TOF MS Investigation of Nickel Oxide CVD

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Nickel oxide (NiO) thin films are crucial for various electronic and catalytic applications.
• Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) is a primary technique for depositing NiO layers.
• Understanding the precursor's gas-phase behavior is essential for process control and optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the gas-phase transformations of bis-(ethylcyclopentadienyl) nickel ((EtCp)2Ni) during NiO MOCVD.
• To determine the reaction kinetics and product formation in the presence of oxygen and ozone.
• To develop model reaction schemes for the gas-phase decomposition of (EtCp)2Ni.

Main Methods:

• Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of NiO using (EtCp)2Ni.
• Gas-phase kinetic studies in a flow reactor.
• Analysis of gas-phase products using mass spectrometry and gas chromatography (implied).
• Temperature-dependent reaction studies in the range of 380-830 K.

Main Results:

• The interaction of (EtCp)2Ni with oxygen begins at 450 K, peaking at 700 K.
• The interaction of (EtCp)2Ni with ozone initiates at 400 K, peaking at 600 K.
• Identified various gas-phase products including CO, CO2, C2H5OH, and oxygenated hydrocarbons at different temperature ranges.

Conclusions:

• Model reaction schemes for (EtCp)2Ni decomposition in O2 and O3 environments were developed.
• The study provides insights into the complex gas-phase chemistry governing NiO MOCVD.
• Optimized deposition parameters can be inferred from the identified reaction pathways and product distributions.