• 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 electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2001

A fast-sweep broadband FM reflectometer system has been successfully developed and operacted at the DIII-D tokamak, producing reliable density Profiles with excellent spatial (1 $\leq$ cm) and temporal resolution (~100 $\mu$ s). The system uses a solid-state microwave oscillator and an active quadrupler, covering full Q-band frequencies (33~50 GHz) and providing relatively high output power (20~60 mW). The system hardware allows fu11band frequency sweep in 10 $\mu$ s, but due to digitization rate limit on DIII-D, sweep time was limited to 75~100 $\mu$ s. Fast frequency sweep has helped to reduce density fluctuation effects on the reflectometer phase measurements, thus improving reliability for individual sweeps. The fast-sweep system with high spatial and temporal resolution has allowed to measure fast-changing edge density profiles during plasma ELMS and L-H transitions, thus enabling fast-time sca1e physics studies.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.161-166
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• 2005

The plasma ion density in AC-PDP has shown to be increased from $5.6{\times}10^{11}cm^{-3}$ to $9.0{\times}10^{11)cm^{-3}$ as the Xe mixture ratio to neon increase from 1 % to 10 %, respectively, at fixed pressure of 400 Torr, by using the micro-Langmuir probe. It is noted that the plasma ion density is density increases as the gas pressure increases in this experiment. The electron temperature decreases from 2.3 to 1.2 eV as the Xe mole fraction increases from 1 % to 10 % at fixed pressure of 400 Torr, which is measured by the micro Langmuir probe and high-speed ICCD camera in this experiment. It is noted that the electron temperature decreases as the gas pressure increases from 150 to 400 Torr in this experiment. It is also observed that the exited Xe atom density and the plasma ion density are in strong correlation sharp between each other in this experiment. It is noted that $5.2{\times}10^{12}cm^{-3}$ in the $1s_5$ metastable state and $1.2{\times}10^{12}cm^{-3}$ in the $1s_4$ resonance state for the PDP cell with gap of 50 um distances under the fixed gas pressure of 400 Torr and Xe content ratio of 10 %.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.589-592
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• 1998

The performance of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is enhanced by axial magnetic field driven by alternating current Helmholtz coils in this work. Langmuir pobe is used to characterize the plasma, and the etching performance is demonstrated with phororesist stripping process. It is shown that its density and uniformity depends on the frequency of driving current to the magnetic field.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.366-370
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• 2015

New ion beam etcher (IBE) using a magnetized inductively coupled plasma (M-ICP) has been developed. The magnetic flux density distributions inside the upper chamber, where the plasma is generated by inductive coupling, were successfully optimized by arranging a pair of circular coils very carefully. More importantly, the proposed M-ICP IBE exhibits higher etch rate than ICP.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.142-149
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• 2016

This study was designed to investigate the antihyperlipidemic activity of Fermented Rhus Verniciflua Stokes Extract(FRVSE) on diet-induced hyperlipidemia in rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups of the normal group(fed with normal diet), control group(fed with high fat diet), sample A group(fed with high fat diet and medicated FRVSE 192 ㎎/㎏/day), sample B group(fed with high fat diet and medicated FRVSE 384 ㎎/㎏/day), and received oral administration of each prescription with diet for a period of six weeks. The changes in the body weight, the liver weight, the epididymal fat weight, and the plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride(TG), high density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol and low density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol were measured. In sample A group, the weight of liver and plasma level of TG decreased significantly. There was a significant decrease in the plasma level of total cholesterol, TG and LDL cholesterol in the sample B group. These results suggest that the FRVSE have a good antihyperlipidemic activity and a potential to treat hyperlipidemia.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.119.1-119.1
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• 2014

Toxic waste disposal: Many people think that when toxic waste is dumped into the ocean or into the air, it disappears. This belief is incorrect. Rather than disappearing, it accumulates over time and slowly destroys the environment. Ultimately, it leads to the destruction of human race. Plasma is environmentally friendly: Plasma is environmentally friendly because it is created and disappears. When plasma is formed on the earth, you need certain conditions such as accelerating electrons by an electrical discharge or a particle accelerator. When this is gone, plasma completely disappears, leaving no impact on the environment. Plasmas produce radicals: Even if plasma density is low at atmospheric pressure, many radicals (excited states of molecules) are created. These radicals are chemically very aggressive. So instead of using harmful chemicals, plasma can be utilized for less of an impact on the environment. Plasma can reach very high temperatures: Plasma is also useful because when you control the density, you can easily reach high temperatures up to $5000{\sim}6000^{\circ}C$ at atmosphere pressure. Because of this heat and the chemical aggressiveness of the plasma, there are many green applications for plasma technology. Pulsed power technology: Pulsed electric field for extraction, drying and killing bacteria. Treatment of biological tissue by pulsed electric fields: Extraction of substances from cells: Sterilisation, Medical applications, Growth stimulation, Food preparation. Each application has its specialities, especially with respect to pulse shape and electric field strength.

• 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.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.1-4
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• 2002

As the application of semiconductor chips into electronics increases, it requires more complete integration, which results in higher performance. And it needs minimization in device design for cost saving of manufacture. Therefore oxide gap fill has become one of the major issues in sub-micron devices. Currently HDP (High-Density Plasma) CVD system is widely used in IMD (Inter Metal Dielectric) to fill narrower space between metal lines. However, HDP-CVD system has some potential problems such as plasma charging damage, metal damage and etc. Therefore, we will introduce about one of via resistance failure by metal damage and a preventive method in this paper.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.05b
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• pp.41-45
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• 2005

In this paper, parameters of electron temperature and density for the mercury-free lighting-source were measured to diagnosis and analyze in Xe based inductively coupled plasma(ICP). In results at several dependences of 20~100 mTorr Xenon pressure, 50~200W RF power and horizontal distribution were especially mentioned. When Xe pressure was 20mTorr and RF power was 200W, the electron temperature and density were respectively 3.58eV and $3.56{\times}10^{12}cm^{-3}$. The key parameters of Xe based ICP depended on Xe pressure more than RF power that could be verified. A high electron temperature and low electron density with a suitable Xe pressure are indispensible parameters for Xe based ICP lighting-source.