Silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) thin films are promising materials for copper diffusion barriers and hybrid bonding in semiconductor processes. Oxidation-resistant films are increasingly critical for realizing high-reliability devices, highlighting the need for process control and property evaluation. In this study, we analyzed the thin film properties as a function of tetramethylsilane (4MS) gas partial pressure ratio (PPR), deposition temperature, and dual-power plasma conditions in a PECVD-based SiCN deposition process. Based on the results, we experimentally demonstrated that the refractive index can be a valid indicator for oxidation resistance evaluation. The application of dual-power plasma conditions was instrumental in enhancing oxidation resistance. Under these conditions, the refractive index reached approximately 1.90 even at 200℃, comparable to values observed in films deposited at 350℃. These findings provide a basis for predicting oxidation resistance and optimizing low-temperature conditions, with applications in next-generation semiconductor and packaging technologies requiring high reliability.
Various process technologies for manufacturing power inductors are under development. The core goal is to increase the mixing ratio of the soft magnetic powder in the epoxy, and to uniformly disperse it in a molding-type power inductor, manufactured by the injection molding method. In this study, we investigated the effect of dispersant and silane on the dispersion of soft magnetic metal powders in epoxy. We added 0.6 wt% of dispersant and 2.0 wt% of silane, and an excellent dispersibility resulted. Under the conditions of 0.3 wt% of dispersant and 0.5 wt% of silane, we added both dispersant and silane together to observe the effect of their interaction on dispersibility. Similarly, the addition of 0.3 wt% of dispersant and 0.1 wt% of silane resulted in a sharp increase in viscosity, considered to be due to the interaction of the dispersant and silane. The addition of 0.1 wt% of dispersant with 0.5 wt% of silane resulted in a sharp rise in viscosity, and sedimentation-height decreased sharply due to the dispersion optimization.
SiGe thin films were deposited by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RPE-CVD) at 400℃ using SiH4 or SiCl4 and GeCl4 as the source of Si and Ge, respectively. The growth rate and the degree of crystallinity of the fabricated films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Raman analysis, respectively. The optical and electrical properties of SiGe films fabricated using SiCl4 and SiH4 source were comparatively studied. SiGe films deposited using SiCl4 source showed a lower growth rate and higher crystallinity than those deposited using SiH4 source. Ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy measurement showed that the optical band gap of SiGe is in the range of 0.88~1.22 eV.
A molding-type power inductor is an inductor that uses a hybrid material that is prepared by mixing a ferrite metal powder coated with an insulating layer and an epoxy resin, which is injected into a coil-embedded mold and heated and cured. The fabrication of molding-type inductors requires various techniques such as for coil formation and insertion, improving the magnetic properties of soft magnetic metal powder, coating an insulating film on the magnetic powder surface, and increasing the packing density by well dispersing the powder in the epoxy resin. Among these aspects, researches on additives that can disperse the metal soft magnetic powder having the greatest performance in the epoxy resin with high charge have not been reported yet. In this study, we investigated the effect of silanes, KBM-303 and KBM-403, and a commercial dispersant on the dispersion of metal soft magnetic powders in epoxy resin. The sedimentation height and viscosity were measured, and it was confirmed that the silane KBM-303 was suitable for dispersion. For this silane, the packing density was as high as about 72.49%. Moreover, when 1.2 wt% of dispersant BYK-103 was added, the packing density was about 80.5%.
Recently the solution-based thin film technology has often been treated in the field of device fabrication owing to easy process and convenience for the development of various semiconductor devices and sensors. We deposited on glass substrate single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs)/silane hybrid thin films by multiple spray-coating which is one of solution-based processes, and examined their electrical response for humidity. Generally silane binders which are often mixed in carbon nanotube (CNT) solution to adhere CNTs to substrate well form easily each own functionalized group on the surface of CNTs after they are hardened by way of the hydrolysis reaction. In this work, we investigated how silane binders (TEOS (tetraethoxy silane), MTMS (methyltrimethoxysilane) and VTMS (vinyltrimethoxysilane)) in CNT thin films make effect to their electrical response on humidity. As the result, we found that the resistance in the samples using TEOS was changed dramatically while it was almost invariant in the samples using MTMS and VTMS for increasing humidity.