• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.125-139
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• 2024

As the limits of semiconductor integration are approached, the challenges in semiconductor processes have intensified. And, for the production of semiconductors with dimensions under a few nanometers and to resolve the issues related to nanoscale device fabrication, research on atomic layer etching (ALE) technology has been conducted. The investigation related to ALE encompasses not only silicon and dielectric materials but also metallic materials. Particularly, there is an increasing need for ALE in next-generation metal materials that could replace copper in interconnect materials. This brief review will summarize the concept and methods of ALE and describe recent studies on potential next-generation metal replacements for copper, along with their ALE processes.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.96-99
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• 2019

Atomic layer etching (ALE) is one of the most promising techniques in the semiconductor industry. Since ALE has to be precisely controlled on the angstrom scale to achieve ideal results, an in-situ analysis of the processes is highly required. In this regard, we found during ALE experiments with in-situ monitoring with an ellipsometer that changes in the substrate temperature affected the refractive index of a material, leading to changes in measured film thickness. In addition, more ideal ALE results could be achieved by keeping the substrate temperature constant.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2023

Atomic layer etching (ALE) is a promising technique with atomic-level thickness controllability and high selectivity based on self-limiting surface reactions. ALE is performed by sequential exposure of the film surface to reactants, which results in surface modification and release of volatile species. Among the various ALE methods, thermal ALE involves a thermally activated reaction by employing gas species to release the modified surface without using energetic species, such as accelerated ions and neutral beams. In this study, the basic principle and surface reaction mechanisms of thermal ALE?processes, including "fluorination-ligand exchange reaction", "conversion-etch reaction", "conversion-fluorination reaction", "oxidation-fluorination reaction", "oxidation-ligand exchange reaction", and "oxidation-conversion-fluorination reaction" are described. In addition, the reported thermal ALE processes for the removal of various oxides, metals, and nitrides are presented.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.234.1-234.1
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• 2015

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)는 van der Waals 결합을 통한 층상구조의 물질로써 뛰어난 물리화학적, 기계적 특성으로 Field Effect Transistors (FETs), Photoluminescence, Photo Detectors, Light Emitters 등의 많은 분야에서 연구가 보고 되어지고 있는 차세대 2D-materials이다. 이처럼 MoS2 가 다양한 범위에 응용될 수 있는 이유는 layer 수가 증가함에 따라 1.8 eV의 direct band gap 에서 1.2 eV 의 indirect band-gap으로 특성이 변화할 뿐만 아니라 다양한 고유의 전기적 특성을 지니고 있기 때문이다. 그러나 MoS2 는 원자층 단위의 layer control 이 어렵다는 이유로 다양한 전자소자 응용에 많은 제약이 보고 되어졌다. 본 연구에서는 MoS2 의 layer를 control 하기 위해 ICP system 에서 mesh grid 를 삽입하여 Cl2 radical을 효과적으로 adsorption 시킨 뒤, Ion beam system 에서 Ar+ Ion beam 을 통해 한 층씩 제거하는 방식의 atomic layer etching (ALE) 공정을 진행하였다. ALE 공정시 ion bombardment 에 의한 damage 를 최소화하기 위해 Quadruple Mass Spectrometer (QMS) 를 통한 에너지 분석으로 beam energy 를 20 eV에서 최적화 할 수 있었고, Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Atomic Force Microscopy(AFM) 분석을 통해 ALE 공정에 따른 MoS2 layer control 가능 여부를 증명할 수 있었다.