Unearthing [3-(Dimethylamino)propyl]aluminium(III) Complexes as Novel Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Precursors for Al2 O3 : Synthesis, Characterization and ALD Process Development.

Identification and synthesis of intramolecularly donor-stabilized aluminium(III) complexes, which contain a 3-(dimethylamino)propyl (DMP) ligand, as novel atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursors has enabled the development of new and promising ALD processes for Al2 O3 thin films at low temperatures. Key for this promising outcome is the nature of the ligand combination that leads to heteroleptic Al complexes encompassing optimal volatility, thermal stability and reactivity. The first ever example of the application of this family of Al precursors for ALD is reported here. The process shows typical ALD like growth characteristics yielding homogeneous, smooth and high purity Al2 O3 thin films that are comparable to Al2 O3 layers grown by well-established, but highly pyrophoric, trimethylaluminium (TMA)-based ALD processes. This is a significant development based on the fact that these compounds are non-pyrophoric in nature and therefore should be considered as an alternative to the industrial TMA-based Al2 O3 ALD process used in many technological fields of application.

Sc2O3, Er2O3, and Y2O3 thin films by MOCVD from volatile guanidinate class of rare-earth precursors.

Alternative novel precursor chemistries for the vapor phase deposition of rare-earth (RE) oxide thin films were developed by synthesising the homoleptic guanidinate compounds tris(N,N'-diisopropyl-2-dimethylamidoguanidinato)-scandium(III) [Sc(DPDMG)(3)] (1), tris(N,N'-diisopropyl-2-dimethylamidoguanidinato)-erbium(III), [Er(DPDMG)(3)] (2) and tris(N,N'-diisopropyl-2-dimethylamidoguanidinato)-yttrium(III), [Y(DPDMG)(3)] (3). All three compounds are monomeric as revealed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron impact mass spectrometry (EI-MS). The thermal analysis revealed that the compounds are volatile and very stable under evaporation conditions. Therefore the complexes were evaluated as precursors for the growth of Sc(2)O(3), Er(2)O(3) and Y(2)O(3) thin films, respectively, by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Uniform Sc(2)O(3), Er(2)O(3) and Y(2)O(3) films on Si(100) substrates with reproducible quality were grown by MOCVD by the combination of the respective guanidinate precursors and oxygen in the temperature range 350-700 °C. The structural, morphological, compositional and electrical properties of the films were investigated in detail. The most relevant film properties are highlighted in relation to the distinct advantages of the novel precursor chemistries in comparison to the commonly used literature known RE precursors. This study shows that compounds 1-3 are very good precursors for MOCVD yielding Sc(2)O(3), Er(2)O(3) and Y(2)O(3) thin films which are stoichiometric and display suitable electrical properties for their potential use as high dielectric constant (high-k) materials.

Atomic vapor deposition approach to In2O3 thin films.

In2O3 thin films were grown by atomic vapor deposition (AVD) on Si(100) and glass substrates from a tris-guanidinate complex of indium [In(N(i)Pr2guanid)3] under an oxygen atmosphere. The effects of the growth temperature on the structure, morphology and composition of In2O3 films were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed that In2O3 films deposited in the temperature range 450-700 degreesC crystallised in the cubic phase. The film morphology, studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), was strongly dependent on the substrate temperature. Stoichiometric In2O3 films were formed under optimised processing conditions as was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron and X-ray excited Auger electron spectroscopies (XPS, XE-AES), as well as by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). Finally, optical properties were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) measurements, spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and optical absorption. In2O3 films grown on glass exhibited excellent transparency (approximately 90%) in the Visible (Vis) spectral region.

Growth of crystalline Gd2O3 thin films with a high-quality interface on Si(100) by low-temperature H2O-assisted atomic layer deposition.

This work documents the first example of deposition of high-quality Gd(2)O(3) thin films in a surface-controlled, self-limiting manner by a water-based atomic layer deposition (ALD) process using the engineered homoleptic gadolinium guanidinate precursor [Gd(DPDMG)(3)]. The potential of this class of compound is demonstrated in terms of a true ALD process, exhibiting pronounced growth rates, a high-quality interface between the film and the substrate without the need for any additional surface treatment prior to the film deposition, and most importantly, encouraging electrical properties.

Monomeric malonate precursors for the MOCVD of HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films.

New Hf and Zr malonate complexes have been synthesized by the reaction of metal amides with different malonate ligands (L = dimethyl malonate (Hdmml), diethyl malonate (Hdeml), di-tert-butyl malonate (Hdbml) and bis(trimethylsilyl) malonate (Hbsml)). Homoleptic eight-coordinated monomeric compounds of the type ML4 were obtained for Hf with all the malonate ligands employed. In contrast, for Zr only Hdmml and Hdeml yielded the eight-coordinated monomeric compounds of the type ML4, while using the bulky Hdbml and Hbsml ligands resulted into mixed alkoxo-malonato six-coordinated compounds of the type [ML2(OR)2]. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of all the compounds are presented and discussed, and they are found to be monomeric. The complexes are solids and in solution, they retain their monomeric nature as evidenced by NMR measurements. Compared to the classical beta-diketonate complexes, [M(acac)4] and [M(thd)4] (M = Hf, Zr; acac: acetylacetonate; thd: tetramethylheptadione), the new malonate compounds are more volatile, decompose at lower temperatures and have lower melting points. In particular, the homoleptic diethyl malonate complexes of Hf and Zr melt at temperatures as low as 62 degrees C. In addition, the compounds are very stable in air and can be sublimed quantitatively. The promising thermal properties makes these compounds interesting for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). This was demonstrated by depositing HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films successfully with two representative Hf and Zr complexes.

Mixed amido/imido/guanidinato complexes of niobium: potential precursors for MOCVD of niobium nitride thin films.

Novel mixed amido/imido/guanidinato complexes of niobium are reported. The complexes were synthesized by insertion of two equivalents of di-isopropylcarbodiimide (i-Pr-cdi) or bis-cyclohexylcarbodiimide (Cy-cdi) respectively, into the niobium-amido bonds of [Nb(NR(2))(3)(N-t-Bu)] (, R = Me; , R = Et) starting out from [NbCl(3)(N-t-Bu)(py)(2)] and the respective LiNR(2) reagent (py = pyridine). Four representative examples of these mixed ligand amido/imido/guanidinato compounds were synthesized and were characterized by (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, (15)N-NMR, CHN-analysis, mass spectrometry and infra-red spectroscopy. The molecular structures of [Nb(NR(2)){eta(2)-(i-Pr-N)(2)C(NR(2))}(2)(N-t-Bu)] (, R = Me; , R = Et) in the solid state were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies and are discussed together with the molecular structure of the starting compound [Nb(NMe(2))(3)(N-t-Bu)] (). The thermal properties of the new compounds depend on the substitution at the guanidinato ligand. Complexes of i-Pr-cdi are significantly more volatile than complexes of Cy-cdi as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis. Preliminary experiments using as a single-molecule source for metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) in the absence of ammonia indicate the formation of the stoichiometric, and surprisingly carbon-free, cubic niobium nitride phase.

A novel preparation of nano-Cu/ZnO by photo-reduction of Cu(OCH(Me)CH2NMe2)2 on ZnO at room temperature.

Room-temperature preparation of nano-Cu on ZnO by UV light induced photo-reduction of Cu(OCH(Me)CH2NMe2)2 precursor was achieved, indicating a novel method of nano-Cu/ZnO synthesis from an organometallic copper precursor in non-aqueous media without further chemical reduction.