Earticle

The crystallization behavior and microstructural change in glass-ceramics with a cordierite composition were analyzed as a function of concentration and etching time of the HF solution in order to enhance the degree of crystallinity of the glass. Compared to a specimen without etching, the glass frit specimens etched with HF solution showed increased crystalline peak intensities of the μ-cordierite phase in the XRD pattern. The crystal size in the glass matrix also increased with an increasing concentration of the HF solution for the etched glass frit. The crystal peak intensity of the α-cordierite phase in the glass-ceramics made with glass frit etched with 0.5-1.5 wt% HF solution had a slightly higher value than that of pure glass frit regardless of the etching time. The intensity of the specimen with etched glass frit with 3.0 wt% HF solution, however, was lower than that of the specimen of the pure glass frit. Obviously, for the glass-ceramics etched with HF solution of various conditions, the α-cordierite phase is more favorable for crystallization than the α-cordierite phase. This study revealed that the microstructure and ratio of the crystallinity of the α-cordierite phase over the α-cordierite phase in the obtained glass-ceramics could be controlled by changing the HF-etching conditions followed by a heat treatment process.

Porous silicon materials have been shown to have bright prospects for applications in light emitting, solar cell, as well as light- and chemical-sensing devices. In this report, structures of porous silicon prepared by anodic etching in HF-based solution with various etching times were studied in detail by Atomic Force Microscopy and Small Angle X -ray Scattering technique using the high energy beam line at Pohang Light Source in Korea. The results showed the coexistence of the various pores with nanometer and submicrometer scales. For nanameter size pores, the mixed ones with two different shapes were identified: the larger ones in cylindrical shape and the smaller ones in spherical shape. Volume fractions of the cylindrical and the spherical pores were about equal and remained unchanged at all etching times investigated. On the whole uniform values of the specific surface area and of the size parameters of the pores were observed except for the larger specific surface area for the sample with the short etching time. The results implies that etching process causes the inner surfaces to become smoother while new pores are being generated. In all SAXS data at large Q vectors, Porod slope of -4 was observed, which supports the fact that the pores have smooth surfaces.

The etching with high selectivity of silicon dioxide over silicon nitride is essential in semiconductor fabrication, and gas phase etch (GPE) can increase the competitiveness of the selective dielectric etch. In this work, GPE of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited SiO₂ was performed, and the effects of process parameters, such as temperature, partial pressure ratio, and gas supply cycle, are investigated in terms of etch rate and within wafer uniformity. Employing multiple regression analysis, the importance of each parameter elements is analyzed.

We present a novel method. to fabricate surface micromachined structures without their sticking on the substrate. An anhydrous HF/$CH_3OH$ vapor-phase etching (VPE) of sacrificial $SiO_2$ layers was employed to release 0.5-2 {\mu}m$ thick polysilicon cantilevers. The fabricated structures were observed using scanning electron microscope and 3-dimensional optical microscope. The results show that we can successfully make cantilever beams up to 1200{\mu}m$ long without sticking. Annealing effects on residual stress of polysilicon microstructures were also investigated. Anneal ins at 1100$^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour was found to be effective to release the residual stress of the polysilicon microstructures. These VPE and anneal ins techniques will be useful in surface micromachining technologies.

기존의 불산을 대체할 수 있는 평판디스플레이용 유리의 식각용액을 개발하고자 진행하였다. 본 연구과정을 통해 제안된 불산 대체 유리 식각용액은 산성불화암모늄 18~19 wt%, 황산 24~25 wt%, 물 45~46 wt%, 황산염 4~5 wt%, 규불화염 7~8 wt%로 구성되며, 사용된 식각용액의 재사용 시 보충용액으로서 해당조성의 식각용액을 전체의 5% 되게 보충함으로서 효과적으로 지속적으로 재사용이 가능하다. 개발된 식각용액은 $30^{\circ}C$에서 $5{\mu}m/min$ 이상의 식각속도를 나타내며, 반복 재사용 시에도 초기 식각액 전체 질량의 5% 추가로 보충함으로서 식각속도는 $0.1{\mu}m/min$ 이하로 편차로 식각속도가 안정적으로 유지되었다. 이 식각공정을 통해 얻어진 평판디스플레이용의 유리의 표면 상태는 Pin hole, Dimple 등이 발견되지 않는 양호한 품질을 나타내었다.

The purpose of this research was to develop a flat panel display device's glass etchant which can replace hydrofluoric acid. The glass etchant was composed of 18~19% wt% of ammonium hydrogen fluoride, 24~25 wt% of sulfuric acid, 45~46 wt% of water, 4~5 wt% of sulfate and 7~8 wt% of fluoro-silicate. By replenishing the etchant which has the amount of 5% of initial solution's mass, it was possible to reuse the etchant continuously. The developed etchant showed $5{\mu}m/min$ of etching rate at $30^{\circ}C$. The reusable etchant, with replenishing 5% of initial etchant mass showed the stable etching rate, which has the deviation of less than $0.1{\mu}m/min$ etching rate. The glass surface of flat panel display device created from our etching process was in good condition with any defects such as pin hole and dimple.

본 논문에서는 플루오린화 수소산(hydrofluoric acid)과 표면 장력을 이용한 손실이 낮은 광섬유형 방향성 결합기 제작 방법을 제안한다. 제안한 방향성 결합기 제작 방법은 기존에 일반적으로 이용하던 열원을 이용한 제작 방법과는 다르게 다양한 장비들이 요구되지 않으며, 마멸을 이용한 방법보다 손실이 낮으며, 제작 과정이 매우 쉽다. 또한, 제작된 결과물은 테이퍼드(tapered) 형태의 아디아바틱(adiabatic)한 구조로 인해 광통신에서 널리 이용되는 C-band 영역에서 파장 의존성이 낮아 광통신에서 유망한 역할을 맡을 수 있다.

In this paper, a fabrication method of low-loss tapered optical fibers coupler using hydrofluoric acid with surface tension driven is proposed. The proposed fabrication method is very simple compared to flame-based method, and shows low excess insertion losses compared to polishing method. The adiabatic-tapered structure along the coupling region of the coupler shows wavelength independent characteristic over the C-band in optical communication system, and will enable promising applications.

For the economical and environmental-friendly fabrication of polisher, Mo mask layer were sputtered on glass substrate instead of Cr mask material. Mo mask layers were sputtered by pulsed-DC sputtering and Photoresist patterns were formed on Mo mask layer for different develop times and optimized. After Mo mask layer were patterned and exposed glass was wet etched by HF solution for different etching times, the remaining Mo mask was stripped by using Al etchant. Develop time of 30 sec and HF wet etching time of 3 min were selected as optimized process condition and applied to the fabrication of polisher.

This study describes a new mastless nano-fabrication technique of Pyrex 7740 glass using the combination of nanomachining by nano-indenter XP and HF wet etching. First, the surface of a Pyrex 7740 glass specimen was machined by using the nano-machining system, which utilizes the mechanism of the nano-indenter XP. Next, the specimen was etched by HF solution. After the etching process, the convex structure or deeper hole is made because of masking or promotion effect of the affected layer generated by nano-machining. On the basis of this interesting fact. some sample structures were fabricated.

In order to protect the patterned mask from contamination during lithography process, pellicle has become a critical component for Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology. According to EUV pellicle requirements, the pellicle should have high EUV transmittance and robust mechanical property. In this study, silicon nitride, which is well-known for its remarkable mechanical property, was used as a pellicle membrane material to achieve high EUV transmittance. Since long silicon wet etching process time aggravates notching effect causing stress concentration on the edge or corner of etched structure, the remaining membrane is prone to fracture at the end of etch process. To overcome this notching effect and attain high transmittance, we began preparing a rather thick (200 nm) $SiN_x$ membrane which can be stably manufactured and was thinned into 43 nm thickness with HF wet etching process. The measured EUV transmittance shows similar values to the simulated result. Therefore, the result shows possibilities of HF thinning processes for $SiN_x$ EUV pellicle fabrication.

The key process in silicon surface micromachining is the selective etching of a sacrificial layer to release the silicon microstructure. The newly developed anhydrous HF/$CH_3$OH gas phase etching of TEOS (teraethylorthosilicate) sacrificial layers onto the polysilicon and the nitride substrates was employed to release the polysilicon microstructures. A residual product after TEOS etching onto the nitride substrate was observed on the surface, since a SiOxNy layer is formed on the TEOS/nitride interface. The polysilicon microstructures are stuck to the underlying substrate because SiOxNy layer does not vaporize. We found that the only sacrificial etching without any residual product and stiction is TEOS etching onto the polysilicon substrate.