• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.244-244
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• 1999

Liquid Crystal Displays(LCDs) 투명성 전도막으로 사용하는 Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)의 고밀도 식각특성을 조사하였다. 특히 ITO식각의 경우, pixel electrode 전극에서 사용되는 underlayer인 SiO2, Si3N4와의 최적의 선택비를 얻는데 중점을 두고 있다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 Inductively Coupled Plasma(ICP)를 이용하여 source power, gas combination, bias voltage, pressure 및 기판온도에 따른 ITO의 식각 특성과 이의 underlayer인 SiO2, Si3N4와의 선택비를 조사하였다. Ar과 CH4를 주된 식각가스로서 사용하였으며 첨가가스로는 O2와 HBr를 사용하였다. ITO의 식각특성을 이해하기 위하여 Quadruple Mass Spectrometry(QMS), Optical emission spectroscopy(OES) 이용하였으며, 식각된 sample의 잔류물을 조사하기 위하여 X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)를 이용하여 분석하였다. Ar gas에 적정량의 CH4 혼합이 순수한 Ar 가스로 식각한 경우에 비하여 ITO와 SiO2, Si3N4의 선택비가 높았으며, 더 높은 식각 선택비를 얻기 위하여 Ar/CH 분위기에서 첨가가스 O2, HBr을 사용하였다. Source power 및 bias 증가에 따라 ITO의 식각률은 증가하나, underlayer와의 선택비는 감소함을 보였다. 본 실험에서 측정된 ITO의 high 식각률은 약 1500$\AA$/min이며, SiO2, Si3N4와의 high selectivity는 각각 7:1, 12:1로 나타났다. ITO의 etchrate 및 선택비는 source power, bias, pressure, CH 가스첨가에 의존하였지만 기판온도에는 큰 변화가 없음을 관찰하였다. 또한 적정량의 가스조합으로 식각된 시편의 잔류물을 줄일 수 있었다.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.144-148
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• 2012

In this work, we investigated to the etching characteristics of $TiO_2$ thin film and the selectivity using the inductively coupled plasma system. The etch rate and the selectivity were obtained with various gas mixing ratios. The maximum etch rate of $TiO_2$ thin film was 61.6 nm/min. The selectivity of $TiO_2$ to TiN, and $TiO_2$ to $SiO_2$ were obtained as 2.13 and 1.39, respectively. The etching process conditions are 400 W for RF power, -150 V for DC-bias voltage, 2 Pa for the process pressure, and $40^{\circ}C$ for substrate temperature. The chemical states of the etched surfaces were investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Its analysis showed that the etching mechanism was based on the physical and chemical pathways in the ion-assisted physical reaction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2002.02a
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• pp.167-167
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• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.112-113
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• 2013

Thin CrAlMgSiN films, whose composition were 30.6Cr-11.1Al-7.3Mg-1.2Si-49.8N (at.%), were deposited on steel substrates in a cathodic arc plasma deposition system. They consisted of alternating crystalline Cr-N and AlMgSiN nanolayers. After oxidation at $800^{\circ}C$ for 200 h in air, a thin oxide layer formed by outward diffusion of Cr, Mg, Al, Fe, and N, and inward diffusion of O ions. Silicon ions were relatively immobile at $800^{\circ}C$. After oxidation at $900^{\circ}C$ for 10 h in air, a thin $Cr_2O_3$ layer containing dissolved ions of Al, Mg, Si, and Fe formed. Silicon ions became mobile at $900^{\circ}C$. After oxidation at $900^{\circ}C$ for 50 h in air, a thin $SiO_2-rich$ layer formed underneath the thin $Cr_2O_3$ layer. The film displayed good oxidation resistance. The main factor that decreased the oxidation resistance of the film was the outward diffusion and subsequent oxidation of Fe at the sample surface, particularly along the coated sample edge.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2013

In this paper, we investigated the etching characteristics of the TaN thin films and the surface reaction of TaN thin films after etching process. The etching characteristics of the TaN thin films were carried out using inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The etch rate and the selectivity of TaN to $SiO_2$ and TaN to PR were measured by varying the gas mixing ratio, RF power, DC-bias voltage, and process pressure in CF-based plasma. The surface reaction of TaN thin films were determined by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.946-951
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• 2005

In this wort plasma treatment was evaluated as an alternative clean desizing technology. Size materials such as PVA(polyvinyl alcohol), PACL(polyacrylic acid esters) and their mixture on PET(polyethylene terephthalate) fabrics were treated by $N_2$ and $O_2$ plasma. $O_2$ plasma was more efficient in size removal than $N_2$ plasma, and the removal of PVA was higher than that of PACL. SEM(scanning emission microscopy) pictures of the plasma treated samples directly proved the disappearance of sizing agents. After $O_2$ plasma treatment, the PET fabrics were subjected to conventional desizing process. Compared with untreated fabrics, the desizing effluent from the treated fabrics gave lower TOC, COD and $BOD_5$ values. This indicates plasma treatment not only serves to directly remove sizing agents but also offered several advantages by changing the chemical properties of sizing agents. Lastly, the effect of plasma desizing process on dyeing was examined using color difference and dyeing fastness tests. The CCM(computer color matching) results showed rotor difference between PET fabric desized by $O_2$ plasma treatment for 20 min and reference PET fabric desized by the conventional wet desizing process was around 1. This suggests the treated PET fabric can be directly subjected to dyeing process without any additional process. The plasma treated fabric also gave a good result of dyeing fastness so that grades of laundering, crocking, heat and light fastness were same or even better than the reference PET fabric did.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2004

We studied the magnetotransport properties of tunnel junctions with AlO and AlN barriers fabricated using microwave-excited plasma. The plasma nitridation process provided wider controllability than the plasma oxidization for the formation of MTJs with ultra-thin insulating layer, because of the slow nitriding rate of metal Al layers, comparing with the oxidizing rate of them. High tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) ratios of 49 and 44% with respective resistance-area product $(R{\times}A) of 3 {\times} 10^4 and 6 {\times} 10^3 {\Omega}{\mu}m^2$ were obtained in the Co-Fe/Al-N/Co-Fe MTJs. We conclude that AlN is a hopeful barrier material to realize MTJs with high TMR ratio and low $R{\times}A$ for high performance MRAM cells. In addition, in order to clarify the annealing temperature dependence of TMR, the local transport properties were measured for Ta $50{\AA} /Cu 200 {\AA}/Ta 50 {\AA}/Ni_{76}Fe_{24} 20 {\AA}/Cu 50 {\AA}/Mn_{75}Ir_{25} 100 {\AA}/Co_{71}Fe_{29} 40 {\AA}/Al-O$ junction with $d_{Al}= 8 {\AA} and P_{O2}{\times}t_{0X}/ = 8.4 {\times} 10^4$ at various temperatures. The current histogram statistically calculated from the electrical current image was well in accord with the fitting result considering the Gaussian distribution and Fowler-Nordheim equation. After annealing at $340^{\circ}C$, where the TMR ratio of the corresponding MTJ had the maximum value of 44%, the average barrier height increased to 1.12 eV and its standard deviation decreased to 0.1 eV. The increase of TMR ratio after annealing could be well explained by the enhancement of the average barrier height and the reduction of its fluctuation.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.426-433
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• 1994

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.802-809
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• 2001

Electroplating is an attractive alternative deposition method for copper with the need for a conformal and conductive seed layer In addition, the Cu seed layer should be highly pure so as not to compromise the effective resistivity of the filled copper interconnect structure. This seed layer requires low electrical resistivity, low levels of impurities, smooth interface, good adhesion to the barrier metal and low thickness concurrent with coherence for ensuring void-free fill. The electrical conductivity of the surface plays an important role in formation of initial Cu nuclei, Cu nucleation is much easier on the substrate with higher electrical conductivities. It is also known that the nucleation processes of Cu are very sensitive to surface condition. In this study, copper seed layers deposited by magnetron sputtering onto a tantalum nitride barrier layer were used for electroplating copper in the forward pulsed mode. Prior to electroplating a copper film, the Cu seed layer was cleaned by plasma H$_2$ and $N_2$. In the plasma treatment exposure tome was varied from 1 to 20 min and plasma power from 20 to 140W. Effects of plasma pretreatment to Cu seed/Tantalum nitride (TaN)/borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) samples on electroplating of copper (Cu) films were investigated.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5343-5348
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• 2015

Promoter hypermethylation of the runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene is associated with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Oxidative stress plays a vital role in both carcinogenesis and progression of HCC. However, whether oxidative stress and RUNX3 hypermethylation in HCC have a cause-and-effect relationship is not known. In this study, plasma protein carbonyl and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC (n=60) and age-matched healthy subjects (n=80) was determined. RUNX3 methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of subjects was measured by methylation-specific PCR. Effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on induction of RUNX3 hypermethylation in HCC cells was investigated. Plasma protein carbonyl content was significantly higher, whereas plasma TAC was significantly lower, in HCC patients than healthy controls. Based on logistic regression, increased plasma protein carbonyl and decreased plasma TAC were independently associated with increased risk for HCC. PBMC RUNX3 methylation in the patient group was significantly greater than in the healthy group. RUNX3 methylation in hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-treated HepG2 cells was significantly higher than in untreated control cells. In conclusion, increase in oxidative stress in Thai patients with HBV-associated HCC was demonstrated. This oxidative increment was independently associated with an increased risk for HCC development. RUNX3 in PBMC was found to be hypermethylated in the HCC patients. In vitro, RUNX3 hypermethylation was experimentally induced by $H_2O_2$. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress is a cause of RUNX3 promoter hypermethylation in HCC cells.