CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION OF NITRIDE THIN-FILMS

An overview of the atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition of nitride thin films from homoleptic early transition metal and main group amido complexes [M(NR2)n] and ammonia is presented. The homoleptic amido complexes were chosen as precursors because they undergo facile solution reactions, transamination and amido alpha-hydrogen activation reactions, that suggested they could lead to nitrides with an ammonia co-precursor. Nitrides with stoichiometries MN (M = Ti, V, Al, Ga), M3N4 (M = Zr, Hf, Nb, Si, Sn) and Ta3N5 are deposited. The temperatures of deposition are in the range 200-450-degrees-C, with exception of Si3N4 (600-750-degrees-C). There is little carbon contamination in the films, but the amount of hydrogen is significant.