• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.271-274
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• 2010

We examined the tunneling current behaviors of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) cells utilizing conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) interfaced with an external magnetic field generator. By introducing current through coils, a magnetic field was generated and then controlled by a current feedback circuit. This enabled the characterization of the tunneling current under various magnetic fields. The current-voltage (I-V) property was measured using a contact mode AFM with a metal coated conducting cantilever at a specific magnetic field intensity. The obtained magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of the MTJ cells were about 21% with no variation seen from the different sized MTJ cells; the value of resistance $\times$ area (RA) were 8.5 K-12.5 K $({\Omega}{\mu}m^2)$. Since scanning probe microscopy (SPM) performs an I-V behavior analysis of ultra small size without an extra electrode, we believe that this novel characterization method utilizing an SPM will give a great benefit in characterizing MTJ cells. This novel method gives us the possibility to measure the electrical properties of ultra small MTJ cells, namely below $0.1\;{\mu}m\;{\times}\;0.1\;{\mu}m$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2003

In this paper, a new nano/micro-mechanical processing test machine was developed. This new test machine, which is based on the principle of the scanning force controlled probe microscope, can realize nano/micro-mechanical machining and in-process profile measurement. Experimental results of nano/micro indentation and scratching show that the controllable cutting depth of the test machine can be controlled by PZT actuator. Profile measurement of the machined surface has also been performed by using the test machine and a conventional AFM(Atomic Force Microscopy). A good agreement of the two measurement results have been achieved.

• 정보저장시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.195-196
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• 2005

We report the new design of a miniature electromagnetic actuator for probe-based data storage with anti-vibration mechanism. The actuator consists of a media substrate, silicon frame, 2 pairs of magnets, a spacer, and a printed circuit board (PCB). The total area of the device is $11.2{\times}11.2 mm^2$ while the data recording area is $7.4{\times}7.4 mm^2$. A net momentum fee structure was included for high vibration resistance. The simulation shows that the lateral vibration can be reduced to below 100 nm for 1 G acceleration if the counter mass is adjusted with $1\%$ difference. The peak power for ${\pm}50 {\mu}m$ displacement is below 50 mW for a actuator with a resonance at 200 Hz.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.990-995
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• 2005

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of $5\;\times\;5$ thermal cantilever array for nano-scaled memory device application. The $5\;\times\;5$ thermal cantilever array with integrated tip heater has been fabricated with MEMS technology on SOI wafer using 7 photo masking steps. All single-level cantilevers have a diode in order to eliminate any electrical cross-talk between adjacent tips. Electrical measurements of fabricated thermal cantilever away show its own thermal heating mechanism. Thermal heating is demonstrated by the reflow of coated photoresist on the cantilever array surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.32-32
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• 2009

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor that has materials properties necessary for the high-power, high-frequency, high-temperature, and radiation-hard condition applications, where silicon devices cannot perform. SiC is also the only compound semiconductor material. on which a silicon oxide layer can be thermally grown, and therefore may fabrication processes used in Si-based technology can be adapted to SiC. So far, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been extensively used to study the surface charges, dielectric constants and electrical potential distribution as well as topography in silicon-based device structures, whereas it has rarely been applied to SiC-based structures. In this work, we investigated that the local oxide growth on SiC under various conditions and demonstrated that an increased (up to ~100 nN) tip loading force (LF) on highly-doped SiC can lead a direct oxide growth (up to few tens of nm) on 4H-SiC. In addition, the surface potential and topography distributions of nano-scale patterned structures on SiC were measured at a nanometer-scale resolution using a scanning kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPM) with a non-contact mode AFM. The measured results were calibrated using a Pt-coated tip. It is assumed that the atomically resolved surface potential difference does not originate from the intrinsic work function of the materials but reflects the local electron density on the surface. It was found that the work function of the nano-scale patterned on SiC was higher than that of original SiC surface. The results confirm the concept of the work function and the barrier heights of oxide structures/SiC structures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.132-132
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• 2008

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an attractive material for high-power, high-temperature, and high-frequency applications. So far, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been extensively used to study the surface charges, dielectric constants and electrical potential distribution as well as topography in silicon-based device structures, whereas it has rarely been applied to SiC-based structures. In this work, the surface potential and topography distributions SiC with different doping levels were measured at a nanometer-scale resolution using a scanning kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPM) with a non-contact mode AFM. The measured results were calibrated using a Pt-coated tip and a metal defined electrical contacts of Au onto SiC. It is assumed that the atomically resolved surface potential difference does not originate from the intrinsic work function of the materials but reflects the local electron density on the surface. It was found that the work function of the Au deposited on SiC surface was higher than that of original SiC surface. The dependence of the surface potential on the doping levels in SiC, as well as the variation of surface potential with respect to the schottky barrier height has been investigated. The results confirm the concept of the work function and the barrier heights of metal/SiC structures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.84-91
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• 2005

We measured the pitch of one-dimensional (ID) grating specimens using a metrological atomic force microscope (M-AFM). The ID grating specimens a.e often used as a magnification standard in nano-metrology, such as scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thus, we need to certify the pitch of grating specimens fur the meter-traceability in nano-metrology. To this end, an M-AFM was setup at KRISS. The M-AFM consists of a commercial AFM head module, a two-axis flexure hinge type nanoscanner with built-in capacitive sensors, and a two-axis heterodyne interferometer to establish the meter-traceability directly. Two kinds of ID grating specimens, each with the nominal pitch of 288 nm and 700 nm, were measured. The uncertainty in pitch measurement was evaluated according to Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. The pitch was calculated from 9 line scan profiles obtained at different positions with 100 ㎛ scan range. The expanded uncertainties (k = 2) in pitch measurement were 0.10 nm and 0.30 nm for the specimens with the nominal pitch of 288 nm and 700 nm. The measured pitch values were compared with those obtained using an optical diffractometer, and agreed within the range of the expanded uncertainty of pitch measurement. We also discussed the effect of averaging in the measurement of mean pitch using M-AFM and main components of uncertainty.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.07c
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• pp.1649-1650
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• 2006

반도체 소자의 선폭이 나노미터 스케일로 진입함에 따라 소자의 물리적 특성을 나노미터 스케일에서 정밀하게 측정하고자 하는 요구가 증대되고 있다. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)은 나노미터 이하의 해상도를 가지고 물질 표면의 기하하적, 전기적 특성 등을 측정할 수 있으므로 나노소자 연구에 필수적인 도구가 되었다. 그러나 AFM은 낮은 측정속도와 탐침의 기하학적 형상에 의한 AFM 영상의 왜곡 등과 같은 치명적인 단점도 가지고 있다. AFM의 낮은 측정 속도를 개선하기 위해서 진보된 마이크로머시닝기술을 이용하여 캔틸레버의 크기를 줄이거나 캔틸레버 위에 박막 구동기를 집적시키는 등의 노력이 진행되고 있으나, 이 경우 전통적인 식각 공정을 이용하여 캔틸레버 위에 tip을 형성하는 것이 매우 어렵다. 본 연구에서는 이미 제작된 캔틸레버 위에 전자빔 조사법을 이용하여 탄소상 tip을 직접 성장시킴으로써 전통적인 식각 공정에 비해 매우 간단하고 값싸며, 활용도가 높은 공정을 개발하였다. 탄소상 tip 성장에 필요한 탄소 소스는 dipping 방법을 이용하여 공급하였고, 시분할법을 사용하여 캔틸레버의 원하는 위치에 tip을 성장시킬 수 있었다. 이렇게 제작된 tip은 최대 $5{\mu}m$ 높이까지 가능했으며, 종횡비는 10:1 이상이어서 tip의 형상에 의한 AFM 영상 왜곡 현상을 최소화할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.322-328
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• 2013

The relationship the between electrical properties and surface roughness (Ra) of a wet-etched silicon wafer were studied. Ra was measured by an alpha-step process and atomic force microscopy (AFM) while varying the measuring range $10{\times}10$, $40{\times}40$, and $1000{\times}1000{\mu}m$. The resistivity was measured by assessing the surface resistance using a four-point probe method. The relationship between the resistivity and Ra was explained in terms of the surface roughness. The minimum error value between the experimental and theoretical resistivities was 4.23% when the Ra was in a range of $10{\times}10{\mu}m$ according to AFM measurement. The maximum error value was 14.09% when the Ra was in a range of $40{\times}40{\mu}m$ according to AFM measurement. Thus, the resistivity could be estimated when the Ra was in a narrow range.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.203-211
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• 2012

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used as a tool, not only for imaging surfaces, but also for measuring surface forces and mechanical properties at the nano-scale. Force calibration is crucial for quantitatively measuring the forces that act between the AFM probe of a force sensing cantilever and a sample. In this work, the lateral force calibrations of a V-shaped cantilever were performed using the finite element method, multiple pivot loading, and thermal noise methods. As a result, it was shown that the multiple pivot loading method was appropriate for the lateral force calibration of a V-shaped cantilever. Further, through crosschecking of the abovementioned methods, it was concluded that the thermal noise method could be used for determining the lateral spring constants as long as the lateral deflection sensitivity was accurately determined. To obtain the lateral deflection sensitivity from the sticking portion of the friction loop, the contact stiffness should be taken into account.