• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.390-390
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• 2012

Information technology industries has grown rapidly and demanded alternative memories for the next generation. The most popular random access memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), has many advantages as a memory, but it could not meet the demands from the current of developed industries. One of highlighted alternative memories is magnetic random-access memory (MRAM). It has many advantages like low power consumption, huge storage, high operating speed, and non-volatile properties. MRAM consists of magnetic-tunnel-junction (MTJ) stack which is a key part of it and has various magnetic thin films like CoFeB, FePt, IrMn, and so on. Each magnetic thin film is difficult to be etched without any damages and react with chemical species in plasma. For improving the etching process, a high density plasma etching process was employed. Moreover, the previous etching gases were highly corrosive and dangerous. Therefore, the safety etching gases are needed to be developed. In this research, the etch characteristics of CoFeB magnetic thin films were studied by using an inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mixes. TiN thin films were used as a hardmask on CoFeB thin films. The concentrations of $O_2$ in $CH_4/O_2/Ar$ gas mix were varied, and then, the rf coil power, gas pressure, and dc-bias voltage. The etch rates and the selectivity were obtained by a surface profiler and the etch profiles were observed by a field emission scanning electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to reveal the etch mechanism.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.372-379
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• 2007

The microstructure, mechanical and electrochemical properties of plasma electrolytic coatings (PEO) coatings on Mg-4.3 wt%Zn-1.0 wt%Y and Mg-1.0 wt%Zn-2.0 wt%Y alloys prepared by gas atomization, followed by compaction at 320 for 10 min under the pressure of 700 MPa and sintering at 380 and 420 respectively for 24 h, were investigated, which was compared with the cast Mg-1.0 wt%Zn alloy. All coatings consisting of MgO and $Mg_2SiO_4$ oxides showed porous and coarse surface features with some volcano top-like pores distributed disorderly and cracks between pores. In particular, the surface of coatings on Mg-1.0 wt%Zn-2.0 wt%Y alloy showed smaller area of pores and cracks compared to the Mg-4.3 wt%Zn-1.0 wt%Y and Mg-1.0 wt%Zn alloys. The cross section micro-hardness of coatings on the gas atomized Mg-Zn-Y alloys was higher than that on the cast Mg-1.0 wt%Zn alloy. Additionally, the coated Mg-1.0 wt%Zn-2.0 wt%Y alloy exhibited the best corrosion resistance in 3.5%NaCl solution. It could be concluded that the addition of Y has a beneficial effect on the formation of protective and hard coatings on Mg alloys by plasma electrolytic oxidation treatment.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.701-706
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• 2008

Nano-sized nickel powders were prepared by evaporating the bulk nickel metarial using transferred arc thermal plasma. Nitrogen gases are easily dissociated to atomic nitrogen in thermal plasma and they are quickly dissolved in molten nickel. Super-saturated atomic nitrogen in molten nickel is recombined to nitrogen gas because of the relatively low temperature of nickel surface. Generally, the recombine reaction of atomic nitrogen is exothermic, so bulk nickel is quickly evaporated to nickel vapor due to the thermal energy of recombine reaction. The particle size of nickel powder was controlled by $N_2$ used as the diluting gas. It was observed that as the diluting gas flow rate was increase, the particle size was decreased and the particle size distribution was narrowed. The average particle size at 250 l/min of the diluting gas was 202 nm analyzed by means of the particle size analyzer (PSA).

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.213-219
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• 1997

The plasma polymerized styrene films were prepared by using an inter-electrode capacitively coupled gas-flow-type reactor, and the effects of plasma polymerization condition on the molecular weight distribution were investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography(PyGC), Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC) and Gel Permeation Chromatography(GPC). From the above results, the very cross-linked films different from chemical characteristics of the starting monomer were taken out, and it is realized that the molecular structure, cross linking density, and molecular weight distribution could be controlled by changing the parameters such as deposition pressure, deposition power and gas flow rate. Accordingly, it is suggested that plasma polymerization method performed by inter-electrode capacitively coupled gas-flow-type reactor has good characteristics for manufacturing the functional organic thin films which can be applied in sensors, opto-electric device, photo-resist by changing the polymerization parameters.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.628-631
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• 2004

A tetrafluoromethane$(CF_4)$ is most useful gas in plasma dry etching, because it has a electron attachment cross-section. therefor it is important to calculate transport coefficients like electron drift velocity, ionization coefficient, attachment coefficient, effective ionization coefficient. and critical E/N. The aim of this study is to get these transport coefficients for information of the insulation strength and efficiency of etching process. Electron transport coefficients in $CF_4+Ar$ gas mixture are simulated in range of E/N values from 1 to 250 [Td] at 300[K} and 1 [Torr] by using Boltzmann equation method. The results of this method can be important data to present characteristic of gas for plasma etching and insulation, specially critical E/N is a data to evaluate insulation strength of a gas. and is presented in this paper for various mixture ratios of $CF_4+Ar$ gas mixture.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.634-639
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• 2001

We investigated the etching characteristics of chromium films by using Cl$_2$/O$_2$ gas mixtures with electron cyclotron resonance plasma. In order to examine the chemical etch characteristics of Cr films by using Cl$_2$/O$_2$ gas plasma, we obtained the etch rate with various gas mixing ratios. By X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the surface reaction on the chromium films during the etch was examined. From narrow scan analyses of Cr, Cl, and O, it was confirmed that a chromium oxychlorie (CrCl$_{x}$O$_{y}$) layer was formed on the surface by the etch using Cl$_2$/O$_2$ gas mixtures. We observed a new characteristic emission line during the etch of chromium films using Cl$_2$/O$_2$ gas mixtures by an optical emission spectroscopy. It was found that the peak intensity of this emission line had a tendency compatible with the etch rate. The origin of this emission line was discussed in detail. At the same time, the etched profile was also examined by scanning electron microscope.e.e.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1998.02a
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• pp.77-77
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• 1998

Present silicon dioxide (SiOz) 떠m as intennetal dielectridIMD) layers will result in high parasitic c capacitance and crosstalk interference in 비gh density devices. Low dielectric materials such as f f1uorina뼈 silicon oxide(SiOF) and f1uoropolymer IMD layers have been tried to s이ve this problem. I In the SiOF ftlm, as fluorine concentration increases the dielectric constant of t뼈 film decreases but i it becomes unstable and wa않r absorptivity increases. The dielectric constant above 3.0 is obtain어 i in these ftlms. Fluoropolymers such as polyte$\sigma$따luoroethylene(PTFE) are known as low dielectric c constant (>2.0) materials. However, their $\alpha$)Or thermal stability and low adhesive fa$\pi$e have h hindered 야1리ru뚱 as IMD ma따"ials. 1 The concept of a plasma processing a찌Jaratus with 비gh density plasma at low pressure has r received much attention for deposition because films made in these plasma reactors have many a advantages such as go여 film quality and gap filling profile. High ion flux with low ion energy in m the high density plasma make the low contamination and go어 $\sigma$'Oss피lked ftlm. Especially the h helicon plasma reactor have attractive features for ftlm deposition 야~au똥 of i앙 high density plasma p production compared with other conventional type plasma soun:es. I In this pa야Jr, we present the results on the low dielectric constant fluorocarbonated-SiOF film d밑JOsited on p-Si(loo) 5 inch silicon substrates with 00% of 0dFTES gas mixture and 20% of Ar g gas in a helicon plasma reactor. High density 띠asma is generated in the conventional helicon p plasma soun:e with Nagoya type ill antenna, 5-15 MHz and 1 kW RF power, 700 Gauss of m magnetic field, and 1.5 mTorr of pressure. The electron density and temperature of the 0dFTES d discharge are measUI벼 by Langmuir probe. The relative density of radicals are measured by optic허 e emission spe따'Oscopy(OES). Chemical bonding structure 3I피 atomic concentration 따'C characterized u using fourier transform infrared(FTIR) s야3띠"Oscopy and X -ray photonelectron spl:’따'Oscopy (XPS). D Dielectric constant is measured using a metal insulator semiconductor (MIS;AVO.4 $\mu$ m thick f fIlmlp-SD s$\sigma$ucture. A chemical stoichiome$\sigma$y of 야Ie fluorocarbina$textsc{k}$영-SiOF film 따~si야영 at room temperature, which t the flow rate of Oz and FTES gas is Isccm and 6sccm, res야~tvely, is form려 야Ie SiouFo.36Co.14. A d dielec$\sigma$ic constant of this fIlm is 2.8, but the s$\alpha$'!Cimen at annealed 5OOt: is obtain려 3.24, and the s stepcoverage in the 0.4 $\mu$ m and 0.5 $\mu$ m pattern 킹'C above 92% and 91% without void, res야~tively. res야~tively.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.07b
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• pp.1203-1206
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• 2005

Electron temperature and plasma density in coplanar alternating-current plasma display panels (AC-PDP's) have been experimentally investigated in accordance with discharge time by a micro-probe in this experiment. The resolution of a step mortor to move in micro-Langmuir probe is 10um.[1-3] The used gas in this experiment is He-Ne-Xe (4%) mixure gas. And sustain voltage is 320V which is above of firing voltage for degradation. The electron temperature and plasma density can be obtained from current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of micro Langmuir probe, in which negative to positive bias voltage was applied to the probe. And Efficiency is calculated by formula related discharge power and light emission. Those experiments operated as various discharge time ($0{\sim}72$ Hours). As a result of this experiment, Electron Temperature was increased from 2eV to 5eV after discharge running time of 20 hours and saturates beyond 20 hours. The plasma density is inversely proportional to the square root of electron temperature. So the plasma density was decreased from $1.8{\times}10^{12}cm^{-3}$ to $8{\times}10^{11}cm^{-3}$ at above discharge running time. And the Efficiency was reduced to 70% at 60hours of discharge running time.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.169-169
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• 2008

To keep pace with scaling trends of CMOS technologies, high-k metal oxides are to be introduced. Due to their high permittivity, high-k materials can achieve the required capacitance with stacks of higher physical thickness to reduce the leakage current through the scaled gate oxide, which make it become much more promising materials to instead of $SiO_2$. As further studying on high-k, an understanding of the relation between the etch characteristics of high-k dielectric materials and plasma properties is required for the low damaged removal process to match standard processing procedure. There are some reports on the dry etching of different high-k materials in ICP and ECR plasma with various plasma parameters, such as different gas combinations ($Cl_2$, $Cl_2/BCl_3$, $Cl_2$/Ar, $SF_6$/Ar, and $CH_4/H_2$/Ar etc). Understanding of the complex behavior of particles at surfaces requires detailed knowledge of both macroscopic and microscopic processes that take place; also certain processes depend critically on temperature and gas pressure. The choice of $BCl_3$ as the chemically active gas results from the fact that it is widely used for the etching o the materials covered by the native oxides due to the effective extraction of oxygen in the form of $BCl_xO_y$ compounds. In this study, the surface reactions and the etch rate of $Al_2O_3$ films in $BCl_3/Cl_2$/Ar plasma were investigated in an inductively coupled plasma(ICP) reactor in terms of the gas mixing ratio, RF power, DC bias and chamber pressure. The variations of relative volume densities for the particles were measured with optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The surface imagination was measured by AFM and SEM. The chemical states of film was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which confirmed the existence of nonvolatile etch byproducts.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.231-237
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• 1996

Mullite ceramics can be sintered by rf plasma sintering to densities as high as 97% compared to the theoretical density of the mullite, while SiC whisker-reinforced mullite matrix ceramic composites were not sintered by plasma sintering. Decomposition of mullite occurs in a superficial regins at the outside surface of the specimen by volatilization of SiO at elevated temperature by plasma. SiC whiskers were destroyed, and the matrix was converted to alumina from SiC-whisker reinforced mullite matrix ceramic composites during the plasma sintering. Accelerated volatilization from the SiC whisker in the mullite prevents sintering. The volatile species are mainly SiC and CO gas species. The effects of plasma on mullite and SiC-whisker reinforced mullite matrix composites are interpreted by thermodynamic simulation of the volatile species in the plasma environment. The thermodynamic results show that the decomposition will not occur during hot pressing.