• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.563-566
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• 2002

We investigated to decrease the leakage current of SiNx film by employing $N_2$ plasma treatment. The insulator layers were prepared by two step process; the $N_2$ plasma treatment and then PECVD SiNx deposition with $SiH_4$, $N_2$ gases. To prove the influence of the $N_2$ plasma treatment, the Si substrate was exposed to the plasma, which was generated in Ne gas ambient. Without plasma treatment SiNx film grow at the rate of 7. 03 nm/min, has a refractive index n = 1.77 and hydrogen content of $2.16{\times}10^{22}cm^{-3}$ for $N_2/SiH_4$ gas flow ratio of 20. The obtained films were analyzed in terms of deposition rates, refractive index, hydrogen concentration, and electrical properties. By employing $N_2$ plasma treatment, interface traps such as mobile charges and injected charges were removed, hysteresis of capacitance-voltage (C-V) disappeared. We observed plasma treated sample were decreased the leakage current density reduces by 2 orders with respect to the sample having no plasma treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.360-363
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• 2003

In this paper, we investigated SiNx film as a buffer layer of TFT-FRAM. Buffer layers were prepared by two step process of a $N_2$ plasma treatment and subsequent $SiN_x$ deposition. By employing $N_2$ plasma treatment, interface traps such as mobile charges and injected charges were removed, hysteresis of current-voltage curve disappeared. After $N_2$ plasma treatment, a leakage current was decreased about 2 orders. From these results, it is possible to perform the plasma treating process to make a good quality buffer layer of MFIS-FET or capacitor as an application of non-volatile memory.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1332-1336
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• 2004

Amorphous carbon (a-C) films have been deposited on Si(100) substrate using RF magnetron system in order to investigate the electron field emission properties. The a-C films were treated by $N_2$ gas plasma at room temperature. Surface morphologices and structural properties of the a-C films before and after $N_2$ plasma treatment were observed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscope, respectively. Structural properties and surface morphology of the a-C films were changed by $N_2$ plasma treatment. The emission properties can be improved by the plasma treatment according to the contents of nitrogen on the a-C films which is varied by plasma treatment time. Before the plasma treatment, the a-C films are found to have a threshold field of 14 V/$\mu$m, but the a-C film treated by $N_2$ plasma for 30 min exhibit threshold field as low as 6.5 V/$\mu$m.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.435-438
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• 2004

MOCVD is one of the major deposition techniques for Cu thin films and Ta-Si-N is one of promising barrier metal candidates for Cu with high thermal stability. Effects of hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the underlying Ta-Si-N film surface on the Cu nucleation in Cu MOCVD were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron emission spectrometry analyses. Cu nucleation in MOCVD is enhanced as the rf-power and the plasma exposure time are increased in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment. The optimal plasma treatment process condition is the rf-power of 40 Wand the plasma exposure time of 2 min. The hydrogen gas flow rate in the hydrogen plasma pretreatment process does not affect Cu nucleation much. The mechanism through which Cu nucleation is enhanced by the hydrogen plasma pretreatment of the Ta-Si-N film surface is that the nitrogen and oxygen atoms at the Ta-Si-N film surface are effectively removed by the plasma treatment. Consequently the chemical composition was changed from Ta-Si-N(O) into Ta-Si at the Ta-Si-N film surface, which is favorable for Cu nucleation.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2018

Nonthermal atmospheric plasma has been studied for its many biomedical effects, such as tooth bleaching, wound healing, and coagulation. In this study, the effects of dentinal tubules occlusion were investigated using fluoride-carboxymethyl cellulose (F-CMC) gel, nano-sized hydroxyapatite (n-HA), and nonthermal atmospheric plasma. Human dentin specimens were divided to 5 groups (group C, HA, HAF, HAP, and HAFP). Group HA was treated with n-HA, group HAF was treated with n-HA after a F-CMC gel application, group HAP was treated with n-HA after a plasma treatment and group HAFP was treated with n-HA after a plasma and F-CMC gel treatment. The occlusion of dentinal tubules was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), which shows Ca/P ratio. In the EDS results, a higher Ca/P ratio was shown in the groups including n-HA than in the control group. The specimens of group HAP and HAFP had a higher Ca/P ratio in retentivity. In the SEM results, there was not a significant difference in the amount of times applied. Therefore, this study suggests F-CMC gel and n-HA treatment using nonthermal atmospheric plasma will be a new treatment method for decreasing hypersensitivity.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.11
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• pp.716-721
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• 2009

The major drive for the application of low-temperature plasma treatment in nitrocarburizing of austenitic stainless steels lies in improved surface hardness without degraded corrosion resistance. The low-temperature plasma nitrocarburizing was performed in a gas mixture of $N_{2}$, $H_{2}$, and carbon-containing gas such as $CH_{4}$ at $450^{\circ}C$. The influence of the processing time (5~30 h) and $N_{2}$ gas composition (15~35%) on the surface properties of the nitrocarburized layer was investigated. The resultant nitrocarburized layer was a dual-layer structure, which was comprised of a N-enriched layer (${\gamma}_N$) with a high nitrogen content on top of a C-enriched layer (${\gamma}_C$) with a high carbon content, leading to a significant increase in surface hardness. The surface hardness reached up to about $1050HV_{0.01}$, which is about 4 times higher than that of the untreated sample ($250HV_{0.01}$). The thickness of the hardened layer increased with increasing treatment time and $N_{2}$ gas level in the atmosphere and reached up to about $25{\mu}m$. In addition, the corrosion resistance of the treated samples without containing $Cr_{2}N$ precipitates was enhanced than that of the untreated samples due to a high concentration of N on the surface. However, longer treatment time (25% $N_{2}$, 30 h) and higher $N_{2}$ gas composition (35% $N_{2}$, 20 h) resulted in the formation of $Cr_{2}N$ precipitates in the N-enriched layer, which caused the degradation of corrosion resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.326-329
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• 2002

In this paper, we investigated a feasibility of cerium oxide(CeO$_2$) films as a buffer layer of MFIS(metal ferroelectric insulator semiconductor) type capacitor. CeO$_2$ layer were Prepared by two step process of a low temperature film growth and subsequent RTA (rapid thermal annealing) treatment. By app1ying an ultra thin Ce metal seed layer and N$_2$ Plasma treatment, dielectric and interface properties were improved. It means that unwanted SiO$_2$ layer generation was successfully suppressed at the interface between He buffer layer and Si substrate. The lowest lattice mismatch of CeO$_2$ film was as low as 1.76% and average surface roughness was less than 0.7 m. The Al/CeO$_2$/Si structure shows breakdown electric field of 1.2 MV/cm, dielectric constant of more than 15.1 and interface state densities as low as 1.84${\times}$10$\^$11/ cm$\^$-1/eV$\^$-1/. After N$_2$ plasma treatment, the leakage current was reduced with about 2-order.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.2309-2314
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• 2012

Ag deposited N-$TiO_2$ composite nanoparticles were prepared via $NH_3$ plasma treatment. X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the prepared $TiO_2$ samples. The plasma treatment did not change the phase composition and particle sizes of $TiO_2$ samples, but extended its absorption edges to the visible light region. The photocatalytic activities were tested in the degradation of an aqueous solution of a reactive dyestuff, methylene blue, under visible light. The photocatalytic activities of Ag deposited N-$TiO_2$ composite nanoparticles were much higher than Ag-$TiO_2$, N-$TiO_2$, and P25. A possible mechanism for the photocatalysis was proposed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.62-62
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• 2015

In this study, we study the effects of CF4 plasma treatment on the characteristics of enhancement mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). The CF4 plasma is generated by inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) system. The CF4 gas is decomposed into fluorine ions by ICP-RIE and then fluorine ions will effect the AlGaN/GaN interface to inhibit the electron transport of two dimension electron gas (2DEG) and increase channel resistance. The CF4 plasma method neither like the recessed type which have to utilize Cl2/BCl3 to etch semiconductor layer nor ion implantation needed high power to implant ions into semiconductor. Both of techniques will cause semiconductor damage. In the experiment, the CF4 treatment time are 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 seconds. It was found that the devices treated 100 seconds showed best electric performance. In order to prove fluorine ions existing and CF4 plasma treatment not etch epitaxial layer, the secondary ion mass spectrometer confirmed fluorine ions truly existing in the sample which treatment time 100 seconds. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy showed that the sample treated time 100 seconds did not have etch phenomena. Atomic layer deposition is used to grow Al2O3 with thickness 10, 20, 30 and 40 nm. In electrical measurement, the device that deposited 20-nm-thickness Al2O3 showed excellent current ability, the forward saturation current of 210 mA/mm, transconductance (gm) of 44.1 mS/mm and threshold voltage of 2.28 V, ION/IOFF reach to 108. As IV concerning the breakdown voltage measurement, all kinds of samples can reach to 1450 V.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.75-81
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• 2018

The effect of $Ar-N_2$ plasma treatment on Cu surface as one of solutions to realize reliable Cu-Cu wafer bonding was investigated. Structural characteristic of $Ar-N_2$ plasma treated Cu surface were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscope. Ar gas was used for a plasma ignition and to activate Cu surface by ion bombardment, and $N_2$ gas was used to protect the Cu surface from contamination such as -O or -OH by forming a passivation layer. The Cu specimen under high Ar partial pressure plasma treatment showed more copper oxide due to the activation on Cu surface, while Cu surface after high $N_2$ gas partial pressure plasma treatment showed less copper oxide due to the formation of Cu-N or Cu-O-N passivation layer. It was confirmed that nitrogen plasma can prohibit Cu-O formation on Cu surface, but nitrogen partial pressure in the $Ar-N_2$ plasma should be optimized for the formation of nitrogen passivation layer on the entire surface of Cu wafer.