• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.32-32
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• 2009

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor that has materials properties necessary for the high-power, high-frequency, high-temperature, and radiation-hard condition applications, where silicon devices cannot perform. SiC is also the only compound semiconductor material. on which a silicon oxide layer can be thermally grown, and therefore may fabrication processes used in Si-based technology can be adapted to SiC. So far, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been extensively used to study the surface charges, dielectric constants and electrical potential distribution as well as topography in silicon-based device structures, whereas it has rarely been applied to SiC-based structures. In this work, we investigated that the local oxide growth on SiC under various conditions and demonstrated that an increased (up to ~100 nN) tip loading force (LF) on highly-doped SiC can lead a direct oxide growth (up to few tens of nm) on 4H-SiC. In addition, the surface potential and topography distributions of nano-scale patterned structures on SiC were measured at a nanometer-scale resolution using a scanning kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPM) with a non-contact mode AFM. The measured results were calibrated using a Pt-coated tip. It is assumed that the atomically resolved surface potential difference does not originate from the intrinsic work function of the materials but reflects the local electron density on the surface. It was found that the work function of the nano-scale patterned on SiC was higher than that of original SiC surface. The results confirm the concept of the work function and the barrier heights of oxide structures/SiC structures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.132-132
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• 2008

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an attractive material for high-power, high-temperature, and high-frequency applications. So far, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been extensively used to study the surface charges, dielectric constants and electrical potential distribution as well as topography in silicon-based device structures, whereas it has rarely been applied to SiC-based structures. In this work, the surface potential and topography distributions SiC with different doping levels were measured at a nanometer-scale resolution using a scanning kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPM) with a non-contact mode AFM. The measured results were calibrated using a Pt-coated tip and a metal defined electrical contacts of Au onto SiC. It is assumed that the atomically resolved surface potential difference does not originate from the intrinsic work function of the materials but reflects the local electron density on the surface. It was found that the work function of the Au deposited on SiC surface was higher than that of original SiC surface. The dependence of the surface potential on the doping levels in SiC, as well as the variation of surface potential with respect to the schottky barrier height has been investigated. The results confirm the concept of the work function and the barrier heights of metal/SiC structures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.89-89
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• 2012

Arrangement of individual atoms and molecules with atomic precision and understanding the resulting properties at the molecular level are ultimate goals of chemistry, biology, and materials science. For the past three decades, scanning probe microscopy has made strides towards these goals through the direct observation of individual atoms and molecules, enabling the discovery of new and unexpected phenomena. This talk will discuss the origin of forces governing motion of small organic molecules and their extended self-assembly into two-dimensional surface structures by direct observation of individual molecules using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.151.2-151.2
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• 2005

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.271-274
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• 2010

We examined the tunneling current behaviors of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) cells utilizing conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) interfaced with an external magnetic field generator. By introducing current through coils, a magnetic field was generated and then controlled by a current feedback circuit. This enabled the characterization of the tunneling current under various magnetic fields. The current-voltage (I-V) property was measured using a contact mode AFM with a metal coated conducting cantilever at a specific magnetic field intensity. The obtained magnetoresistance (MR) ratios of the MTJ cells were about 21% with no variation seen from the different sized MTJ cells; the value of resistance $\times$ area (RA) were 8.5 K-12.5 K $({\Omega}{\mu}m^2)$. Since scanning probe microscopy (SPM) performs an I-V behavior analysis of ultra small size without an extra electrode, we believe that this novel characterization method utilizing an SPM will give a great benefit in characterizing MTJ cells. This novel method gives us the possibility to measure the electrical properties of ultra small MTJ cells, namely below $0.1\;{\mu}m\;{\times}\;0.1\;{\mu}m$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.323-323
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• 2012

We present ferroelectricity of Bi-doped ZnO film probed by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM), which is one of the Scanning Probe Microscopy techniques. Perovskite ferroelectrics are limited to integration of devices into semiconductor microcircuitry due to hard adjusting their lattice structure to the semiconductor materials. Transition metal doped ZnO film is one of the candidate materials for replacing the perovskite ferroelectrics. In this study, ferroelectric characteristics of the Bi-doped ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition were probed by PFM. The polarization switching and patterning of the ZnO films were performed by applying DC bias voltage between the AFM tips and the films with varying voltages and polarity. The PFM contrast before and after patterning showed clearly polarization switching for a specific concentration of Bi atoms. In addition, the patterned regions with nanoscale show clearly the local piezoresponse hysteresis loop. The spontaneous polarization of the ZnO film is estimated from the local piezoresponse based on the comparison with LiNbO3 single crystals.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.26-29
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• 2017

We studied the distribution of the current density and its magnetic-field dependence in GdBCO coated conductors with AC bias currents using low temperature scanning Hall probe microscopy. We selectively measured magnetic field profiles from AC signal obtained by Lock-in technique and calculated current distributions by inversion calculation. In order to confirm the AC measurement results, we applied DC current corresponding to RMS value of AC current and compared distribution of AC and DC transport current. We carried out the same measurements at various external DC magnetic fields, and investigated field dependence of AC current distribution. We notice that the AC current distribution unaffected by external magnetic fields and preserved their own path on the contrary to DC current.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 1972

There are many kinds of microscopes suitable for general studies; optical microscopes(OM), conventional transmission electron microscopes (TEM), and scanning electron microscopes(SEM). The optical microscopes and the conventional transmission electron microscopes are very familiar. The images of these microscopes are directly formed on an image plane with one or more image forming lenses. On the other hand, the image of the scanning electron microscope is formed on a fluorescent screen of a cathode ray tube using a scanning system similar to television technique. In this paper, the features and some applications of the scanning electron microscope will be discussed briefly. The recently available scanning electron microscope, combining a resolution of about $200{\AA}$ with great depth of field, is favorable when compared to the replica technique. It avoids the problem of specimen damage and the introduction of artifacts. In addition, it permits the examination of many samples that can not be replicated, and provides a broader range of information. The scanning electron microscope has found application in diverse fields of study including biology, chemistry, materials science, semiconductor technology, and many others. In scanning electron microscopy, the secondary electron method. the backscattererd electron method, and the electromotive force method are most widely used, and the transmitted electron method will become more useful. Change-over of magnification can be easily done by controlling the scanning width of the electron probe. It is possible. to continuously vary the magnification over the range from 100 times to 1.00,000 times without readjustment of focusing. Conclusion: With the development of a scanning. electron microscope, it is now possible to observe almost all-information produced through interactions between substances and electrons in the form of image. When the probe is properly focused on the specimen, changing magnification of specimen orientation does not require any change in focus. This is quite different from the conventional transmission electron microscope. It is worthwhile to note that the typical probe currents of $10^{-10}$ to $10^{-12}\;{\AA}$ are for below the $10^{-5}$ to $10^{-7}\;{\AA}$ of a conventional. transmission microscope. This reduces specimen contamination and specimen damage due to heatings. Outstanding features of the scanning electron microscope include the 'stereoscopic observation of a bulky or fiber specimen in high resolution' and 'observation of potential distribution and electromotive force in semiconductor devices'.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.461-462
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.41-46
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• 2005