• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.842-845
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• 2002

We report on the properties of ITO thin films prepared by dc and pulse magnetron sputtering at low temperature. The electrical, optical, and surface properties of the films prepared by dc and pulse magnetron sputtering were compared. We discuss the role the pulse power plays in determining ITO thin film properties that are important in flat panel applications.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.168-173
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• 2014

The paper presents the comparative results of TiAlN coatings deposited by DC and pulsed DC asymmetric bipolar magnetron sputtering systems. The results show that, with the decreasing duty cycle and increasing pulse frequency, the coating morphology changes from a columnar to a dense structure, with finer grains. Pulsed sputtered TiAlN coatings showed higher hardness, higher residual stress, and smaller grain sizes than dc prepared TiAlN coatings. Moreover residual stress of pulsed sputtered TiAlN coatings increased on increasing pulse frequency. Meanwhile, the surface roughness decreased continuously with increasing pulsed DC frequency up to 50 kHz.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.136-141
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• 2015

The paper presents the comparative results of NbN coatings deposited by DC and pulsed DC asymmetric bipolar magnetron sputtering systems. The results show that, with the decreasing duty cycle and increasing pulse frequency, the coating morphology changes from a columnar to a dense structure, with finer grains. The Pulsed sputtered NbN coatings showed higher hardness, higher residual stress, and smaller grain sizes than those of DC prepared NbN coatings. Moreover residual stress of pulsed sputtered NbN coatings increased on increasing pulse frequency. Meanwhile, the surface roughness decreased continuously with increasing pulsed DC frequency up to 50 kHz.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.256-256
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• 2013

기존에 사용되어 오던 DCMS (DC magnetron sputtering)과 HPPMS (high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering)에 비해 MPP를 이용한 magnetron sputtering은 높은 증착률을 가지고 있으며, 증착된 박막의 특성도 우수하다고 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 최대 출력 700 V, 12.5 A, 100 kHz)의 사양을 가지는 DC, pulse DC, modulated pulsed DC의 세 종류로 변환이 가능한 Power supply를 제작하여 Cr 박막을 증착하였다. 증착시 혼합기체 Ar/$N_2$를 사용하였으며, 박막의 특성을 sputtering power 종류별로 비교 평가하였다. 실험 결과얻어진 박막을 SEM과 XRD를 이용하여 분석하였다.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2023

Hafnium nitride (HfN) thin films were fabricated by mid-frequency magnetron sputtering (mfMS) and direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS) and their mechanical and structural properties were compared. In particular, changes in the HfN film properties were observed by changing the pulse frequency of mfMS between 5 kHz, 15 kHz, and 30 kHz. The crystalline structure, microstructure, 3D morphology, and mechanical properties of the HfN films were compared by x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and nanoindentation tester, respectively. HfN film deposited by mfMS showed a smoother and denser microstructure as the frequency increased, whereas the film deposited by dcMS showed a rough and sloppy microstructure. A single δ-HfN phase was observed in the HfN film made by mfMS with a pulse frequency of 30 kHz, but mixed δ-HfN and HfN_0·4 phases were observed in the HfN film made by dcMS. The mechanical properties of HfN film made by mfMS were improved compared to film made by dcMS.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.145-150
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• 2004

We have investigated the structural, electrical and optical properties of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films grown on glass substrate by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering as functions of pulse frequency and substrate temperature. A highly c-axis oriented AZO thin film is grown in perpendicular to the substrate when pulse frequency of 30 kHz and substrate temperature of $400^{\circ}C$ was applied. Under this optimized growth condition, the resistivity of AZO thin films exhibited $7.40\times 10^{-4}\Omega \textrm{cm}$. This indicated that the decrease of film resistivity resulted from the improvement of film crystallinity. The optical transmittance spectra of the films showed a very high transmittance of 85∼90 % in the visible wavelength region and exhibited the absorption edge of about 350 nm. The results show the potential application for transparent conductivity oxide (TCO) thin films.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2014

MgO thin films were deposited by internal ICP-assisted reactive-magnetron sputtering with bipolar pulse bias on a substrate to suppress random arcs. Mg is reactively sputtered by a bipolar pulsed DC power of 100 kHz into ICP generated by a dielectrically shielded internal antenna. At a mass flow ratio of $Ar/O_2$ = 10 : 2 and an ICP/sputter power ratio of 1 : 1, optimal film properties were obtained (a powder-like crystal orientation distribution and a RMS surface roughness of approximately 0.42 nm). A bipolar pulse substrate bias at a proper frequency (~a few kHz) prevented random arc events. The crystalline preferred orientations varied between the (111), (200) and (220) orientations. By optimizing the plasma conditions, films having similar bulk crystallinity characteristics (JCPDS data) were successfully obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.342-347
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• 2011

Nanocrystalline TiN films were deposited on Si(100) substrate using asymmetric pulsed DC reactive magnetron sputtering. We investigated the growing behavior and the structural properties of TiN films with change of duty cycle and pulsed frequency. Grain size of TiN films were decreased from 87.2 nm to 9.8 nm with decrease of duty cycle. The $2{\theta}$ values for (111) and (200) crystallographic planes of the TiN films were also decreased with decrease of duty cycle. This shift in $2{\theta}$ could be attributed to compressive stress in the TiN coatings. Thus, the change of plasma parameter has a strong influence not only on the microstructure but also on the residual stresses of TiN films.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.390-395
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• 2013

Nanocrystalline CrN films were deposited on Si (100) substrates by means of asymmetric pulsed DC reactive magnetron sputtering. We investigated the growth behavior, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of CrN films with a change in the duty cycle and pulse frequency. The grain size of the CrN films decreased from 25.4 nm to 11.2 nm upon a decrease in the duty cycle. The corrosion potentials for the CrN films by DC sputtering was approximately - 0.6 V, and it increased to - 0.3 V in the CrN films which underwent pulsed sputtering. The nanoindentation hardness of the CrN films also increased with a decrease in the duty cycle. This enhancement of the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of pulsed sputtered CrN films could be attributed to the densification and surface smoothness of the microstructure of the films.

• 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.