• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.96-97
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• 2012

In nitride and oxide film deposition, sputtered metals react with nitrogen or oxygen gas in a vacuum chamber to form metal nitride or oxide films on a substrate. The physical properties of sputtered films (metals, oxides, and nitrides) are strongly influenced by magnetron plasma density during the deposition process. Typical target power densities on the magnetron during the deposition process are ~ (5-30) W/cm2, which gives a relatively low plasma density. The main challenge in reactive sputtering is the ability to generate a stable, arc free discharge at high plasma densities. Arcs occur due to formation of an insulating layer on the target surface caused by the re-deposition effect. One current method of generating an arc free discharge is to use the commercially available Pinnacle Plus+ Pulsed DC plasma generator manufactured by Advanced Energy Inc. This plasma generator uses a positive voltage pulse between negative pulses to attract electrons and discharge the target surface, thus preventing arc formation. However, this method can only generate low density plasma and therefore cannot allow full control of film properties. Also, after long runs ~ (1-3) hours, depends on duty cycle the stability of the reactive process is reduced due to increased probability of arc formation. Between 1995 and 1999, a new way of magnetron sputtering called HIPIMS (highly ionized pulse impulse magnetron sputtering) was developed. The main idea of this approach is to apply short ${\sim}(50-100){\mu}s$ high power pulses with a target power densities during the pulse between ~ (1-3) kW/cm2. These high power pulses generate high-density magnetron plasma that can significantly improve and control film properties. From the beginning, HIPIMS method has been applied to reactive sputtering processes for deposition of conductive and nonconductive films. However, commercially available HIPIMS plasma generators have not been able to create a stable, arc-free discharge in most reactive magnetron sputtering processes. HIPIMS plasma generators have been successfully used in reactive sputtering of nitrides for hard coating applications and for Al2O3 films. But until now there has been no HIPIMS data presented on reactive sputtering in cluster tools for semiconductors and MEMs applications. In this presentation, a new method of generating an arc free discharge for reactive HIPIMS using the new Cyprium plasma generator from Zpulser LLC will be introduced. Data (or evidence) will be presented showing that arc formation in reactive HIPIMS can be controlled without applying a positive voltage pulse between high power pulses. Arc-free reactive HIPIMS processes for sputtering AlN, TiO2, TiN and Si3N4 on the Applied Materials ENDURA 200 mm cluster tool will be presented. A direct comparison of the properties of films sputtered with the Advanced Energy Pinnacle Plus + plasma generator and the Zpulser Cyprium plasma generator will be presented.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

A new advanced combined PVD/CVD technique of DLC film deposition has been developed. Deposition of a DLC film was carried out using a pulsed carbon arc discharge in vapor hydrocarbon atmosphere. The arc plasma enhancing CVD process promotes dramatic increase in the deposition rate and decrease of compressive stress as well as improvement of film thickness uniformity compared to that obtained with a single PVD pulsed arc process. The optical spectroscopy investigation reveals great increase in radiating components of $C_2$ Swan system molecular bands due to acetylene molecules decomposition. AFM, Raman spectroscopy, XPS and nano-indentation were used to characterize DLC films. The method ensures obtaining a new superhard DLC nano-material for deposition of protective coatings onto various industrial products including those used in medicine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.457-457
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• 2012

We presented plasma processing using a DC Arc Plasmatron for diamond deposition on Al2O3 ceramic substrates. Plasma surface treatments were conducted to improve deposition condition before processing for diamond deposition. The Al2O3 ceramic substrates deposited, $5{\times}15mm^2$, were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Properties of diamond (111), (220) and (311) peaks were shown in XRD. We identified nanocrystalline diamond films on substrates. The results showed that deposition rate was approximately $2.2{\mu}m/h$ after plasma surface treatments. Comparing the above result with a common processing, deposition rate was improved. Also, the surface condition was improved more than a common processing for diamond deposition on Al2O3 ceramic substrates.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.341-345
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• 2014

Catalyst nanoparticles are prepared by arc plasma deposition (APD). First, overview of the APD technique is reviewed and second, some applications of the technique for nanocatalyst preparation are reviewed. Nanoparticles prepared by APD are typically 1~5 nm in size and their catalytic activity is generally better than that of conventional wet-chemically prepared nanocatalysts.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2003

MgO films is widely used in plasma display panel (PDP) technology. In this work, structural and optical properties of the MgO films deposited by e-beam evaporation, reactive magnetron sputtering, which are commercially used, and arc deposition were compared. MgO thin films were deposited on glass substrates by vacuum arc deposition equipment using a magnesium metal target at various oxygen gas flows. In order to investigate the packing density by ellipsometer, to measure reasonable erosion-rates of the MgO protective layers, we introduced an acceleration test method, namely, Ar+ ion beam induced erosion test. Also, XPS and UV test were adopted to examine the effect of the moisture on the optical transmittance of the MgO protective layers, which showed that these of MgO films by arc deposition method sustained more 90% and were insensitive to effect of the moisture. XRD and AFM have been also used to study behaviors of the structure and surface morphology.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.12 no.S1
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• pp.46-48
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• 2003

The modification of metal surface by ion implantation with MEVVA ion implanter and thin film deposition with filtered vacuum arc plasma device is introduced in this paper. The combination of ion implantation and thin film deposition is proved as a better method to improve properties of metal surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.261-261
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• 2013

The smart design of nanocatalysts can improve the catalytic activity of transition metals on reducible oxide supports, such as titania, via strong metal-support interactions. In this work, we investigatedtwo-dimensional Pt nanoparticle/titania catalytic systems under the CO oxidation reaction. Arc plasma deposition (APD) and metal impregnation techniques were employed to achieve Pt nanoparticle deposition on titania supports, which were prepared by multitarget sputtering and sol-gel techniques. APD Pt nanoparticles with an average size of 2.7 nm were deposited on sputtered and sol-gel-prepared titania films to assess the role of the titania support on the catalytic activity of Pt under CO oxidation. In order to study the nature of the dispersed metallic phase and its effect on the activity of the catalytic CO oxidation reaction, Pt nanoparticles were deposited in varying surface coverages on sputtered titania films using arc plasma deposition. Our results show an enhanced activity of Pt nanoparticles when the nanoparticle/titania interfaces are exposed. APD Pt shows superior catalytic activity under CO oxidation, as compared to impregnated Pt nanoparticles, due to the catalytically active nature of the mild surface oxidation and the active Pt metal, suggesting that APD can be used for large-scale synthesis of active metal nanocatalysts.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.116-121
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• 2012

Recently, in the field of renewable energy such as solar cells including the semiconductor and display industries, thin film deposition process is being diversified. Furthermore, to deal with trend of making high-quality and fast, the high-capacity and output plasma power supply which can control high density plasma is required. The biggest problem is arc discharge caused by using high voltage power supply. Thus, the key function of plasma power supply is to prevent arc discharge and there is a need to maintain the possible minimum arc energy. In DC sputtering power supply, on a periodic basis (-)voltage powering up is able to significantly reduce arcing, as well as arc discharge prevention, and maintaining uniform charge density. This conventional method for powering up (-)voltage requires heavy mutual inductance of the transformer to avoid distortion problem of the output voltage. This study is about energy recovery circuit for arc discharge prevention in sputtering plasma power supply. By using energy recovery circuit, it is possible to reduce the mutual inductance and size of the transformer dramatically, prevent distortion of the output voltage and has a stable output waveform. This work was proved through simulation and experimental study.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2012

Electricity is generated by the combined reactions of hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction which occur on the Pt/C catalyst surface. There have been lots of researches to make high performance catalysts which can reduce Pt utilization. However, most of catalysts are synthesized by wet-processes and a significant amount of chemicals are emitted during Pt/C synthesis. In this study, Pt/C catalyst was produced by arc plasma deposition process in which Pt nano-particles are directly deposited on carbon black surfaces. During the process, islands of Pt nano-particles were produced and they were very fine and well-distributed on carbon black surface. Compared with a commercialized Pt/C catalyst (Johnson & Matthey), finer particle size, narrower size distribution, and uniform distribution of APD Pt/C resulted in higher electrochemical active surface area even at the less Pt content.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.140.2-140.2
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• 2013

Strong metal-support interaction effect is an important issue in determining the catalytic activity for heterogeneous catalysis. In this work, we report the catalytic activity of $Au/TiO_2$, $Au/Al_2O_3$, and $Au/Al_2O_3-CeO_2$ nanocatalysts under CO oxidation fabricated by arc plasma deposition (APD), which is a facile dry process with no organic materials involved. These catalytic materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and $N_2$-physisorption. Catalytic activity of the materials has measured by CO oxidation using oxygen, as a model reaction, in a micro-flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. Using APD, the catalyst nanoparticles were well dispersed on metal oxide powder with an average particle size (3~10 nm). As for catalytic reactivity, the result shows $Au/Al_2O_3-CeO_2$ nanocatalyst has the highest catalytic activity among three samples in CO oxidation, and $Au/TiO_2$, and $Au/Al_2O_3$ in sequence. We discuss the effects of structure and metal-oxide interactions of the catalysts on catalytic activity.