• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2016.02a
• /
• pp.254-254
• /
• 2016

Tin dioxide (SnO2) thin film is one of the most important n-type semiconducting materials having a high transparency and chemical stability. Due to their favorable properties, it has been widely used as a base materials in the transparent conducting substrates, gas sensors, and other various electronic applications. Up to now, SnO2 thin film has been extensively studied by a various deposition techniques such as RF magnetron sputtering, sol-gel process, a solution process, pulsed laser deposition (PLD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD) [1-6]. Among them, ALD or plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) has recently been focused in diverse applications due to its inherent capability for nanotechnologies. SnO2 thin films can be prepared by ALD or PEALD using halide precursors or using various metal-organic (MO) precursors. In the literature, there are many reports on the ALD and PEALD processes for depositing SnO2 thin films using MO precursors [7-8]. However, only ALD-SnO2 processes has been reported for halide precursors and PEALD-SnO2 process has not been reported yet. Herein, therefore, we report the first PEALD process of SnO2 thin films using SnCl4 and oxygen plasma. In this work, the growth kinetics of PEALD-SnO2 as well as their physical and chemical properties were systemically investigated. Moreover, some promising applications of this process will be shown at the end of presentation.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.90-96
• /
• 1994

ZnO thin films were deposited using Diethylzinc and $N_{2}O$ gas by plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) at low substrate temperatures below $300^{\circ}C$. The effect of deposition parameters on the growth rate and the structural properties was determined at various deposition conditions. Crystallized ZnO thin films were successfully deposited even at $150^{\circ}C$ of substrate temperature. Above $200^{\circ}C$ c-axis oriented ZnO thin films, of which a standard deviation of X-ray rocking curve was less than $6^{\circ}$. were deposited on glass substrates. The variation of deposition rate showed different trends depending on substrate temperature and rf-input power. According to the deposition rate behavior as a function of substrate temperature, the transition points were observed resulting from crystallization of ZnO thin films. The activation energies for the deposition of ZnO thin films were 3.1KJ/mol and 1.9KJ/mol for the rf powers of 200W and 250W, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.206-212
• /
• 1994

Effects of the film deposition process parameters on the properties such as deposition rate, etch rate, refractive index, stress and step coverage of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) tetraethylorthosilicate glass (TEOS) SiO2 film were investigated and analysed using SEM, FTIR and SIMS techniques. Increasing TEOS flow or decreasing O2 flow increased the deposition rate and the compressive stress of the oxide film but produced a less denser film. The deposition rate decreased owing to the decrease in the sticking coefficient of the TEOS and the O2 molecules onto the substrate Si with increasing the substrate temperature. Increasing the substrate temperature produced a denser film with a lower etch rate and the higher refractive index by lowering SiOH and moisture contents. Increasing the rf power increases the ion bombardment energy. This increase in energy, in turn, increases the deposition rate and tends to make the film denser. No appreciable changes were found in the deposition rate but the refractive index and the stress of the film decreased with increasing the deposition pressure. The carbon content in the plasma TEOS CVD oxide film prepared under our standard deposition conditions were very low according to the SIMS analysis results.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.165-171
• /
• 1999

Diamond-like carbon(DLC) films were synthesized using the rf-plasma CVD technique with the addition of small amounts of nitrogen and oxygen to a gas mixture of $CH_4$ and $H_2$. The gas flow ratio of $CH_4$ to $H_2$ was 2.4:1, and 3% , 13.6% of nitrogen were added to the gas mixture of $CH_4$ and $H_2$ for the deposition of DLC films. The film stress tended to decrease as the nitrogen concentration increased from 3% to 13.6%, probably due to the decrease of the number of the interlink between carbon atoms. The residual stress tended to slightly decrease when 3% of oxygen was added. Scratch tests were performed to investigate the adhesion between the DLC films and the Ti intelayer after pretreating the TiN surface with direct hydrogen plasma. The adhesion was enhanced by adding nitrogen and oxygen to the $CH_4$ and $H_2$ gas mixture. The adhesion for the 3% nitrogen addition was better than that for the 13.6% nitrogen addition. The Vicker's hardness of the DLC films was measured to be 1100Hv.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2013.02a
• /
• pp.319-319
• /
• 2013

Even though the fabrication methods of metal oxide based thin film capacitor have been well established such as RF sputtering, Sol-gel, metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD), an applicable capacitor of printed circuit board (PCB) has not realized yet by these methods. Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) and other high-k ceramic oxides are important materials used in integrated passive devices, multi-chip modules (MCM), high-density interconnect, and chip-scale packaging. Thin film multi-layer technology is strongly demanded for having high capacitance (120 nF/$mm^2$). In this study, we suggest novel multi-layer thin film capacitor design and fabrication technology utilized by plasma assisted deposition and photolithography processes. Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST) was used for the dielectric material since it has high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss. 5-layered BST and Pt thin films with multi-layer sandwich structures were formed on Pt/Ti/$SiO_2$/Si substrate by RF-magnetron sputtering and DC-sputtering. Pt electrodes and BST layers were patterned to reveal internal electrodes by photolithography. SiO2 passivation layer was deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD). The passivation layer plays an important role to prevent short connection between the electrodes. It was patterned to create holes for the connection between internal electrodes and external electrodes by reactive-ion etching (RIE). External contact pads were formed by Pt electrodes. The microstructure and dielectric characteristics of the capacitors were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and impedance analyzer, respectively. In conclusion, the 0402 sized thin film multi-layer capacitors have been demonstrated, which have capacitance of 10 nF. They are expected to be used for decoupling purpose and have been fabricated with high yield.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2011.02a
• /
• pp.170-170
• /
• 2011

태양전지와 박막 트랜지스터를 위한 유망한 재료로서 수소화된 비정질 실리콘과 나노결정 실리콘 박막이 관심을 받아 왔다. 특히, 수소화된 나노결정 실리콘 박막은 비정질 대비 높은 방향성과 조밀한 구조 덕에 박막 태양전지나 TFT(Thin film transistor) 소자의 성능 향상에 기여할 수 있는 물질로 연구되고 있다. 이러한 박막들은 보통 $SiH_4$같은 Si을 포함한 가스에 다량의 $H_2$를 희석시켜 플라즈마 화학 증착법(PECVD, Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition)에 의해 성장된다. 이러한 CVD증착 방식을 이용하여 결정화된 박막을 얻기 위해서는 대개 높은 수소 희석비를 이용하는 것이 일반적이나, 이러한 공정 방식은 실리콘이 결합되어야 할 결합위치에 bonding energy가 더 높은 수소의 결합을 촉진하게 된다. 이러한 특성은 박막 태양전지에서 효율을 떨어뜨리는 주요 요소로 작용하고 있다.(1) 본 연구에서는 수소의 결합 확률을 낮춘 결정화된 박막을 성장시키기 위해 수소를 대신하여 헬륨을 희석가스로 사용하여 박막을 증착하고 그 특성을 분석해 보았다. 박막의 구조적 특성, 결정화도(Xc), 플라즈마 내 활성 라디칼(Active radical in plasma), Si-H결합 특성, 전도도(Conductivity)와 같은 박막 특성을 알아보기 위해 주사전자현미경(SEM, Scanning Electron Microscopy), 라만 분광기(Raman spectroscopy), 광 방출 분광기(OES, Optical Emission Spectrocopy), 적외선 분광기(FT-IR, Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy), Keithley measurement kit이 사용되었다. 수소를 대신하여 헬륨을 사용함으로써 동일 결정화도 대비 10%이상 낮은 microstructure factor 값을 얻을 수 있었으며 인가되는 RF 전력을 140W까지 증가시켰을 때 약 80%의 결정화도를 관찰할 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2010.02a
• /
• pp.409-409
• /
• 2010

솔라셀은 차세대 대체 에너지 소스로 최근 큰 각광을 받고 있다. 솔라셀의 제조에 있어 가장 중요한 공정은 마이크로 결정질 및 비결정질 실리콘(uC-Si:H and a-Si:H) 박막을 증착하는 PECVD (Plasma Enhanced CVD)공정이다. 현재까지 이 증착공정을 위한 플라즈마 소스로 CCP(Capacitively Coupled Plasma)가 주로 사용되어 왔다. 그러나, CCP를 플라즈마 소스를 사용한 경우 솔라셀 대량 생산 적용시 다른 방법들에 비해 긴 공정 시간이 해결해야 할 문제점으로 대두되었다. 본 발표에서는 솔라셀의 대량 생산을 위한 마이크로 결정질 실리콘 박막 증착에 있어 현 시점에서 해결되어야 할 문제점에 대해 고찰해 보고자 한다. 현재까지 이러한 문제점들을 해결하기 위해 적용되어 왔던 플라즈마 소스들을 나열하고 이러한 플라즈마 소스에 대한 특성 및 문제점들을 고찰한다. 또한, PECVD 공정상의 문제점을 해결하기 위한 플라즈마 조건을 플라즈마 벌크에서의 전자에너지 분포를 기준으로 제시하고자 한다. 솔라셀용 결정질 실리콘 박막 증착용 플라즈마 소스로 hollow cathode 방전이 가장 유력시되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 CCP 플라즈마에서 hollow cathode 방전시 발생되는 플라즈마 특성에 대한 기초 연구를 제시한다. 기초 연구를 위해 다양한 불활성 가스인 아르콘, 헬륨, 크립톤 가스에 13.56 MHz의 RF 파워를 인가하고 방전되는 플라즈마 밀도 변화를 관찰하였다. 특히, 다양한 hole diameter에서 발생되는 플라즈마 밀도의 변화를 기존 평면 CCP 플라즈마의 밀도에 비교하여 분석함으로써 hole diameter에 따른 효과를 관찰하였다. 이러한 결과는 PIC 시뮬레이션을 통해 얻은 전자에너지 분포함수를 바탕으로 메커니즘을 논의하고자 한다. 마지막으로 솔라셀용 PECVD공정을 위해 고밀도 플라즈마 소스의 필요성뿐 만 아니라 대면적 소스의 구현에 대한 문제점을 고찰하였다. 대면적 공정에서 가장 중요한 핵심 연구 이슈는 공정 균일도를 높이는 것이다. CCP 플라즈마 소스에서 전극의 크기가 대면적화 됨에 따라 발생되는 전자기파 효과에 의한 불균일도에 대해 RF 전자기장 시뮬레이션을 통해 확인하고, 균일도 확보를 위한 방안에 대한 논의하고자 한다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2004.11a
• /
• pp.276-279
• /
• 2004

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon nitride (SiN) is a proven technique for obtaining layers that meet the needs of surface passivation and anti-reflection coating. In addition, the deposition process appears to provoke bulk passivation as well due to diffusion of atomic hydrogen. This bulk passivation is an important advantage of PECVD deposition when compared to the conventional CVD techniques. A further advantage of PECVD is that the process takes place at a relatively low temperature of 300t, keeping the total thermal budget of the cell processing to a minimum. In this work SiN deposition was performed using a horizontal PECVD reactor system consisting of a long horizontal quartz tube that was radiantly heated. Special and long rectangular graphite plates served as both the electrodes to establish the plasma and holders of the wafers. The electrode configuration was designed to provide a uniform plasma environment for each wafer and to ensure the film uniformity. These horizontally oriented graphite electrodes were stacked parallel to one another, side by side, with alternating plates serving as power and ground electrodes for the RF power supply. The plasma was formed in the space between each pair of plates. Also this paper deals with the fabrication of multicrystalline silicon solar cells with PECVD SiN layers combined with high-throughput screen printing and RTP firing. Using this sequence we were able to obtain solar cells with an efficiency of 14% for polished multi crystalline Si wafers of size 125 m square.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2010.08a
• /
• pp.211-212
• /
• 2010

GaN 기반의 상부발광형 LED는 동작되는 동안 생기는 전기적 단락, 그리고 칩 위의 p-형 전극과 n-형 전극 사이에 생기는 누설전류 및 신뢰성 확보를 위하여 칩 표면에 passivation 층을 형성하게 된다. SiO2, Si3N4와 같은 passivation layers는 일반적으로 PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition)공정을 이용한다, 하지만 이는 공정 특성상 plasma로 인한 damage가 유발되기 때문에 표면 누설 전류가 증가 한다. 이로 인해 forward voltage와 reverse leakage current의 특성이 저하된다. 본 실험에서는 원자층 단위의 박막 증착으로 인해 PECVD보다 단차 피복성이 매우 우수한 PEALD(Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition)공정을 이용하여 Al2O3 passivation layer를 증착한 후, 표면 누설전류와 빛의 출력 특성에 대해서 조사해 보았다. PSS (patterned sapphire substrate) 위에 성장된 LED 에피구조를 사용하였고, TCP(Trancformer Copled Plasma)장비를 사용하여 에칭 공정을 진행하였다. 이때 투명전극을 증착하기 위해 e-beam evaporator를 사용하여 Ni/Au를 각각 $50\;{\AA}$씩 증착한 후 오믹 특성을 향상시키기 위하여 $500^{\circ}C$에서 열처리를 해주었다. 그리고 Ti/Au($300/4000{\AA}$) 메탈을 사용하여 p-전극과 n-전극을 형성하였다. Passivation을 하지 않은 경우에는 reverse leakage current가 -5V 에서 $-1.9{\times}10-8$ A 로 측정되었고, SiO2와 Si3N4을 passivation으로 이용한 경우에는 각각 $8.7{\times}10-9$과 $-2.2{\times}10-9$로 측정되었다. Fig. 1 에서 보면 알 수 있듯이 5 nm의 Al2O3 film을 passivation layer로 이용할 경우 passivation을 하지 않은 경우를 제외한 다른 passivation 경우보다 reverse leakage current가 약 2 order ($-3.46{\times}10-11$ A) 정도 낮게 측정되었다. 그 이유는 CVD 공정보다 짧은 ALD의 공정시간과 더 낮은 RF Power로 인해 plasma damage를 덜 입게 되어 나타난 것으로 생각된다. Fig. 2 에서는 Al2O3로 passivation을 한 소자의 forward voltage가 SiO2와 Si3N4로 passivation을 한 소자보다 각각 0.07 V와 0.25 V씩 낮아지는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 Fig. 3 에서는 Al2O3로 passivation을 한 소자의 output power가 SiO2와 Si3N4로 passivation을 한 소자보다 각각 2.7%와 24.6%씩 증가한 것을 볼 수 있다. Output power가 증가된 원인으로는 향상된 forward voltage 및 reverse에서의 leakage 특성과 공기보다 높은 Al2O3의 굴절률이 광출력 효율을 증가시켰기 때문인 것으로 판단된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
• /
• 2009.05a
• /
• pp.111-112
• /
• 2009

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is a convenient term to indicate the compositions of the various forms of amorphous carbon (a-C), tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C), hydrogenated amorphous carbon and tetrahedral amorphous carbon (a-C:H and ta-C:H). The a-C film with disordered graphitic ordering, such as soot, chars, glassy carbon, and evaporated a-C, is shown in the lower left hand corner. If the fraction of sp3 bonding reaches a high degree, such an a-C is denoted as tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C), in order to distinguish it from sp2 a-C [2]. Two hydrocarbon polymers, that is, polyethylene (CH2)n and polyacetylene (CH)n, define the limits of the triangle in the right hand corner beyond which interconnecting C-C networks do not form, and only strait-chain molecules are formed. The DLC films, i.e. a-C, ta-C, a-C:H and ta-C:H, have some extreme properties similar to diamond, such as hardness, elastic modulus and chemical inertness. These films are great advantages for many applications. One of the most important applications of the carbon-based films is the coating for magnetic hard disk recording. The second successful application is wear protective and antireflective films for IR windows. The third application is wear protection of bearings and sliding friction parts. The fourth is precision gages for the automotive industry. Recently, exciting ongoing study [1] tries to deposit a carbon-based protective film on engine parts (e.g. engine cylinders and pistons) taking into account not only low friction and wear, but also self lubricating properties. Reduction of the oil consumption is expected. Currently, for an additional application field, the carbon-based films are extensively studied as excellent candidates for biocompatible films on biomedical implants. The carbon-based films consist of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, which are biologically harmless as well as the main elements of human body. Some in vitro and limited in vivo studies on the biological effects of carbon-based films have been studied [$2{\sim}5$].The carbon-based films have great potentials in many fields. However, a few technological issues for carbon-based film are still needed to be studied to improve the applicability. Aisenberg and Chabot [3] firstly prepared an amorphous carbon film on substrates remained at room temperature using a beam of carbon ions produced using argon plasma. Spencer et al. [4] had subsequently developed this field. Many deposition techniques for DLC films have been developed to increase the fraction of sp3 bonding in the films. The a-C films have been prepared by a variety of deposition methods such as ion plating, DC or RF sputtering, RF or DC plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD), ion implantation, ablation, pulsed laser deposition and cathodic arc deposition, from a variety of carbon target or gaseous sources materials [5]. Sputtering is the most common deposition method for a-C film. Deposited films by these plasma methods, such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) [6], are ranged into the interior of the triangle. Application fields of DLC films investigated from papers. Many papers purposed to apply for tribology due to the carbon-based films of low friction and wear resistance. Figure 1 shows the percentage of DLC research interest for application field. The biggest portion is tribology field. It is occupied 57%. Second, biomedical field hold 14%. Nowadays, biomedical field is took notice in many countries and significantly increased the research papers. DLC films actually applied to many industries in 2005 as shown figure 2. The most applied fields are mold and machinery industries. It took over 50%. The automobile industry is more and more increase application parts. In the near future, automobile industry is expected a big market for DLC coating. Figure 1 Research interests of carbon-based filmsFigure 2 Demand ratio of DLC coating for industry in 2005. In this presentation, I will introduce a trend of carbon-based coating research and applications.