• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.430.2-430.2
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• 2016

The front transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films in thin fill solar cell should exhibit high transparency, conductivity, good surface morphology and excellent light scattering properties. The light trapping phenomenon is limited due to random surface structure of TCO films. The proper control of surface structure and uniform cauliflower TCO films may be appropriate for efficient light trapping. We report light trapping scheme of ICP-RIE glass texturing by SF6/Ar plasma for high roughness and haze ratio of ITO films. It was observed that the variation of etching time, pattern size and Ar flow ratio during ICP-RIE process were important factors to improve the diffused transmittance and haze ratio of textured glass. The ICP-RIE textured glass showed low etching rates due to the presence of metal elements like Al, B, F and Na. The ITO films deposited on textured glass substrates showed the high RMS roughness and haze ratio in the visible wavelength region. The change in surface morphology showed negligible influence on electrical and structural properties of ITO films. The ITO films with high roughness and haze ratio can be used to improve the performance of thin film solar cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.74-74
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• 2009

Titanium nitride has been used as hardmask for semiconductor process, capacitor of MIM type and diffusion barrier of DRAM, due to it's low resistivity, thermodynamic stability and diffusion coefficient. Characteristics of the TiN film are high intensity and chemical stability. The TiN film also has compatibility with high-k material. This study is an experimental test for better condition of TiN film etching process. The etch rate of TiN film was investigated about etching in $BCl_3/Ar/O_2$ plasma using the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching system. The base condition were 4 sccm $BCl_3$ /16 sccm Ar mixed gas and 500 W the RF power, -50 V the DC bias voltage, 10 mTorr the chamber pressure and $40\;^{\circ}C$ the substrate temperature. We added $O_2$ gas to give affect etch rate because $O_2$ reacts with photoresist easily. We had changed $O_2$ gas flow rate from 2 sccm to 8 sccm, the RF power from 500 W to 800 W, the DC bias voltage from -50 V to -200 V, the chamber pressure from 5 mTorr to 20 mTorr and the substrate temperature from $20\;^{\circ}C$ to $80\;^{\circ}C$.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.94-100
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• 1998

Methane, the major constituent of natural gas, had been converted to higher hydrocarbons by a microwave plasma. The yield of C2+ product could be increased from 29.2% to 42.2% with increasing plasma power(40~120 watt) and decreasing flow rate(40~5 mL/min) of methane. With catalyst, the selectivities of ethylene and increased while yield of C2+ remaining constant. Among various catalysts, Fe catalyst showed the highest ethylene selectivity of 30%. A natural gas could produce more C2+ than a pure methane. This is due to high reactivity of ethane and propane in the natural gas.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.550-555
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• 2001

A diamond-like carbon(DLC) films were deposited on the borosilicate glass substrate by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical deposition(rf-PECVD). The $methane(CH_4)-hydrogen(H_2)$ gas mixture was used as precursor gas. The morphologies, the structure and the optical properties of the DLC films were investigated by SEM, Raman and UV spectrometer. The deposition rate was slightly increased with the hydrogen concentration in the gas mixture and it maintained constant at over 25 sccm of the gas flow rate. The optical band gap calculated by UV spectra decreased with increase of deposition time and DC self bias, but that were not effected by hydrogen content. Most effective parameter on the transmittance of film was bias voltage, especially in the range of ultra violet and visible light.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.907-913
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• 2017

The performance of a spark jet driven by pulsed-arc plasma was investigated experimentally for various energy input. A high-speed jet (about 330 m/s) was obtained by rapid gas heating produced by 37 mJ of deposited energy per pulse. The peak velocity and penetration distance of the jet were proportional to the deposited power and the deposited energy per pulse, respectively. A smaller orifice diameter produces a higher velocity jet at lower energy levels. For the same deposited energy, higher-current pulses produce a higher jet velocity than higher-pulse-width pulses. A total deposited energy of about 10 mJ per pulse with a pulse duration of about $10{\mu}s$ was found to be the optimum for energy- efficient operation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1393-1404
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• 2015

Ten empirical disinfection models for the plasma process were used to find an optimum model. The variation of model parameters in each model according to the operating conditions (first voltage, second voltage, air flow rate, pH, incubation water concentration) were investigated in order to explain the disinfection model. In this experiment, the DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) plasma reactor was used to inactivate Phytophthora capsici which cause wilt in tomato plantation. Optimum disinfection models were chosen among ten models by the application of statistical SSE (sum of squared error), RMSE (root mean sum of squared error), $r^2$ values on the experimental data using the GInaFiT software in Microsoft Excel. The optimum models were shown as Log-linear+Tail model, Double Weibull model and Biphasic model. Three models were applied to the experimental data according to the variation of the operating conditions. In Log-linear+Tail model, $Log_{10}(N_o)$, $Log_{10}(N_{res})$ and $k_{max}$ values were examined. In Double Weibull model, $Log_{10}(N_o)$, $Log_{10}(N_{res})$, ${\alpha}$, ${\delta}_1$, ${\delta}_2$, p values were calculated and examined. In Biphasic model, $Log_{10}(N_o)$, f, $k_{max1}$ and $k_{max2}$ values were used. The appropriate model parameters for the calculation of optimum operating conditions were $k_{max}$, ${\alpha}$, $k_{max1}$ at each model, respectively.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2002

In order to improve the 0.35 $mutextrm{m}$-via hole etching process the etching characteristic of the gas $C_2F_{6}$ has been analyzed. The samples were triple-layer films(TEOS/SOG/TEOS) on 8-inch wafers and the orthogonal array matrix technique was used for the process. The equipment for etching was the transformer coupled plasma (TCP) source which is a type of high density plasma(HDP). This experiment showed the etching rate for $C_2F_{6}$ was 0.8 $mutextrm{m}$/min-1.1 $mutextrm{m}$/min and the measured uniformity was under $pm$6.9% in the matrix window. The CD skew comparison between pre and post-etching was under 10% which is an outstanding results in the window of profile in anisotropic etching. There was no problem in C2F6 with the flow rate of 20sccm, but when 14sccm of $C_2F_{6}$ was supplied there was a recess problem on the inner wall of SOG film. Consequently the etching characteristic of $C_2F_{6}$ shows a fast etching rate and a very wide process window in HDP TCP.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.216-216
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• 1999

The usage of a stationary plasma thruster (SPT) ion source, invented previously for space application in Russia, in experiments with surface modifications and film deposition systems is reported here. Plasma in the SPT is formed and accelerated in electric discharge taking place in the crossed axial electric and radial magnetic fields. Brief description of the construction of specific model of SPT used in the experiments is presented. With gas flow rate 39ml/min, ion current distributions at several distances from the source are obtained. These was equal to 1~3 mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$ within an ion beam ejection angle of $\pm$20$^{\circ}$with discharge voltage 160V for Ar as a working gas. Such an extremely high ion current density allows us to obtain the Ti metal films with deposition rate of $\AA$/sec by sputtering of Ti target. It is shown a possibility of using of reactive gases in SPT (O2 and N2) along with high purity inert gases used for cathode to prevent the latter contamination. It is shown the SPT can be operated at the discharge and accelerating boltages up to 600V. The results of presented experiments show high promises of the SPT in sputtering and surface modification systems for deposition of oxide thin films on Si or polymer substrates for semiconductor devices, optical coatings and metal corrosion barrier layers. Also, we have been tried to establish in application of the modeling expertise gained in electric and ionic propulsion to permit numerical simulation of additional processing systems. In this mechanism, it will be compared with conventional DC sputtering for film microstructure, chemical composition and crystallographic considerations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.07a
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• pp.361-365
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• 2003

Planar Inductively Coupled Plasma (PICP) etching of InGaP was performed in $BCl_3,\;BCl_3/Ar\;and\;BCl_3/Ne$ plasmas as a function of ICP source power ($0\;{\sim}\;500\;W$), RIE chuck power ($0\;{\sim}\;150\;W$), chamber pressure ($5\;{\sim}\;15\;mTorr$) and gas composition of $BCl_3/Ar\;and\;BCl_3/Ne$. Total gas flow was fixed at 20 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute). Increase of ICP source power and RIE chuck power raised etch rate of InGaP, while that of chamber pressure reduced etch rate. We also found that some addition of Ar and Ne in $BCl_3$ plasma improved etch rate of InGaP. InGaP etch rate was varied from $1580\;{\AA}/min$ with pure $BC_3\;to\;2800\;{\AA}/min$ and $4700\;{\AA}/min$ with 25 % Ar and Ne addition, respectively. Other process conditions were fixed at 300 W ICP source power, 100 W RIE chuck power and 7.5 mTorr chamber pressure. SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and AFM (atomic force microscopy) data showed vertical side wall and smooth surface of InGaP at the same condition. Proper addition of noble gases Ar and Ne (less than about 50 %) in $BCl_3$ inductively coupled plasma have resulted in not only increase of etch rate but also minimum preferential loss and smooth surface morphology by ion-assisted effect.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.202-206
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• 2005

Nitriding treatments were conducted on tool steel (SKD 61) at a temperature of $500^{\circ}C$ for 5 hr using high vacuum direct current (DC) plasma, with ammonia and argon as source gases. The structural and compositional changes produced in the nitrided layers by applying different ratios of Ar to $NH_{3}\;(n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}) were investigated using glancing x-ray diffraction (GXRD), optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), micro-Vickers hardness testing, and pin-on-disc type tribometer. Nitriding case depths of around of $50{\mu}m$ were produced, varying slightly with different ratios of $n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}. It was found that the specimen surface hardness was 1150 Hv with $n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}=1, increasing to a maximum value of 1500 Hv with $n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}=5. With a further increase in ratio to $n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}=10, the surface hardness of the specimen reduced slightly to a value of 1370 Hv. These phenomena were caused by changes of the crystallographic structure of the nitride layers, i.e the $\gamma'-Fe_{4}N$ phase only was observed in the sample treated with $n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}$=1, and the intensity of the $\gamma'-Fe_{4}N$ phase were reduced but new phase of $\varepsilon'-Fe_{3}N$, which was known as a high hardness, with increasing $n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}. Also, the relative weight loss of counterface of the pin-on-disc with unnitrided steel was 0.2. And that of nitrided steel at a gas mixture ($n_{Ar}/n_{NH3}) of 1, 5, 7, and 10 was 0.4, 0.7, 0.6, and 0.5 mg, respectively. This means that the wear resistance of the nitrided samples could be increased by a factor of 2 at least than that of unnitrided steel.