• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.17-18
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• 2007

The etching characteristics of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and etch selectivity of ZnO to $SiO_2\;in\;BCl_3$/Ar plasma were investigated. It was found that ZnO etch rate shows a non-monotonic behavior with increasing both Ar fraction in $BCl_3$ plasma, RF power, and gas pressure. The maximum ZnO etch rate of 50.3 nm/min was obtained for $BCl_3$ (80%)/Ar(20%) gas mixture. The plasmas were characterized using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) analysis measurements while chemical state of etched surfaces was investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). From these data the suggestions on the ZnO etch mechanism were made.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.233-233
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• 2010

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM), based on magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and CMOS, is a prominent candidate among prospective semiconductor memories because it can provide nonvolatility, fast access time, unlimited read/write endurance, low operating voltage and high storage density. The etching of MTJ stack with good properties is one of a key process for the realization of high density MRAM. In order to achieve high quality MTJ stack, the use of CoFeB and IrMn magnetic films as free layers was proposed. In this study, inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching of CoFeB and IrMn thin films masked with Ti hard mask was investigated in a $Cl_2$/Ar gas mix. The etch rate of CoFeB and IrMn films were examined on varying $Cl_2$ gas concentration. As the $Cl_2$ gas increased, the etch rate monotonously decreased. The effective of etch parameters including coil rf power, dc-bais voltage, and gas pressure on the etch profile of CoFeB and IrMn thin film was explored, At high coil rf power, high dc-bais voltage, low gas pressure, the etching of CoFeB and IrMn displayed better etch profiles. Finally, the clean and vertical etch sidewall of CoFeB and IrMn free layers can be achieved by means of thin Ti hard mask in a $Cl_2$/Ar plasma at the optimized condition.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2009

In this study, the characteristics of amorphous silicon etching for the formation of gate electrodes have been evaluated at the variation of several process parameters. When total flow rates composed of $Cl_2/HBr/O_2$ gas mixtures increased, the etch rate of amorphous silicon layer increased, but critical dimension (CD) bias was not notably changed regardless of total flow rate. As the amount of HBr in the mixture gas became larger, amorphous silicon etch rate was reduced by the low reactivity of Br species. In the case of increasing oxygen flow rate, etch selectivity was increased due to the reduction of oxide etch rate, enhancing the stability of silicon gate etching process. However, gate electrodes became more sloped according to the increase of oxygen flow rate. Higher source power induced the increase of amorphous silicon etch rate and CD bias, and higher bias power had a tendency to increase the etch rate of amorphous silicon and oxide.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.162-171
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• 2021

Dry etching of copper thin films is performed using high density plasma of ethylenediamine (EDA)/hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)/Ar gas mixture. The etch rates, etch selectivities and etch profiles of the copper thin films are improved by adding HFIP to EDA/Ar gas. As the EDA/HFIP concentration in EDA/HFIP/Ar increases, the etch rate of copper thin films decreases, whereas the etch profile is improved. In the EDA/HFIP/Ar gas mixture, the optimal ratio of EDA to HFIP is investigated. In addition, the etch parameters including ICP source power, dc-bias voltage, process pressure are varied to examine the etch characteristics. Optical emission spectroscopy results show that among all species, [CH], [CN] and [H] are the main species in the EDA/HFIP/Ar plasma. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate the formation of CuCN compound and C-N-H-containing polymers during the etching process, leading to a good etch profile. Finally, anisotropic etch profiles of the copper thin films patterned with 150 nm scale are obtained in EDA/HFIP/Ar gas mixture.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.41-41
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• 2003

텅스텐(W)은 높은 thermal stability 와 process compatibility 및 우수한 corrosion r resistance 둥으로 integrated circuit (IC)의 gate 및 interconnection 둥으로의 활용이 대두되고 있으며, 차세대 thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD)의 gate 및 interconnection m materials 둥으로 사용되고 았다. 그러나, 이러한 장점을 가지고 있는 팅스텐 박막이 실제 공정상에 적용되가 위해서는 건식 식각이 주로 사용되는데, 이는 wet chemical 을 이용한 습식 식각을 사용할 경우 낮은 etch rate, line width 의 감소 및 postetch residue 잔류 동의 문제가 발생하기 때문이다. 또한 W interconnection etching 을 하기 위해서는 높은 텅스텐 박막의 etch rate 과 하부 layer ( (amorphous silicon 또는 poly-SD와의 높은 etch selectivity 가 필수적 이 라 할 수 있다. 그러 나, 지금까지 연구되어온 결과에 따르면 텅스탠과 하부 layer 와의 etch selectivity 는 2 이하로 매우 낮게 관찰되고 았으며, 텅스텐의 etch rate 또한 150nm/min 이하로 낮은 값을 나타내고 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 halogen-based inductively coupled plasma 를 이용하여 텅스텐 박막 식각시 여러 가지 첨가 가스에 따른 높은 텅스탠 박막의 etch rate 과 하부 layer 와의 높은 etch s selectivity 를 얻고자 하였으며, 그에 따른 식각 메커니즘에 대하여 알아보고자 하였다. $CF_4/Cl_2$ gas chemistry 에 첨 가 가스로 $N_2$와 Ar을 첨 가할 경 우 텅 스텐 박막과 하부 layer 간의 etch selectivity 증가는 관찰되지 않았으며, 반면에 첨가 가스로 $O_2$를 사용할 경우, $O_2$의 첨가량이 증가함에 따라 etch s selectivity 는 계속적으로 증가렴을 관찰할 수 있었다. 이는 $O_2$ 첨가에 따라 형성되는 WOF4 에 의한 텅스텐의 etch rates 의 감소에 비하여, $Si0_2$ 등의 형성에 의한 poly-Si etch rates 이 더욱 크게 감소하였기 때문으로 사료된다. W 과 poly-Si 의 식각 특성을 이해하기 위하여 X -ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)를 사용하였으며, 식각 전후의 etch depth 를 측정하기 위하여 stylus p pmfilometeT 를 이용하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.752-758
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• 2010

The etching characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films in an $O_2/BCl_3/Ar$ plasma were investigated. The etch rate of ITO thin films increased with increasing $O_2$ content from 0 to 2 sccm in $BCl_3$/Ar plasma, whereas that of ITO decreased with increasing $O_2$ content from 2 sccm to 6 sccm in $BCl_3$/Ar plasma. The maximum etch rate of 65.9 nm/m in for the ITO thin films was obtained at 2 sccm $O_2$ addition. The etch conditions were the RF power of 500 W, the bias power of 200 W, the process pressure of 15 mTorr, and the substrate temperature of $40^{\circ}C$. The analysis of x-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) was carried out to investigate the chemical reactions between the surfaces of ITO thin films and etch species.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.612-615
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• 2000

The etch rate of $SiO_2$ in Enhanced - Inductive Coupled Plasma (E-ICP) and CW-ICP systems are investigated. As addition of $O_2$ to $CF_4$ gas increases oxide etch rate, E-ICP etching shows the highest etch rate (about 6000A) at an optimized condition with 30% $O_2$ in $CF_4$ 70Hz at the modulation frequency of 70Hz. E-ICP also shows better etch profile than CW-ICP.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.261-266
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• 1998

In developing the high density memory device, the etching of fine pattern is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, definition of ultra fine line and space pattern and minimization of damage and contamination are essential process. Also, the high density plasma in low operating pressure is necessary. The candidates of high density plasma sources are electron cyclotron resonance plasma, helicon wave plasma, helical resonator, and inductively coupled plasma. In this study, planar type magnetized inductively coupled plasma etcher has been built. The density and temperature of Ar plasma are measured as a function of rf power, flow rate, external magnetic field, and pressure. The oxide etch rate and selectivity to polysilicon are measured as the above mentioned conditions and self-bias voltage.

• Journal of the Speleological Society of Korea
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• no.82
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• pp.1-4
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• 2007

In this paper, the etching of Au films using photoresist masks on Si substrates was investigated using a capacitively coupled plasma etch reactor. The advantages of plasma etch techniques over current methods for Au metalization include the ability to simplify the metalization process flow with respect to resist lift-off schemes, and the ability to cleanly remove etched material without sidewall redeposition, as is seen in ion milling. The etch properties were measured for different gas mixing ratios of CF4/Ar, and chamber pressures while the other conditions were fixed. According to statistical design of experiment (DOE), etching process of Au films was characterized and also 20 samples were fabricated followed by measuring etch rate, selectivity and etch profile. There is a chemical reaction between CF4 and Au. Au- F is hard to remove from the surface because of its high melting point. The etching products can be sputtered by Ar ion bombardment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.171-174
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• 2002

The barium strontium titannate (BST) thin films were etched in $CF_{4}/Ar$ inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The high etch rate obtained at a $CF_{4}(20%)/Ar(80%)$ and the etch rate in pure argon was twice higher than that in pure $CF_{4}$. This indicated that BST etching is sputter dominant process. It is impossible to avoid plasma-induced damages by the energetic particles in the plasma and the nonvolatile etch products. The plasma damages were evaluated in terms of leakage current density, residues on the etched sample, and the changes of roughness. After the BST thin films exposed in the plasma, the leakage current density and roughness increases. In addition, there are appeared a nonvolatile etch byproductsand from the result of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). After annealing at ${600^{\circ}C}$ for 10 min in $O_{2}$ ambient, the increased leakage current density, roughness and nonvolatile etch byproducts reduced. From the this results, the plasma induced damage recovered by annealing process owing to the relaxation of lattice mismatches by Ar ions and the desorption of metal fluorides in high temperature.