• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.242-248
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• 2008

The structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO films doped with 1.5 at% of 3A materials(B, Al, Ga, In) were studied by sol-gel process. The films were found to be c-axis (002) oriented hexagonal structure on glass substrate, when post heated at 500 $^{\circ}C$. The surface of the films showed a uniform and nano size microstructure and the crystalline size of doped films decreased. The lattice constants of ZnO:B/Al/Ga increased than that of ZnO, while ZnO:In decreased. All the films were highly transparent(above 90 %) in the visible region. The energy gaps of ZnO:B/Al/Ga were increased a little, but that of ZnO:In was not changed. The resistivities of ZnO:Al/Ga/In were less than 0.1 $\Omega$cm. All the films showed a semiconductor properties in the light or temperature, however ZnO:In was less sensitive to it. A figure of merit of ZnO:In had the highest value of 0.025 $\Omega^{-1}$ in all samples.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.287-292
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• 2010

We have investigated the effects of oxygen flow ratios on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of AlN thin films grown by using radio-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering. The AlN thin films were deposited at $300^{\circ}C$ of substrate temperature, and the reactive gas were supplied with both nitrogen and oxygen. The oxygen flow ratio was varied by controlling the amount of oxygen with respect to the total mixed gases, 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the deposited AlN thin films were examined by using X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. The AlN thin film grown at 10% of oxygen flow ratio indicated an average transmittance of 91.3% in the wavelength range of 350~1,100 nm and an optical band gap of 4.30 eV. The experimental results suggest that AlN thin films can be deposited optionally by varying the oxygen flow ratio.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.329-334
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• 2003

Microstructure and mechanical properties of $(Ti_{1-x}Alx)N$ films, Produced by the the Ion Beam Sputtering(IBS) method, were studied by changing the Ti, Al contents. The compositions of films determined by RBS were $(Ti_{0.75}Al_{0.25})N$, $(Ti_{0.61}Al_{0.39})N$ and $(Ti_{0.5}Al_{0.5})N$, and XPS binding energies of Ti2P, A12p and N1s shifted to higher energies than those of pure Ti, Al and N, which indicated that nitrides were formed. XRD results indicated that the NaCl structure for $$x{\leq_-}0.39$$ changed into amorphous structure at x=0.5. For films with $$x{\leq_-}0.39$$, the lattice parameter decreased in proportion to the Al content. Nanoindentation hardness value were above HV=3300 at Al content up to x=0.39. However, the hardness of films with x=0.5 abruptly decreased to HV=1800, and this lower hardness values were attributed to different crystal structure. Critical load(Lc) in scratch test showed 23N at x=0.25, 22N at x=0.39 and 22N at x=0.5, which indicated that films with different Al contents showed similar adhesion behavior.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.567-577
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• 2019

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has versatile and intriguing properties, such as wide direct bandgap, high thermal conductivity, good thermal and chemical stability, and various functionalities. Due to these properties, AlN thin films have been applied in various fields. However, AlN thin films are usually deposited by high temperature processes like chemical vapor deposition. To further enlarge the application of AlN films, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been studied as a method of AlN thin film deposition at low temperature. In this mini review paper, we summarize the results of recent studies on AlN film grown by thermal and plasma enhanced ALD in terms of processing temperature, precursor type, reactant gas, and plasma source. Thermal ALD can grow AlN thin films at a wafer temperature of $150{\sim}550^{\circ}C$ with alkyl/amine or chloride precursors. Due to the low reactivity with $NH_3$ reactant gas, relatively high growth temperature and narrow window are reported. On the other hand, PEALD has an advantage of low temperature process, while crystallinity and defect level in the film are dependent on the plasma source. Lastly, we also introduce examples of application of ALD-grown AlN films in electronics.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-283
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• 2009

In this paper, aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) thin films on plastic substrate such as poly carbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering method for flexible solar cell applications. Effects of the sputter pressure on the structural, electrical and optical properties were investigated. The crystallinity and the degree of the (002) orientation were deteriorated with increasing the sputter pressure. When the sputter pressure was higher, the conductivity of ZnO:Al films was improved because of the high carrier concentration and the Hall mobility. High quality ZnO:Al films with resistivity as low as $1.9{\times}10^{-3}{\Omega}-cm$ and the optical transmittance over 80 % in the visible region have been obtained on PC substrate at 2 mTorr.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1987.11a
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• pp.511-514
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• 1987

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of TCNQ(tetracyanoquinodimethane) with alkyl radical($C_{12}TCNQ$) were prepared on the sample of Al/LB film/Al type where Al are electrode, and polarization in LB film and dipolar moment of molecules in the films were measured by TSC. $Al_2O_3$ layer was yielded on the electrode by natural oxidation in air. According to the cooperation of $Al_2O_3$ dielectric layer and the polarization of $C_{12}TCNQ$-LB film, the macroscopic electrical field was yielded in LB film and $Al_2O_3$ layer. The field strength in $C_{12}TCNQ$-LB films was evaluated at about $1{\times}10^6{\sim}5{\times}10^6\;V/cm$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.332-332
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• 2010

We have successfully demonstrated the inkjet printing method to create $Al_2O_3$ films withouWe have successfully demonstrated the inkjet printing method to create $Al_2O_3$ films without a high temperature sintering process. In order to remove the coffee ring effect in the ink drop, we have introduced a co-solvent system in order to create Marangoni flow in the ink drop, which leads to the dense packing of ceramic powders on the substrate during inkjet process. The packing density of the Inkjet-printed $Al_2O_3$ films is around 60% (max. 70%) which is very high compared to the value obtained from the same material films by other conventional methods such as film casting, dip coating process, etc. The voids inside the films (which are around 40% of the entire film volume) are filled with the polymer resin (Cyanate ester) by the infiltration process. This resin infiltration is also implemented by the inkjet printing process right after the Ah03 film ink-jetting process. The microstructures of the printed $Al_2O_3$ films are investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to understand the degree of packing density in the printed films. The inkjet-printed $Al_2O_3$ films have been characterized to investigate its thickness and roughness. Quality factor of the printed $Al_2O_3$ film is also measured to be over 300 at 1MHz.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.218-224
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• 2006

RF sputtering process was applied to produce thin hydroxyapatite(HAp) films on Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates. The effects of different heat treatment conditions on the hardness between HAp thin films and Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates were studied. Before deposition, the Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates were heat treated for 1h at $850^{\circ}C\;under\;3.0{\times}10^{-3}torr$, and after deposition, the HAp thin films were heat treated for 1h at $400^{\circ}C,\;600^{\circ}C\;and\;800^{\circ}C$ under the atmosphere, and analyzed FESEM-EDX, FTIR, XRD, nano-indentor, micro-vickers hardness, respectively. Experimental results represented that the surface defects of thin films decreased by relaxation of internal stress and control of substrate structure followed by heat treatment of substrates before the deposition, and the HAp thin films on the heat-treated substrates had higher hardness than none heattreated substrates before the deposition, and the hardness properties of HAp thin films and Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrates appeared independent behavior, and the hardness of HAp thin films decreased by formation of $VTiO_3(OH),\;{\theta}-Al_{0.32}V_2O_5,\;Al_{0.33}V_2O_5$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.132-132
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• 2011

The sheet resistance (Rs) of undoped GaN films on AlN/c-plane sapphire substrate was investigated in which the AlN films were grown by R. F. magetron sputtering method. The Rs was strongly dependent on the AlN layer thickness and semi-insulating behavior was observed. To clarify the effect of crystalline property on Rs, the crystal structure of the GaN films has been studied using x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. A compressive strain was introduced by the presence of AlN nucleation layer (NL) and was gradually relaxed as increasing AlN NL thickness. This relaxation produced more threading dislocations (TD) of edge-type. Moreover, the surface morphology of the GaN film was changed at thicker AlN layer condition, which was originated by the crossover from planar to island grains of AlN. Thus, rough surface might produce more dislocations. The edge and mixed dislocations propagating from the interface between the GaN film and the AlN buffer layer affected the electric resistance of GaN film.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.697-703
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• 2021

Aluminum nitride having a dense hexagonal structure is used as a high-temperature material because of its excellent heat resistance and high mechanical strength; its excellent piezoelectric properties are also attracting attention. The structure and residual stress of AlN thin films formed on glass substrate using TFT sputtering system are examined by XRD. The deposition conditions are nitrogen gas pressures of 1 × 10^-2, 6 × 10^-3, and 3 × 10^-3, substrate temperature of 523 K, and sputtering time of 120 min. The structure of the AlN thin film is columnar, having a c-axis, i.e., a <00·1> orientation, which is the normal direction of the glass substrate. An X-ray stress measurement method for crystalline thin films with orientation properties such as columnar structure is proposed and applied to the residual stress measurement of AlN thin films with orientation <00·1>. Strength of diffraction lines other than 00·2 diffraction is very weak. As a result of stress measurement using AlN powder sample as a comparative standard sample, tensile residual stress is obtained when the nitrogen gas pressure is low, but the gas pressure increases as the residual stress is shifts toward compression. At low gas pressure, the unit cell expands due to the incorporation of excess nitrogen atoms.