• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.461-465
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• 2021

A diffusion heat treatment process for YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y bulk superconductor in a Gd₂O₃ powder was attempted. As a result of measuring the critical temperature of the superconducting bulk, there was no change in the superconducting transition temperature as the Gd particles diffused into the YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y lattice, resulting in dense microstructure. As a result of measuring the critical current, the critical current density (J_c) of the superconducting bulk having treated by the Gd thermal diffusion treatment at 0 T increased to 3×10⁴ A/cm² at 0 T, which was higher than that of the superconducting bulk without thermal diffusion treatment. The surface magnetic force of the superconducting bulk with Gd thermal diffusion treatment was observed at the center of the superconducting bulk with the maximum trapped magnetic force (Hmax) of 1.51 kG. This result means that the Gd thermal diffusion treatment contributes to improving the critical current density Jc of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y, and it is believed that Gd particles migrating into the superconducting bulk through thermal diffusion either fill the surface pores of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y superconductors or act as a flux pinning center.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.239-242
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• 2000

To fabricate YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{x}$ thick film using diffusion process, $Y_2$BaCuO$_{5}$ and BaO+CuO as the material of substrate and the doping material were selected. CeO$_2$ in the doping material was mixed. As another doping material, YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{x}$ was prepared for the comparison with BaO+CuO doping material. Each doping material was patterned on $Y_2$BaCuO$_{5}$ substrate by the screen printing method and then was annealed above peritectic reaction temperature of YBCO with a few step. It could be observed by X-ray diffraction patterns and SEM photographs that through the diffusion process of the $Y_2$BaCuO$_{5}$ and BaO+CuO, the YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{x}$ phase was formed. With an amout of addition of CeO$_2$, the thickness of a formed YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{x}$ decreased. x/ decreased.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

The major concern in the deep geological disposal of spent nuclear fuels include sulfide-induced corrosion and stress corrosion cracking of copper canisters. Sulfur diffusion into copper canisters may induce copper embrittlement by causing Cu₂S particle formation along grain boundaries; these sulfide particles can act as crack initiation sites and eventually cause embrittlement. To prevent the formation of Cu₂S along grain boundaries and sulfur-induced copper embrittlement, copper alloys are designed in this study. Alloying elements that can act as chemical anchors to suppress sulfur diffusion and the formation of Cu₂S along grain boundaries are investigated based on the understanding of the microscopic mechanism of sulfur diffusion and Cu₂S precipitation along grain boundaries. Copper alloy ingots are experimentally manufactured to validate the alloying elements. Microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy demonstrates that Cu₂S particles are not formed at grain boundaries but randomly distributed within grains in all the vacuum arc-melted Cu alloys (Cu-Si, Cu-Ag, and Cu-Zr). Further studies will be conducted to evaluate the mechanical and corrosion properties of the developed Cu alloys.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.682-688
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• 2016

In $TiO_2$-CuO systems, low-temperature sinterability was investigated by a conventional sintering method. Sintering temperatures were set at under $950^{\circ}C$, at which the volume diffusion is inactive. The temperatures are less than the melting point of Ag ($961^{\circ}C$), which is often used as an internal conductor in low-temperature co-fired ceramic technology. To optimize the amount of CuO dopant, various dopant contents were added. The optimum level for enhanced densification was 2 wt% CuO. Excess dopants were segregated to the grain boundaries. The segregated dopants supplied a high diffusion path, by which grain boundary diffusion improved. At lower temperatures in the solid state region, grain boundary diffusion was the principal mass transport mechanism for densification. The enhanced grain boundary diffusion, therefore, improved densification. In this regard, the results of this study prove that the sintering mechanism was the same as that of activated sintering.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.41.2-41.2
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• 2011

Recently, scaling down of ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) circuit of CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) based electronic devices become much faster speed and smaller size than ever before. However, very narrow interconnect line width causes some drawbacks. For example, deposition of conformal and thin barrier is not easy moreover metallization process needs deposition of diffusion barrier and glue layer. Therefore, there is not enough space for copper filling process. In order to overcome these negative effects, simple process of copper metallization is required. In this research, Cu-V thin alloy film was formed by using RF magnetron sputter deposition system. Cu-V alloy film was deposited on the plane $SiO_2$/Si bi-layer substrate with smooth and uniform surface. Cu-V film thickness was about 50 nm. Cu-V layer was deposited at RT, 100, 150, 200, and $250^{\circ}C$. XRD, AFM, Hall measurement system, and XPS were used to analyze Cu-V thin film. For the barrier formation, Cu-V film was annealed at 200, 300, 400, 500, and $600^{\circ}C$ (1 hour). As a result, V-based thin interlayer between Cu-V film and $SiO_2$ dielectric layer was formed by itself with annealing. Thin interlayer was confirmed by TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) analysis. Barrier thermal stability was tested with I-V (for measuring leakage current) and XRD analysis after 300, 400, 500, 600, and $700^{\circ}C$ (12 hour) annealing. With this research, over $500^{\circ}C$ annealed barrier has large leakage current. However V-based diffusion barrier annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ has good thermal stability. Thus, thermal stability of vanadium-based thin interlayer as diffusion barrier is good for copper interconnection.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 1997.05a
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• pp.19-19
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• 1997

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.433-439
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• 1999

In this study, the diffusion barrier properties of $1000\AA$ thick molybdenum compounds (Mox=1-5 Si) were investigated using sheet resistance measurements, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and Rutherford back scattering spectrometry (RBS). Each barrier material was deposited by the de and rf magnetron co-sputtering of Mo and Si, respectively, and annealed at $500-700^{\circ}C$ for 30 min in vacuum. Each barrier material was failed at low temperatures due to Cu diffusion through grain boundaries and defects of barrier thin films or through the reaction of Cu with Si within Mo-barrier thin films. It was found that Mo rich thin films were less effective than Si rich films to Cu penetration activating Cu reaction with the substrate at a temperature higher than $500^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.160-165
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• 2000

We have investigated the electrical and diffusion barrier properties of MgO produced on the surface of Cu (Mg) alloy. Also the diffusion barrier property of the interfacial MgO between Cu alloy and $SiO_2$ has been examined. The results show that the $150\;{\AA}$-MgO layer on the surface remains stable up to $700^{\circ}C$, preventing the interdiffusion of C Cu and Si in Si/MgO/Cu(Mg) structure. It also has the breakdown voltage of 4.5V and leakage current density of $10^{-7}A/\textrm{cm}^2/$. In addition, the combined structure of $Si_3N4(100{\AA})/MgO(100{\AA})$ increases the breakdown voltage up to lOV and reduces the leakage current density to $8{\tiems}10^{-7}A/\textrm{cm}^2$. Furthermore, the interfacial MgO formed by the chemical reac­t tion of Mg and $SiO_2$ reduces the diffusion of copper into $SiO_2$ substrate. Consequently, Cu(Mg) alloy can be applied as a g gate electrode in TFT /LCDs, reducing the process steps.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.229-229
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• 2010

With the scaling down of ultra large integrated circuits (ULSI) to the sub-50 nm technology node, the need for an ultra-thin, continuous and conformal diffusion barrier and Cu seed layer is increasing. However, diffusion barrier and Cu seed layer formation with a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method has become difficult as the technology node is reduced to 30 nm and beyond. Recent work on self-forming barrier processes using PVD Cu alloys have attracted great attention due to the capability of conformal ultra-thin barrier formation using a simple technique. However, as in the case of the conventional barrier and Cu seed layer, PVD of the Cu alloy seed layer will eventually encounter the difficulty in conformal deposition in narrow line trenches and via holes. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been known for its good step coverage and precise thickness control, and is a candidate technique for the formation of a thin conformal barrier layer and Cu seed layer. Conformal Cu-Mn seed layers were deposited by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) at low temperature ($120^{\circ}C$), and the Mn content in the Cu-Mn alloys were controlled form 0 to approximately 10 atomic percent with various Mn precursor feeding times. Resistivity of the Cu-Mn alloy films decreased by annealing due to out-diffusion of Mn atoms. Out-diffused Mn atoms were segregated to the surface of the film and interface between a Cu-Mn alloy and $SiO_2$, resulting in self-formed $MnO_x$ and $MnSi_xO_y$, respectively. No inter-diffusion was observed between Cu and $SiO_2$ after annealing at $500^{\circ}C$ for 12 h, indicating an excellent diffusion barrier property of the $MnSi_xO_y$. The adhesion between Cu and $SiO_2$ was enhanced by the formation of $MnSi_xO_y$. Continuous and conductive Cu-Mn seed layers were deposited with PEALD into 32 nm $SiO_2$ trench, enabling a low temperature process, and the trench was perfectly filled using electrochemical plating (ECD) under conventional conditions. Thus, it is the resultant self-forming barrier process with PEALD Cu-Mn alloy film as a seed layer for plating Cu that has further potential to meet the requirement of the smaller than 30 nm node.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.21-24
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• 1998

The properties of ZrN layer deposited by Sputtering system have been investigated in the application of diffusion barrier layer to copper. ZrN layer exhibited a excellent barrier property up to $700^{\circ}$ and higher resistivity. If an excess $O_2$is protected during the process of ZrN deposition, ZrN layer will be possible to use a diffusion barrier layer to copper.