• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.214-218
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• 2011

In this study, we have systematically investigated the effect of sputtering conditions on the microstructural properties of Ag/CoFeB thin film on MgO substrate. It was found that the crystallinity and surface roughness of the Ag film strongly depends on the Ar sputtering pressure and sputtering power. Epitaxial growth of Ag(100) film on MgO(100) substrate was achieved under the sputtering conditions of high sputtering power and elevated temperature. XRR (X-ray reflectivity) and high-resolution TEM (transmission electron microscopy) measurements also revealed the interfacial roughening in the Ag/CoFeB interface due to the island structure formation and intermixing between Ag and CoFeB.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.255-260
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• 1998

The ionized magnetron sputtering is very useful in filling of small metal contact or via in ULSI processing with very high ionization upto 80% based on incoming flux ratio. But fairly high sputtering gas pressure is required to get high ionization, which instead gives low deposition rate and diverse incoming neutral's angular distribution. The electron quenching by heavily sputtered metals and gas rarefaction were considered the main causes of decreased ionization in this process. RF pulsing of sputtering power was proposed to solve those two problems. The results showed that 10㎳/10 ㎳ and 100㎳/100 ㎳ of on/off pulsings were optimal pulse conditions from OES measurements and also XRD of deposited Ag film showed distinct change of (111) to (200) preferred orientation. These results were analysed in a view point of neutral gas heating and cooling by high power sputtering.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.36-43
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• 2008

In this parer aluminium-doped zinc oxide(ZnO:Al) conducting layer was deposited on polyethylene terephthalate(PET) substrate by r. f. magnetron sputtering method. The effects of gas pressure and r. f. sputtering power on the structural and electrical properties of ZnO:Al thin film were investigated experimentally. Especially the effect of position of PET substrate on the electrical properties of the film was studied and fixed to improve the electrical properties and also to increase the deposition rate. The results show that the structural and electrical properties of ZnO:Al thin film were strongly influenced by the gas pressure and sputtering power. The minimum resistivity of $1.1{\times}10^{-3}[{\Omega}-cm]$ was obtained at 5[mTorr] of gas pressure, and 18D[W] of sputtering power. The deposition rate of ZnO:Al film at 5[mTorr] of gas pressure was 248[nm/min]. and is higher by around 3 times compared to that at 25[mTorr].

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.533-537
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• 1999

ATO(Sb doped $SnO_2$) thin films whose thicknesses were 600, 1100 and $2100\AA$ were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering method. They showed the lowest resistivity at DC sputtering power 0.24kW and had lower resistivity with increasing thickness. The power dependence of resistivity among ATO thin films was also different with thickness. The increase of carrier concentration in ATO thin films was responsible for the decrease of resistivity with thickness increase. ATO thin films which were prepared at 30sccm oxygen flow rate showed a great change of sheet resistance under 1M HCl solution. The investigation of SAM(Scanning Auger Microprobe) revealed that oxygen atomic percentage on the surface of ATO thin films was changed. The decrease of sheet resistance also occurred when ATO thin films, prepared at 30sccm oxygen flow rate, were exposed to air for a long period of time. For this reason, it was considered that the desorption of oxygen on ATO surface was accelerated by HCl.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.67-71
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• 2020

For deposition technology using plasma, it plays an important role in improving film deposited with high ionization rate through high density plasma. Various deposition methods such as high-power impulse magnetron sputtering and ion-beam sputtering have been developed for physical vapor deposition technology and are still being studied. In this study, it is intended to control plasma using inductive coupled plasma (ICP) antennas and use properties to improve the properties of Hafnium nitride (HfN) films using ICP assisted magnetron sputtering (ICPMS). HfN film deposited using ICPMS showed a finer grain sizes, denser microstructure and better mechanical properties as ICP power increases. The best mechanical properties such as nanoindentation hardness of 47 GPa and Young's modulus of 401 GPa was obtained from HfN film deposited using ICPMS at ICP power of 200 W.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.37-37
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• 2001

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.07c
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• pp.1874-1875
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• 2004

A high rate deposition sputtering process of magnesium oxide thin film in oxide mode has been developed using a 20 kW unipolar pulsed power supply. The powersupply was operated at a maximum constant voltage of 500 V and a constant current of 40 A. The pulse repetition rate and the duty were changed in the ranges of 10 ${\sim}$ 50 kHz and 10 ${\sim}$ 60 %, respectively. The deposition rate increased with increasing incident power to the target. Maximum incident power to the magnesium target was obtained by the control of frequency, duty and current. The deposition rate of a moving state was 9 nm m/min at the average power of 1.5 kW. This technique is proposed to apply high through-put sputtering system for plasma display panel.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.167-169
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• 2003

AC PDP(Plasma Display panel)에서 MgO 보호막은 방전공간에 직접 노출되어 있기 때문에, AC PDP의 수명과 방전 특성이 직접적인 영향을 미친다. 그동안 보다 좋은 특성의 MgO 보호막을 증착하기 위한 연구가 Magnetron-sputtering, E-beam, ion-plating 등 여러 가지 방법에 의해 진행되어 왔다. 본 논문에서는 Bipolar pulse power를 사용하여 sputtering 방법으로 MgO 보호막을 증착하여, 그 전기적, 광학적 특성을 기존의 magnetron-sputtering 방법으로 증착한 MgO 보호막과 비교하였다. 그 결과 Bipo1ar pulse power를 이용한 MgO 보호막의 결정립이 더 크게 나타났으며 그것으로부터 AC PDP의 수명향상에 효과가 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.246-246
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• 2008

In this work, VOx thin films have been deposited by DC magnetron sputtering method with various DC power. The characterization of the deposited thin films were changed by DC power. The experimental data are obtained on the growth rate and optical and electrical properties of VOx thin films with the increase of DC power. The growth rate. and the surface roughness decrease with DC power. Also, we investigated the electrical and optical properties of VOx thin films using hall measurement, 4-point probe, and UV-visible methods.