• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.167-167
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• 2011

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is one of the prospective semiconductor memories for next generation. It has the excellent features including nonvolatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage, and high storage density. MRAM consists of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The MTJ stack is composed of various magnetic materials, metals, and a tunneling barrier layer. For the successful realization of high density MRAM, the etching process of magnetic materials should be developed. Among various magnetic materials, FePt has been used for pinned layer of MTJ stack. The previous etch study of FePt magnetic thin films was carried out using $CH_4/O_2/NH_3$. It reported only the etch characteristics with respect to the variation of RF bias powers. In this study, the etch characteristics of FePt thin films have been investigated using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etcher in various etch chemistries containing $CH_4$/Ar and $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mixes. TiN thin film was employed as a hard mask. FePt thin films are etched by varying the gas concentration. The etch characteristics have been investigated in terms of etch rate, etch selectivity and etch profile. Furthermore, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is applied to elucidate the etch mechanism of FePt thin films in $CH_4$/Ar and $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ chemistries.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.408-408
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• 2012

It is well known that magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is nonvolatile memory devices using ferromagnetic materials. MRAM has the merits such as fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance and nonvolatility. Although DRAM has many advantages containing high storage density, fast access time and low power consumption, it becomes volatile when the power is turned off. Owing to the attractive advantages of MRAM, MRAM is being spotlighted as an alternative device in the future. MRAM consists of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal- oxide semiconductor (CMOS). MTJ stacks are composed of various magnetic materials. FePt thin films are used as a pinned layer of MTJ stack. Up to date, an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE) method of MTJ stacks showed better results in terms of etch rate and etch profile than any other methods such as ion milling, chemical assisted ion etching (CAIE), reactive ion etching (RIE). In order to improve etch profiles without redepositon, a better etching process of MTJ stack needs to be developed by using different etch gases and etch parameters. In this research, influences of $O_2$ gas on the etching characteristics of FePt thin films were investigated. FePt thin films were etched using ICPRIE in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mix. The etch rate and the etch selectivity were investigated in various $O_2$ concentrations. The etch profiles were studied in varying etch parameters such as coil rf power, dc-bias voltage, and gas pressure. TiN was employed as a hard mask. For observation etch profiles, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.155-165
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• 2010

As a promising candidate to replace the conventional floating gate flash memories, polysilicon-oxide-nitride-oxidesilicon (SONOS)-type nonvolatile semiconductor memories have been investigated widely in the past several years. SONOS-type memories have some advantages over the conventional floating gate flash memories, such as lower operating voltage, excellent endurance and compatibility with standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. However, their operating speed and date retention characteristics are still the bottlenecks to limit the applications of SONOS-type memories. Recently, various approaches have been used to make a trade-off between the operating speed and the date retention characteristics. Application of high-k dielectrics to SONOS-type memories is a predominant route. This article provides the state-of-the-art research progress of high-k dielectrics applicable to SONOS-type nonvolatile semiconductor memories. It begins with a short description of working mechanism of SONOS-type memories, and then deals with the materials' requirements of high-k dielectrics used for SONOS-type memories. In the following section, the microstructures of high-k dielectrics used as tunneling layers, charge trapping layers and blocking layers in SONOS-type memories, and their impacts on the memory behaviors are critically reviewed. The improvement of the memory characteristics by using multilayered structures, including multilayered tunneling layer or multilayered charge trapping layer are also discussed. Finally, this review is concluded with our perspectives towards the future researches on the high-k dielectrics applicable to SONOS-type nonvolatile semiconductor memories.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.10 no.1 s.20
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• pp.51-54
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• 2004

In recently days, the breed fish farm is increased in the beach side for farming fish. In such a farm, the heater is requested for preventing freezing in cold season. The heating material are requested high corrosion resistance and strength for endurance high corrosive salt and pressure. In case of low corrosion resistance and/or strength, the heating element shall be broke down and eventually make spillage or leaking contaminated salt. In the most cases, crevice corrosion is localized form of corrosion usually associated with a stagnant solution on the micro-environmental level. In this study, the crevice corrosion of Ferritic type 430 stainless steel is investigated. The size of specimen is $15{\times}20{\times}3mmt$. Test solution is 1N H2SO4 + 0.05N NaCl. The artificial crevice gap size is $0.24{\times}3{\times}15mmL$. Crevice corrosion is measured under applied voltage 300mV(SCE) to the external surface. the result of this study showed that 1) the induced time for initiation of crevice is 750seconds, 2) potential is dropped in the crevice from the top of gap opening from -320 to -399mV. The result confirmed that the potential drop(IR mechanism) in the crevice is one of mechanism for crevice corrosion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.387-387
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• 2013

Currently, the flash memory and the dynamic random access memory (DRAM) have been used in a variety of applications. However, the downsizing of devices and the increasing density of recording medias are now in progress. So there are many demands for development of new semiconductor memory for next generation. Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is one of the prospective semiconductor memories with excellent features including non-volatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage, and high storage density. MRAM is composed of magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The MTJ stack consists of various magnetic materials, metals, and a tunneling barrier layer. Recently, MgO thin films have attracted a great attention as the prominent candidates for a tunneling barrier layer in the MTJ stack instead of the conventional Al2O3 films, because it has low Gibbs energy, low dielectric constant and high tunneling magnetoresistance value. For the successful etching of high density MRAM, the etching characteristics of MgO thin films as a tunneling barrier layer should be developed. In this study, the etch characteristics of MgO thin films have been investigated in various gas mixes using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICPRIE). The Cl2/Ar, CH3OH/Ar, and CH4/Ar gas mix were employed to find an optimized etching gas for MgO thin film etching. TiN thin films were employed as a hard mask to increase the etch selectivity. The etch rates were obtained using surface profilometer and etch profiles were observed by using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.41-43
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• 1999

Among the feffoelectric thin films that have been widely investigated for ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) applications, SrBi$_2$Ta$_2$$O_{9}$ thin film is appropriate to memory capacitor materials for its excellent fatigue endurance. However, very few studies on etch properties of SBT thin film have been reported although dry etching is an area that demands a great deal of attention in the very large scale integrations. In this study, the a SrBi$_2$Ta$_2$$O_{9}$ thin films were etched by using magnetically enhanced inductively coupled Ar/CHF$_3$ plasma. Etch properties, such as etch rate, selectivity, and etched profile, were measured according to gas mixing ratio of CHF$_3$(Ar$_{7}$+CHF$_3$) and the other process conditions were fixed at RF power of 600 W, dc bias voltage of 150 V, chamber pressure of 10 mTorr. Maximum etch rate of SBT thin films was 1750 A77in, under CHF$_3$(Ar+CHF$_3$) of 0.1. The selectivities of SBT to Pt and PR were 1.35 and 0.94 respectively. The chemical reaction of etched surface were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The Sr and Ta atoms of SBT film react with fluorine and then Sr-F and Ta-F were removed by the physical sputtering of Ar ion. The surface of etched SBT film with CHF$_3$(Ar+CHF$_3$) of 0.1 was analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for examination of etched profile of SBT film under CHF$_3$(Ar+CHF$_3$) of 0.1 was about 85˚.85˚.˚.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2016

Depending on the college graduation project and graduation thesis regulations for the certification and graduation requirements, the quadcopter acting as a Li-Po battery that charges by solar energy are proposed a design method and improvements in theory. Quadcopter posture is balanced and confirmed by the position sensor, through a PID (Proportional Integral Differential) control. Battery switching circuit is composed of two Li-Po battery. Driving the quadcopter as one battery, and does not use other battery is charged by solar energy. A battery switching circuit is fabricated in a manner that uses two types of relays. Even if completely not charged to the battery is being driven a certain switch by the battery charging voltage from time to time, it proposes a method for increasing the endurance time and range.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.255-255
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• 2010

전하 트랩형 비휘발성 메모리는 10년 이상의 데이터 보존 능력과 빠른 쓰기/지우기 속도가 요구 된다. 그러나 두 가지 특성은 터널 산화막의 두께에 따라 서로 trade off 관계를 갖는다. 즉, 두 가지 특성을 모두 만족 시키면서 scaling down 하기는 매우 힘들다. 이것의 해결책으로 적층된 유전막을 터널 산화막으로 사용하여 쓰기/지우기 속도와 데이터 보존 특성을 만족하는 Tunnel Barrier engineered Memory (TBM)이 있다. TBM은 가운데 장벽은 높고 기판과 전극쪽의 장벽이 낮은 crested barrier type이 있으며, 이와 반대로 가운데 장벽은 낮고 기판과 전극쪽의 장벽이 높은 VARIOT barrier type이 있다. 일반적으로 유전율과 밴드갭(band gap)의 관계는 유전율이 클수록 밴드갭이 작은 특성을 갖는다. 이러한 관계로 인해 일반적으로 crested type의 터널 산화막층은 high-k/low-k/high-k의 물질로 적층되며, VARIOT type은 low-k/high-k/low-k의 물질로 적층된다. 이 형태는 밴드갭이 다른 물질을 적층했을 때 전계에 따라 터널 장벽의 변화가 민감하여 전자의 장벽 투과율이 매우 빠르게 변화하는 특징을 갖는다. 결국 전계에 민감도 향상으로 쓰기/지우기 속도가 향상되며 적층된 유전막의 물리적 두께의 증가로 인해 데이터 보존 특성 또한 향상되는 장점을 갖는다. 본 연구에서는 기존의 TBM과 다른 형태의 staggered tunnel barrier를 제안한다. staggered tunnel barrier는 heterostructure의 에너지 밴드 구조 중 하나로 밴드 line up은 두 밴드들이 같은 방향으로 shift된 형태이다. 즉, 가전자대 에너지 장벽의 minimum이 한 쪽에 생기면 전도대 에너지 장벽의 maximum은 반대쪽에 생기는 형태를 갖는다. 이러한 밴드구조를 갖는 물질을 터널 산화막층으로 하게 되면 쓰기/지우기 속도를 증가시킬 수 있으며, 데이터 보존 능력 모두 만족할 수 있어 TBM의 터널 산화막으로의 사용이 기대된다. 본 연구에서 제작한 staggered TBM소자의 터널 산화막으로는 $Si_3N_4$/HfAlO (Hf:Al=1:3)을 사용하여 I-V(current-voltage), Retention, Endurance를 측정하여 메모리 소자로서의 특성을 분석하였으며, 터널 산화막의 제 1층인 $Si_3N_4$의 두께를 1.5 nm, 3 nm일 때의 특성을 비교 분석하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.237.2-237.2
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• 2013

ReRAM cell, also known as conductive bridging RAM (CBRAM), is a resistive switching memory based on non-volatile formation and dissolution of conductive filament in a solid electrolyte [1,2]. Especially, Chalcogenide-based ReRAM have become a promising candidate due to the simple structure, high density and low power operation than other types of ReRAM but the uniformity of switching parameter is undesirable. It is because diffusion of ions from anode to cathode in solid electrolyte layer is random [3]. That is to say, the formation of conductive filament is not go through the same paths in each switching cycle which is one of the major obstacles for performance improvement of ReRAM devices. Therefore, to control of nonuniform conductive filament formation is a key point to achieve a high performance ReRAM. In this paper, we demonstrated the enhanced repeatable bipolar resistive switching memory characteristics by spreading the Ag nanocrystals (Ag NCs) on amorphous GeSe layer compared to the conventional Ag/GeSe/Pt structure without Ag NCs. The Ag NCs and Ag top electrode act as a metal supply source of our devices. Excellent resistive switching memory characteristics were obtained and improvement of voltage distribution was achieved from the Al/Ag NCs/GeSe/Pt structure. At the same time, a stable DC endurance (>100 cycles) and an excellent data retention (>104 sec) properties was found from the Al/Ag NCs/GeSe/ Pt structured ReRAMs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.78-84
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• 2022

An air circuit breaker (ACB) is an electrical protection device that interrupts abnormal fault currents that result from overloads or short circuits in a low-voltage power distribution line. The ACB consists of a main circuit part for current flow, mechanism part for the opening and closing operation of movable conductors, and arc-extinguishing part for arc extinction during the breaking operation. The driving mechanism of the ACB is a spring energy charging type. The faster the contact opening speed of the movable conductors during the opening process, the better the breaking performance. However, there is a disadvantage that the durability of mechanism decreases in inverse proportion to the use of a spring capable of accumulating high energy to configure the breaking speed faster. Therefore, to simultaneously satisfy the breaking performance and mechanical endurance of the ACB, its driving mechanism must be optimized. In this study, a dynamic model of the ACB was developed using the MDO(Mechanism Dynamics Option) module of CREO, which is widely used in multibody dynamics analysis. To improve the opening velocity, the Taguchi design method was applied to optimize the design parameters of an ACB with many linkages. In addition, to evaluate the improvement in the operating characteristics, the simulation and experimental results were compared with the MDO model and improved prototype sample, respectively.