• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.414-420
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• 1999

The oxide sacrificial layer technology is one of the key technologies in surface micromachining. However, the commonly used aqueous HF solutions, including the $NH_4F$ buffered HF solutions (BHF), are known to attack the Al metal layers during the oxide sacrificial etch. A mixed $NH_4F$/HF/glycerine aqueous solution of 4:1:2 ratio is known to have the best etch selectivity between oxide and AI, but even this sacrificial etchant has a significant etch rate for AI. This paper reports an extensive experimental study on various concentration ratios for HF, $NH_4F$ and glycerine, and develops the optimal mixture ratio for sacrificial etching. At the $NH_4F$/HF/glycerine ratio of 2:1:4, the etch selectivity between PSG and Al improves by approximately 6 times over the previously known best selectivity, to a value of 7,700. At this condition, the measured etch rate of PSG film is approximately $2.1\;{\mu}m/min$, which is sufficiently fast. The developed sacrificial etchant allows the addition of a Al metal layer in surface micromachining, without the worry of Al layer erosion during sacrificial etch.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.792-799
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• 2019

The present study aims to investigate the fluorination of thorium oxide ($ThO_2$) by ammonium hydrogen difluoride ($NH_4HF_2$). Fluorination was performed at room temperature by mixing $ThO_2$ and $NH_4HF_2$ at different molar ratios, which was then left to react for 20 days. Next, the mixtures were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) at the intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 days, followed by the heating of the mixtures at $450-750^{\circ}C$ with argon gas flow. The characterization of $ThF_4$ was established using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). In this study, ammonium thorium fluoride was synthesized through the fluorination of $ThO_2$ at room temperature. The optimum molar ratio in synthesizing ammonium thorium fluoride was 1.0:5.5 ($ThO_2:NH_4HF_2$) with 5 days reaction time. In addition, the heating of ammonium thorium fluoride at $450^{\circ}C$ was sufficient to produce $ThF_4$. Overall, this study proved that $NH_4HF_2$ is one of the fluorination agents that is capable of synthesizing $ThF_4$.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.27-31
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• 2018

The effect of $NH_3$ plasma passivation on the chemical and electrical characteristics of ALD HfAlO dielectric on the InGaAs substrate was investigated. The results show that $NH_3$ plasma passivation exhibit better electrical & chemical performance such as much lower leakage current, lower density of interface trap(Dit) level, and low unstable interfacial oxide. $NH_3$ plasma passivation can effectively enhance interfacial characteristics. Therefore $NH_3$ plasma passivation improved the HfAlO dielectric performance on the InGaAs substrate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.299-299
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• 2016

SiC는 넓은 에너지갭 (Eg=~3.4 eV)을 갖는 반도체로써, 고전압, 고온에서 동작이 가능하여 기존의 Si기반의 파워디바이스를 대체하기 위한 물질로 많은 연구가 이루어지고 있다. 파워 디바이스의 성능 향상을 위해서는 기판과 절연체 사이의 계면에 생성되는 계면 결함을 감소시켜야 한다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 SiC 기판에 high-k 물질인 HfO2를 증착하여 HfO2/SiC 계면에 유도된 결함을 분석하고 이를 감소시킬 수 있는 방법에 대한 연구를 수행하였다. HfO2 박막은 atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) 방법을 이용하여 SiC 기판 위에 $200^{\circ}C$에서 증착하였다. HfO2 박막 증착 후 NH3 분위기에서 rapid thermal annealing 방법을 이용하여 $600^{\circ}C$에서 1분 동안 열처리 진행하였다. Current-voltage (I-V) 측정을 통해 열처리 전 HfO2/SiC의 절연파괴 전압이 약 8.3 V 임을 확인하였다. NH3 열처리 후 HfO2/SiC의 절연파괴 전압이 10 V로 증가하였으며 누설 전류가 크게 감소하는 것을 확인하였다. 또한 capacitance-voltage (C-V) 측정을 통해 열처리 후 flat band voltage가 negative 방향에서 positive 방향으로 이동함을 확인하였고, 이를 통해 NH3 열처리 방법이 HfO2/SiC 계면에 존재하는 결함을 감소시킬 수 있음을 확인하였다. 전자 구조상의 conduction band edge에 존재하는 결함 준위를 분석하기 위해 x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) 분석을 실시하였고, 열처리 전 HfO2/SiC 계면에 많은 결함 준위가 존재함을 확인하였으며, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) 분석을 통해 이 결함 준위가 oxygen deficiency state과 관련됨을 알 수 있었다. NH3 열처리 후 결과와 비교해보면, oxygen deficiency state가 감소함을 확인하였으며 이로 인해 conduction band edge에 존재하는 결함 준위가 감소함을 알 수 있었다. 따라서, NH3 열처리 방법을 이용하여 HfO2/SiC 계면에 존재하는 결함을 감소시킬 수 있으며, HfO2/SiC의 물리적, 전기적 특성을 향상시킬 수 있다는 결과를 도출하였다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.397-404
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• 1995

반도체 세정공정에서 염기성 세정액(SCI, Standard cleaning 1, $NH_{4}$OH + $H_{2}$O_{2}$ + $H_{2}$O)은 공정상 발생되는 여러 오염물 중 파티클의 제거를 위해 널리 사용되고 있는데, SCI 조성중 $NH_{4}$OH양에 따라 세정 중 실리콘의 식각속도를 증가시킨다. 이 연구에서는 SCI 세정이 CZ(Czochralski)와 에피 실리콘 기판 표면에 미치는 영향을 단순세정과 연속적인 산화-HF 식각-SCI 세정공정을 통해 관찰되었다. CZ와 에피 기판을 8$0^{\circ}C$의 1 : 2 : 10과 1 : 1 : 5 SCI 용액에서 60분까지 단순 세정을 했을 때 laser particle scanner와 KLA사의 웨이퍼 검색장치로 측정된 결함의 수는 세정시간에 따라 변화를 보이지 않았다. 그러나 CZ와 에피 기판을 10분간 SCI 세정후 90$0^{\circ}C$에서 산화 HF식각공정을 4번까지 반복하였을 때 에피 기판 표면의 결함수는 감소하는 반면에 CZ기판에서는 직선적으로 증가하였다. 반복적인 산화-HF 식각-XCI 세정공정을 통해 생성된 CZ기판 표면의 결함은 크기가 0.7$\mu$m 이하의 pit과 같은 형상을 보여주었다. 이들 결함은 열처리 중 CZ 기판내와 표면에 산화 석출물들이 형성, 반복적인 HF 식각-SCI 세정공정을 통해 다른 부위에 비해 식각이 빨리 일어나 표면에 생성되는 것으로 여기어 진다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.366-367
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• 2006

In general, HF chemistry lifts off the particles during scrubbing after polishing and effectively removes particles. It is sometimes impossible to apply HF chemistry on W plug due to the degradation of electrical characteristics of a device. In this paper, a post W CMP cleaning process is proposed to remove residue particles without applying HF chemistry. After W CMP, recessed plugs are created, therefore they easily trap slurry particles during CMP process. These particles in recessed plug are not easy to remove by brush scrubbing when $NH_4OH$ chemistry is used for the cleaning because the brush surface can not reach the recessed area of plugs. Buffing with oxide slurry was followed by W CMP due to its high selectivity to W. The buffing polishes only oxide slightly which creates higher plug profiles than surrounding oxide. Higher profiles make the brush contact much more effectively and result in a similar particle removal efficiency even in $NH_4OH$ cleaning to that in HF brush scrubbing.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.666-670
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• 2013

Recovery method of silicon wafer from defective products generated from manufacturing process of silicon solar cells was studied. The removal effect of the N layer and antireflection coating (ARC) of the waste solar cell were investigated at room temperature ($25^{\circ}C$) by variation of concentration of $H_3PO_4$, $NH_4HF_2$, and concentration and types of chelating agent. Removal efficiency was the best in the conditions; 10 wt% $H_3PO_4$ 2.0 wt% $NH_4HF_2$, 1.5 wt% Hydantoin. Increasing the concentration of $H_3PO_4$, the surface contamination degree was increased and the thickness of the silicon wafe became thicker than the thickness before surface treatment because of re-adsorption on the silicon wafer surface by electrostatic attraction of the fine particles changed to (+). The etching method by mixed solution of $H_3PO_4$-$NH_4HF_2$-chelating agents was expected to be great as an alternative to conventional RCA cleaning methods and as the recycle method of waste solar cells, because all processes are performed at room temperature, the process is simple, and less wastewater, the removal efficiency of the surface of the solar cell was excellent.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.108-108
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• 2015

In order to investigate on hydroxyapatite precipitation phenomena on nanotubular Ti-29Nb-xHf ternary alloys, Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys contained (0% to 15%) Hf were manufactured using arc melting furnace. Formation of nanotubular structure was achieved by an electrochemical method in 1M $H_3PO_4$ electrolytes containing 0.8%wt. % NaF. Electrochemical deposition was carried out using cyclic and voltammetry(CV) method at $85^{\circ}C$ in $5mM\;Ca(NO_3)_2+3mM\;NH_4H_2PO_4$. HA coating on nanotube formed Ti-29Nb-xHf ternary alloys showed a good wettability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.1711-1716
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• 2017

Uranium tetrafluoride ($UF_4$) is the most used nuclear material for producing metallic uranium by reduction with Ca or Mg. Metallic uranium is a raw material for the manufacture of uranium silicide, $U_3Si_2$, which is the most suitable uranium compound for use as nuclear fuel for research reactors. By contrast, ammonium uranyl carbonate is a traditional uranium compound used for manufacturing uranium dioxide $UO_2$ fuel for nuclear power reactors or $U_3O_8-Al$ dispersion fuel for nuclear research reactors. This work describes a procedure for recovering uranium and ammonium fluoride ($NH_4F$) from a liquid residue generated during the production routine of ammonium uranyl carbonate, ending with $UF_4$ as a final product. The residue, consisting of a solution containing high concentrations of ammonium ($NH_4^+$), fluoride ($F^-$), and carbonate ($CO_3^{2-}$), has significant concentrations of uranium as $UO_2^{2+}$. From this residue, the proposed procedure consists of precipitating ammonium peroxide fluorouranate (APOFU) and $NH_4F$, while recovering the major part of uranium. Further, the remaining solution is concentrated by heating, and ammonium bifluoride ($NH_4HF_2$) is precipitated. As a final step, $NH_4HF_2$ is added to $UO_2$, inducing fluoridation and decomposition, resulting in $UF_4$ with adequate properties for metallic uranium manufacture.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1067-1072
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• 1999

Structures of unprotonated [(NH3)n+(n = 1-6)] and protonated [NH4+(NH3)n-1(n = 1-6)] ammonia cluster cations have been optimized with ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) and second-order MФller-Plesset (MP2)/6-31+G ** levels and the harmonic vibrational frequencies have also been evaluated. In unprotonated cluster cations, NH3+ forms as a central core of the first ammonia solvation shell. In protonated cluster cations, NH4+ forms as a central core. In unprotonated dimer and trimer cations, there are two types of isomers (hydrogen-bonded and head-to-head interactions). In both cluster cations, the hydrogen-bonded isomers are more stable. In the hydrogen-bonded dimer cation, the proton transfer reaction takes place from (NH3-HN+H2) to (NH4+-NH2). But in the other unprotonated cluster cations, the proton transfer does not take place. In unprotonated pentamer and hexamer, a NH3+ core has both interactions in a complex. On the other hand, in unprotonated tetramer a core has only the hydrogen-bonded type combined with neutral ammonia molecules. With increasing cluster cation size, the bond lengths [R(NN)] between two nitrogen atoms and the distances [R(N ...H)] of the hydrogen-bond increase reg-ularly. In the calculated infra-red absorption bands for ammonia cluster cations, the characteristic peaks of the bridged NH vibration of the hydrogen-bonded clusters appear near 2500 cm-1 . With increasing size, the peaks shift from 2306 cm-1 to 2780 cm-1 .