• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.189-193
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• 2008

In this study, we carried out an investigation of the etching characteristics (etch rate, selectivity to $SiO_2$ and $HfO_2$) of TiN thin films in the $CH_4$/Ar inductively coupled plasma. The maximum etch rate of $274\;{\AA}/min$ for TiN thin films was obtained at $CH_4$(80%)/Ar(20%) gas mixing ratio. At the same time, the etch rate was measured as function of the etching parameters such as RF power, Bias power, and process pressure. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed an efficient destruction of the oxide bonds by the ion bombardment as well as showed an accumulation of low volatile reaction products on the etched surface. Based on these data, the ion-assisted chemical reaction was proposed as the main etch mechanism for the $CH_4$ containing plasmas.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.256-259
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• 2009

The wafer surface temperature is an important parameter in the etching process which influences the reaction probabilities of incident species, the vapor pressure of etch products, and the re-deposition of reaction products on feature surfaces. In this study, we investigated all of the effects of substrate temperature on the etch rate of $ZrO_2$ thin film and selectivity of $ZrO_2$ thin film over $SiO_2$ thin film in inductively coupled plasma as functions of $Cl_2$ addition in $BCl_3$/Ar plasma, RF power and dc-bias voltage based on the substrate temperature in range of $10^{\circ}C$ to $80^{\circ}C$. The elements on the surface were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.642-647
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• 2007

We investigated dry etching of acrylic (PMMA) in $O_2/N_2$ plasmas using a multi-layers electrode reactive ion etching (RIE) system. The multi-layers electrode RIE system had an electrode (or a chuck) consisted of 4 individual layers in a series. The diameter of the electrodes was 150 mm. The etch process parameters we studied were both applied RIE chuck power on the electrodes and % $O_2$ composition in the $N_2/O_2$ plasma mixtures. In details, the RIE chuck power was changed from 75 to 200 W.% $O_2$ in the plasmas was varied from 0 to 100% at the fixed total gas flow rates of 20 sccm. The etch results of acrylic in the multilayers electrode RIE system were characterized in terms of negatively induced dc bias on the electrode, etch rates and RMS surface roughness. Etch rate of acrylic was increased more than twice from about $0.2{\mu}m/min$ to over $0.4{\mu}m/min$ when RIE chuck power was changed from 75 to 200 W. 1 sigma uniformity of etch rate variation of acrylic on the 4 layers electrode was slightly increased from 2.3 to 3.2% when RIE chuck power was changed from 75 to 200 W at the fixed etch condition of 16 sccm $O_2/4\;sccm\;N_2$ gas flow and 100 mTorr chamber pressure. Surface morphology was also investigated using both a surface profilometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The RMS roughness of etched acrylic surface was strongly affected by % $O_2$ composition in the $O_2/N_2$ plasmas. However, RIE chuck power changes hardly affected the roughness results in the range of 75-200 W. During etching experiment, Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) data was taken and we found both $N_2$ peak (354.27 nm) and $O_2$ peak (777.54 nm). The preliminarily overall results showed that the multi-layers electrode concept could be successfully utilized for high volume reactive ion etching of acrylic in the future.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.328-339
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• 2014

In this article, plasma monitoring tools and mulivariate analysis techniques were reviewed. Optical emission spectroscopy was reviewed for a chemical composition analysis tool and RF V-I probe for a physical analysis tool for plasma monitoring. Multivariate analysis techniques are discussed to the sensitivity improvement. Principal component analysis (PCA) is one of the widely adopted multivariate analysis techniques and its application to end-point detection of plasma etching process is discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.499-499
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• 2012

This study was evaluated on etcher of capacitive coupled plasmas with OES (Optical Emission Spectroscopy) and impedance by VI probe that are widely used for process control and monitoring at semiconductor industry. The experiment was operated at conventional Ar and C4F8 plasma with variable change such as pressure and addition of gas (Atmospheric Leak: N2 and O2), RF, pressure, that are highly possible to impact wafer yield during wafer process, in order to observe OES and VI Probe signals. The sensitivity change on OES and Impedance by Vi probe was analyzed by statistical method to determine healthy of process. The main goal of this study is to understand unwanted tool performance to eventually improve productive capability. It is important for process engineers to actively adjust tool parameter before any serious problem occurs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.650-650
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• 2013

Although imprinted nanopatterns of organic polymer can be modified by the heat treatment [1], it generally requires high process temperatures and is material-dependent since the heat-induced mass loss of the organic polymer is greatly affected by its chemical characteristics. When oxygen is added during the annealing process, one can reduce the process temperature as well as the dependence of the materials. With the oxygen, line width reduction of a polymer (SU-8) patterns could be accomplished at temperature of as low as $250^{\circ}C$ which was not possible in the heat only process. This oxidative line width reduction can be dramatically promoted with the introduction of oxygen plasma. The oxygen plasma, with its highly-reactive oxygen species, vigorously etches away the organic materials, proven to be extremely effective line with reduction method. It is, however, very hard to control the extent and homogeneity of the etching, particularly of very fine patterns. Here, we report an effective and reliable line width reduction method of imprinted nanopatterns by combined plasma and heat treatment. The merits of this process include the reduction of process temperature, time and material-dependence.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.53-58
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• 2022

Shape changes of hard mask play a key role in the aspect ratio dependent etch (ARDE). For etch process using high density and energy ions, deformation of hard mask shape becomes more severe, and high aspect ratio (HAR) etch profile is distorted. In this study, polygonal geometric model for shape-deformation of amorphous carbon layered hard mask is suggested to control etch profile during the process. Mask shape is modeled with polygonal geometry consisting of trapezoids and rectangles, and it provides dynamic information about angles of facets and etched width and height of remained mask shape, providing important features for real-time HAR etch profiling.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.459-459
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• 2012

Recently, the discharge of global warming gases in dry etching process of TFT-LCD display industry is a serious issue because perfluorocarbon compound (PFC) gas causes global warming effects. PFCs including CF4, C2F6, C3F8, CHF3, NF3 and SF6 are widely used as etching and cleaning gases. In particular, the SF6 gas is chemically stable compounds. However, these gases have large global warming potential (GWP100 = 24,900) and lifetime (3,200). In this work, we chose C3F6O gas which has a very low GWP (GWP100 = <100) and lifetime (< 1) as a replacement gas. This study investigated the effects of the gas flow ratio of C3F6O/O2 and process pressure in dual-frequency capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) etcher on global warming effects. Also, we compared global warming effects of C3F6O gas with those of SF6 gas during dry etching of a patterned positive type photo-resist/silicon nitride/glass substrate. The etch rate measurements and emission of by-products were analyzed by scanning electron Microscopy (SEM; HITACI, S-3500H) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR; MIDAC, I2000), respectively. Calculation of MMTCE (million metric ton carbon equivalents) based on the emitted by-products were performed during etching by controlling various process parameters. The evaluation procedure and results will be discussed in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.131-138
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• 2024

In this study, the microstructure and plasma resistance characteristics of 35Bi₂O₃-15Al₂O₃-50SiO₂ (BiAl SiO) and 35Bi₂O₃-7.5Al₂O₃-50SiO₂-7.5AlF₃ (BiAlSiOF) glass layers coated on sintered alumina substrates were investigated according to the sintering conditions. The coated layers were formed using the bar coating method and then sintered at a temperature in the range of 700~900℃, which corresponds to the temperature before and after the hemisphere forming temperature, after a debinding process. The plasma resistance of the two coated glasses was approximately 2~3 times higher than that of the quartz glass, and in particular, the BiAlSiOF glass film with F added showed higher plasma resistance than BiAlSiO. It is thought to be due to the effect of suppressing the reaction with fluorine gas by adding fluorine to the glass. When the sintering time was increased at 700℃ and 800℃, the plasma resistance of both glasses improved, but when the sintering temperature was increased to 900℃, the plasma resistance decreased again (i.e., the etching rate increased). This phenomenon is thought to be related to the crystallization behavior of both glasses. The change in plasma resistance depending on the sintering conditions is thought to be related to the appearance of Al and Bi-rich phases.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.202-205
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• 2010

In this study, the etch properties of $Al_2O_3$ thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition were investigated as a function of the $O_2$ content in $BCl_3$/Ar inductively coupled plasma. The experiments were performed by comparing the etch rates and selectivity of $Al_2O_3$ over the hard mask materials as functions of the input plasma parameters, such as the gas mixing ratio, DC-bias voltage, ratio-frequency (RF) power and process pressure. The highest obtained etch rate was 477 nm/min at an RF power of 700 W, $O_2$ to $BCl_3$/Ar gas ratio of 15%, DC-bias voltage of -100 V and process pressure of 15 mTorr. The deposition occurred on the surfaces when the amount of $O_2$ added to the $BCl_3$/Ar gas was too high at a low DC-bias voltage or high process pressure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to investigate the chemical reactions on the etched surface.