substrate heating were analyzed through the x-ray photo spectroscopy (XPS) and ellipsometer measurements, etc. Silicon nitride thin films prepared by the electron cyclotron resonance plasma chemical vapor deposition method at low substrate temperature (<10$0^{\circ}C$) exhibited excellent physical and electrical properties. The very uniform and good quality silicon nitride thin films were obtained. The characteristics of electron cyclotron resonance plasma were inferred from the analyzed results of the deposited films.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.96-101
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• 2000

Comparative studies on microstructure, and mechanical and anti-oxidation properties between TiN and Ti-Si-N films were performed. The Ti-Si-N films were deposited on high-speed steel and silicon wafer substrates by plasma-assisted chemcial vapor deposition(PACVD) technique. The Si addition to TiN film caused to change the microstructure such as grain size refinement, randomly multi-oriented microstructure, and nano-sized codeposition of silicon nitride in the TiN matrix. The Ti-Si-N film, contains Si content of ∼7 at.%, showed the micro-hardness value of ∼3400 HK, which was higher than the pure TiN film whose hardness was ∼1500HK. The Ti-Si(7 at.%)-N film also showed much improved anti-oxidation properties compared with those of the pure TiN film. These properties were also related to the microstructure of Ti-Si(7 at.%)-N film was formed and retarded further oxidation of the nitridelayer. These properties were also related to the microstructure of Ti-Si(7 at.%)-N film which was characterized by nano-sized precipitates of silicon nitride phase in the TiN matrix and randomly oriented grains.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.547-552
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• 2019

In the present study, the thermal conductivity of a silicon nitride($Si_3N_4$) thin-film is evaluated using the dual-wavelength pump-probe technique. A 100-nm thick $Si_3N_4$ film is deposited on a silicon (100) wafer using the radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique and film structural characteristics are observed using the X-ray reflectivity technique. The film's thermal conductivity is measured using a pump-probe setup powered by a femtosecond laser system of which pump-beam wavelength is frequency-doubled using a beta barium borate crystal. A multilayer transient heat conduction equation is numerically solved to quantify the film property. A finite difference method based on the Crank-Nicolson scheme is employed for the computation so that the experimental data can be curve-fitted. Results show that the thermal conductivity value of the film is lower than that of its bulk status by an order of magnitude. This investigation offers an effective way to evaluate thermophysical properties of nanoscale ceramic and dielectric materials with high temporal and spatial resolutions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.283-288
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• 2004

We have fabricated MIM capacitors for MMIC applications, with capacitances as high as 600pF/$\textrm{mm}^2$ and excellent electrical properties of the insulator layer. Silicon nitride thin film is the desirable material for MMIC capacitor fabrication. Standard MIM capacitance in MMIC is 300pF/$\textrm{mm}^2$ with an insulator layer thickness of more than 2000$\AA$. However, capacitors with thin insulator layers have breakdown voltages as low as 20V. We have deposited insulator layers by PECVD in our MIM structure with an air bridge between the top metal and the contact pad. The PECVD process was optimized for fabricating the desired capacitors to be used in MMIC. Silicon nitride(Si$_{x}$N$_{y}$) thin films of about 1000$\AA$ thick show capacitances of about 600pF/$\textrm{mm}^2$, and breakdown voltages above 70V at 100nA.A.A.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2014

Silicon nitride thin film deposited with Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition was treated by a nitrogen plasma generated by Inductively Coupled Plasma at room temperature. The treatment was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy on the surface at various RF source powers at two RF bias powers. The amount of hydrogen was reduced and the surface roughness of the films was decreased remarkably after the plasma treatment. In order to understand the causes, we analyzed the plasma diagnostics by Optical Emission Spectroscopy and Double Langmuir Probe. Based on these analysis results, we show that the nitrogen plasma treatment was effective in the improving of the properties silicon nitride thin film for flexible display.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.334.2-334.2
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• 2016

Silicon nitride (SiNx:H) films are generally used as passivation layer on solar cell and they are usually made by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). In this study, we investigated the properties of silicon nitride (SiNx:H) films made by PECVD. Effects of mixture ratio of process gases with silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3) on the passivation qualities of silicon nitride film are evaluated. Passivation properties of SiNx:H are focused by making antireflection properties identical with thickness and refractive index controlled. The absorption coefficient of each film was evaluated by spectrometric ellipsometery and the minority carrier lifetimes were evaluated by quasi-steady-state photo-conductance (QSSPC) measurement. The optical properties were obtained by UV-visible spectrophotometer. The interface properties were measured by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement and the film components were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy detection (RBS) - elastic recoil detection (ERD).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.89-90
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• 2003

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.596-603
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• 2000

The hardness and elastic modulus of three bulk materials are computed from the load and displacement data which are measured during basic nanoindentation test and compared with values determined by independent means to assess the accuracy of the method. The results show that with this technique, modulus and hardness and elastic modulus profile through depth of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride films. The results show that for silicon nitride film deposited on silicon, hardness and elastic modulus increase as the volume ratio of NH3 : SiH4, which had been used for deposition, increases up to 20.0; and for silicon oxynitride film on silicon, the hardness and elastic modulus profile changes distinctly as the relative amount of oxygen in deposition gas mixture changes.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.585-588
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• 2007

Silicon nitride films for an anti-reflection coating were deposited on silicon via RF magnetron sputtering using a $Si_3N4$ target. The best result was obtained at the sputtering condition of 340 W RF power, 5 mtorr Ar atmosphere, $100^{\circ}C$ substrate temperature. The films showed 7.9% reflectance minimum with 2.35 refractive index. 0.21 absorption coefficient at 66.6 nm thickness. The surface morphology showed a smooth and dense film with good adhesion to silicon surface.